Mall #3 - stop complaining!

I met Jerald this morning at the Maine Mall and I met a 15 year old girl named Christine and her mother at the Mall too. I was am so impressed with Christine and how she walked! Christine I am so proud of you! I will no longer complain about having a short residual limb. Some background might be helpful.....Christine has absolutely no residual limb at all. From what I can gather, she has never had one and she can really get around with crutches so well! For me this is really impressive for I struggle with crutches.

Jerald just made her an artificial leg that attaches to her hip and she is walking with it. I think her seeing me walk with an artificial leg helped her or at least I hope that it did. She was told by her former Prosthetic company, that she would never walk with an artificial leg. Well Jerald and Atlantic ProCare is proving the other company wrong for she is now walking and she isn't done yet by a long shot.

I walked ok today at the mall but I need to learn to walk slowly and correctly! I need to walk slower and remember to kick the ball as I walk and not throw my hip. Jerald needed to remind me which he shouldn't have had to. James walk slowly and correctly and speed with follow with correct form. I have to say this to myself to remind myself. Once Jerald cued me I walked correctly again. Thank you Jerald and I will do it correctly the next time that I see you and in the interlude I will practice correctly. I am still having a hard time balancing on one leg when I try to balance on my prosthetic leg alone. This is very hard but I am working on it.

Balance

This morning was Mall visit #3. According to my prosthesist, Jerald, my flow and gate are improving. It seems as if working on my balance is improving my walking without the cane. Now he wants me to practice standing on my prosthetic leg without holding on to the wall with my right finger. He wants to be able to stand on my artificial leg without holding on to anything!!!
Is he insane?

Basically he wants me to stand on the floor and with the cane in my left hand be able to lift my real right foot up and lift the cane at the same time thus stand on my prosthetic only and balance without falling. This is scary as hell and also rather difficult if not impossible, but I will practice!!!

He seemed happy with my prosthetic side and my real side below my hips. He says that I have improved the hesitation on my prosthetic side so the flow has improved and my right side is good as well below the hips. I have to work on relaxing my shoulders when I walk and they shouldn't move as much. Only my arms should move when I walk. Why is walking so complicated??