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“On June 10, 2002, I came to a roadblock in my
life. I was involved in an industrial
accident that left me with a right arm that was only 4 inches below my
elbow and a left hand that barely had an index finger and a thumb.
For someone that was deeply involved in football,
basketball, and baseball as a high school student, this created a dramatic
change in my life style. I was
always a “hands-on” type of person. Aside from sports, I enjoyed helping
my dad and brothers build our home and horse barn. I enjoyed riding my dirt bike, water
skiing, and just about any outdoor activity. During the summer of 2002, I had
picked up a job working with a stamping powerpress. About half way through my shift,
there was a miscommunication between the operator and me. The press was activated while I had
reached in to readjust a part.
The amputation was immediate; the machine didn’t budge an inch
at the presences of my arms in its way. I was rushed to a local hospital and
later life-flighted to MCO. I
went through four different surgeries and was in the hospital for eleven
days. After about a month of
trying to salvage my index and thumb with therapy, the doctors needed to
amputate all that remained of my left hand.
It seemed to me like life was starting all over
again. I was going to have to
learn to do everything in a new manner. That is, of course, if I would be
able to do them at all.
One of my uncles was visiting someone in a hospital and
while briefly discussing my story, Sam Santa-Rita from SRT overheard. Sam, wanting to help and knowing he
could help, offered his business card. By this time, I was already assigned
to a prosthetist by my orthopedic surgeon, but my gut was telling me,
“There should be something
better.” I made an
appointment with Sam just to see what he could offer me. He quickly got my attention with a
demo of a myo-electric prosthetic, and I have been seeing Sam ever
since. I do not believe there
is someone in the field that would be a better fit because of what I have
asked of Sam, and what I have put him through. Being a bi-lateral amputee at
twenty-two years old, I can be fairly rough on these prosthetics. Because I frequently made short work
of a new or newly repaired hand, I had the attention of the largest upper
extremity company. They flew
out to specifically sit down with me to discuss how to get longevity out of
their myo-electric hands that I was using. I was challenging the leading
myo-electric company, and I was challenging Sam at SRT. Thankfully, it has been a challenge
Sam has welcomed.
Sam has helped make a “dramatic change in my life
style,” not so dramatic.
He makes himself readily available, and he has worked around my
schedule. We’ve held late
night appointments, and we have even had appointments at his home on
Saturdays. He always strives to
make my prosthetics better and my life better by working with me to achieve
what I want to achieve. I can
be fairly picky at times and anytime I have “complained” about
something, he finds a way to make it better. I have asked him to create an air
suction socket for better suspension; he developed one for me. I told him I wanted to play football
again; he created padding for me.
I told him I wanted to play baseball again; he developed a way for
me to do so.
I have since graduated from college and have been in the
workforce for one and a half years as a program manager for a tool and die
shop. There are many things I
accredit to overcoming the roadblock I was faced with. A few of those would be my faith, my
family, my friends, my high school football coaches, and SRT.
Everyday can be a challenge but with the right people, those
challenges are much easier to overcome. Today, I enjoy an active life style
with the help of SRT. I have a full-time job which
requires typing emails and writing.
I enjoy playing church league softball, and of course, cruising
around in my four-speed dune buggy.”–Brad Hurtig
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Norman Terrill is 78 years old and resides in Hicksville, Ohio,
with his wife Vada of 52 years. They have 4 children together and 5
grandchildren. He worked at General Tire in Bryan, Ohio,
for 25 years and retired in 1992. During that time, he was also a Volunteer
Fireman for the village
of Hicksville for 25
years. He currently works part-time delivering flowers for the Posey
Peddler in Hicksville. Norm and Vada spend
a lot of time during the summer at Branch County Campground on Messenger Lake
in Coldwater, Michigan. While he is there, he gets to
spend much time fishing, which is one of his favorite things. Norm also
likes to garden, spend time with his family and friends—and of
course—watch Ohio State Football. Norm lost his leg in June 2006
because of poor circulation. He received his prosthetic leg in November of
that year. It has almost been a year and he is back to doing normal,
everyday tasks. Norm would like to thank SRT Prosthetics for giving him his
life back.
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"When I moved from Tennessee
to Indiana,
I had already lost my lower right leg below the knee. I had honestly given
up on myself; I considered myself a half of a person, through my eyes and
others.
I started to need supplies and adjustments to my leg. That's when I came
across SRT in the phone book, so I contacted them and made an appointment.
They asked me about my leg, and how I am adjusting with my leg. And
honestly I wasn't doing too good.
When I told them how I considered myself half a person, they shared
their experiences with me; I knew that they wouldn't give up on me either.
They aren't just doing their jobs; they really care about their
patients. The gang at SRT does more than build legs, arms, or whatever your
needs are. They are friends, and I'm very thankful to have met each of
them. It doesn't matter if I need supplies or just someone to talk
to—they are there. Thank you Kokomo SRT."
- Kay Kerlin
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