Nicole
Nicole's story
Nicole is happy to be able to walk again! When I was one year old I got meningococcal sepsis, which meant that both my legs had to be amputated at the knee. So I don't know what it's like to be able to just walk. Around the age of two I got 'short legs', prostheses that consisted of tubes on which I could walk and at the age of three I got my first 'long legs' with knees and feet. So you've always walked on prostheses? Yes, I'm 22 years old I have been to the same prosthetist and have always walked with prostheses. Sometimes I walk on my stumps at home, I always did. A while ago I landed on my stump wrongly when I fell off a stool, which caused a crack in the bone, then I couldn't walk for a long time and had to do everything from the wheelchair. After a while I was allowed to load again and two new sockets were cast, which were not measured properly, which gave me a lot of pain, they were also very high and I got problems in my groin. My prosthetist thought I should just “walk through”. I thought that was such a strange comment, as if it were my fault. I'm not really a pager, I was in real pain. You eventually ended up at Protec? I couldn't find a solution with my instrument maker and I ended up at Protec through a retired doctor, one of my grandmother's neighbours. He recommended De Hoogstraat Orthopedietechniek to us. I immediately called and heard that I could go to Protec for a second opinion, because they specialize in leg prostheses there. I tried not to expect too much from it and went there with an empty head. How did you experience the transition? I was surprised that the director himself was there and that they really had the whole day off planned for me, that felt strange , I'm not used to that. I received a lot of information and then they showed me their method and everything that goes with it, they also immediately made special molds. It was clearly said that I did not have to transfer and that I could take the information with me to my instrument maker. I expected them to tinker with my prosthetics, but the prosthetist told me that they don't tinker with prostheses from another prosthetist but rather give advice, so I went home with the same prostheses and with a lot of information. What was the advice? I had become a lot wiser. I thought it looked very modern and I was totally flabbergasted at the amount of time they took for a person. There was another client in the afternoon and I spoke to him extensively. She was very enthusiastic about Protec and explained a few things to me about the prostheses they make there. She also showed me how her prosthesis was finished and I loved that too! It was nice to speak to another client as well, which at least gave me some extra confidence. Did you go back to your own instrument maker? In the car I talked about it with my friend. I was immediately thrilled. This younger team seemed more modern to me, I had the feeling that they knew a lot about it and also followed more studies. My boyfriend did ask me to think carefully because he was afraid that I would be disappointed and have too high expectations. I have consulted with my parents at home. They told me: "Just try it!" So I finally decided to switch to Protec and not go back to my instrument maker. I found it difficult to convey that message to the instrument maker who had helped me for 22 years. What happened next at Protec? I was able to contact Protec quickly. Having my prostheses fitted there for the first time was very special. There were three instrument makers waiting for me. First I received a detailed explanation, they were told what they were going to do, how that would go and finally the sockets were measured around my stumps, through a special process with fiberglass and resin. Very special. And it's great that plaster was no longer messed with. The strangest thing to me was that I could fit the tubes right away. The first thing I felt when I got up and stood on both prostheses was: "Wow, I can't feel my back!" I always had problems with my back, which was previously looked at, but there was no solution for it. I'm standing a lot straighter now, that's very nice. I was allowed to walk around carefully between the bridge, but I would have preferred to walk loose right away, that's how I am and it felt good. All three instrument makers watched me walk. The process was done carefully. How are your prostheses now? I wear them a lot. At work I notice that walking is getting better and better. I just have to get used to the 'braking' again. Because the sockets and the C-legs, the electronic knees are so well adjusted to each other, walking is faster and I have to get used to stopping when I have such a speed. Last Friday I went back for an extra adjustment of the C-legs, and some of the brim at the back was also removed, so that it bothers me less while sitting. And recently I went shopping with a girlfriend, just with the prostheses and not in the wheelchair. You can walk longer distances with them again? Well, the great thing is that I went through the entire residential boulevard with my girlfriend, I just had energy for it . My girlfriend wanted to get the car at the end, but I didn't have to. She was very surprised. I notice that the tubes and the C-legs are well matched, the anchor is also positioned differently under the tube and a computer has been checked to see if the C-legs are properly adjusted. I also had two gait analyses, one with the old prostheses and one with the new ones. I found it very special to see how I walked with the old and new prostheses and to be able to compare that. Are you satisfied, in the end? Yes. I walked away from the prostheses and when I came for a checkup a week later, the instrument makers were really amazed at what I could and did with them. In the end I received running coaching from Frank Dik, the exercise coach, who gave me even more tips and exercises. And we're going to practice in a park soon, because I've become a bit more hesitant in some situations because I haven't run in so long. I really like that people think along with me, that there is practical training. You have confidence in your prostheses again? I am happy to put my prostheses back on, lately they have often been in a corner. I don't regret my switch at all. They really take their time here, especially that, and watch you with several people. They are specialized and know what they are doing and always have a trick and solution if one does not work, yes they really think along with this. Want to read more customer testimonials? Click here.