MYO Electric Arm assures his quality of life back!

July 2023

Marc had the revision surgery, the sutures have been removed, and lastly, we met with the Prosthetic and Orthotics Clinic to discuss Marc's treatment. He will need to wear a shrinker for 3 weeks. On August 24th Marc will have the socket formed. 1 week after that will be the socket check to ensure it fits perfectly. We are hoping for the final version to be for Christmas; it's back and forth appts from 4 hrs away. It's a journey but the outcome is what Marc needs to thrive. 

To all contributors, we thankyou so very very much. To the ones that haven't, every little bit counts.

____________________________________

June 2023

Marc will need more surgery on his arm to remove roughly 2" of excess skin. When Marc's amputation was originally performed they repaired his arm. The arm is completely healed and now with the swelling all gone, he's left with excess skin. This will set the MYO Tasks CoApt robotic arm back about 6-8 weeks. This will make it so that when he's standing, his elbow/arm/hand isn't 2+" longer than his other arm. The surgeon made this suggestion and Marc was all for it and his excitement was warming.

____________________________________

May 2023

It's been 10 months since Marc's accident, he's doing great. The motivation, determination, positivity, and strength Marc has always shown has proven to his advantage. We are now working with a wonderful Prosthetic Orthotics company to build his Taska Co-Apt MYO Electric Robotic Arm, he will have a computerized wrist and elbow to match his right arm so he'll have 100% control of the whole robotic arm. The technology is amazing. His first consult went great, he was not expected to fulfill all 8 computerized hand/arm movements his first appt but Marc, as usual, knocked it out of the park, the 3 involved technicians were amazed at Marc's strength and ability to fulfill all 8 tasks and as quickly as he did. The company is now working with the Insurance company to get as much as possible approved monetary-wise. It comes down to proving to them that Marc needs and deserves to get 100% of the use of his arm and life back. He's deserving. It's all about building a case. Marc's 3 trauma surgeons at MGH, O.T./physical therapists, and prosthetic technicians are all determined to see that Marc gets his wishes and needs met. 

_____________________________________

Feb 2023

It's been 7 months since Marc's triple trauma motorcycle accident. He's now walking without assistance but the bones still need to heal around the plates, rods, and pins that were implanted in his right ankle, left knee and tibia. Surgeons stated that it'll take a good 12 to 18 months to fully heal.

Marc's body movement prosthetic is now completed and he's been attending outpatient O.T. to learn his arm, he's doing great but it's NOT like his missing limb, nothing will ever replace his arm but in comparison, the closest thing that he can get to mimic his missing left arm is the Myo Electric Robotic Arm. Marc has found he's got a lot of limitations with this body movement prosthetic arm; most important, he has to contort his body to get movement, he's got to use his free arm/hand to pull a cable, twist his attachment, shrug his shoulder to lower/raise his arm, he is unable to grasp, hold, and pick up objects, he's not able to hold my hand, he's got to constantly move his body to get his body movement arm to do what he wants to do, he can't just reach forward and do the movement he needs. The Myo Electric will give him that additional 85% use that he's not getting with the body movement prosthetic arm. Marc wants to grasp items, wants to hold his fork so he can cut his food, wants to pick up a glass and drink from it, wants to go in public and feel whole again, wants to be able to pick up tiny items; nail, screw, toothpick, etc. These are all daily movements we take for granted. He is "entitled" to have the FULL quality of life back. No one should go un-whole.

Halfway point......

Marc is in the final stages of healing. Now it's the continued effort of learning how to use his body movement prosthetic arm. He needs intense therapy to learn how to use his prosthetic arm to get him where he was before his accident. Frustration, determination, and perfection are all part of Marc's goals. Marc can drive safely using a driver knob; the knob that's common with truck drivers. Being able to drive gave him back his independence, something he lost 5 months ago.  

The robotic Myo Prosthetic Arm will come after he has mastered the body movement one. Baby steps!

The attachments are costly for his arm; the attachment isn't a one and done. Each attachment does something different. Marc is a fit, physical, hard-working man, he has many different needs. Marc "deserves" to be where he was before his accident on July 7th. 

From the beginning:

Many have reached out expressing their need to help!!!!! It's been 4-1/2 months since the accident, time has slowly moved on, the freshness of his accident might have worn off for some but the struggle is still real and now the reality of another hurdle, learning his new body movement prosthetic arm. Marc is walking with very little assistance; needs to rest often but that's ok. All who know and love Marc know all the good he's done for others over the last 45+ years, he deserves his quality of life back. In full! Helping others, being there when asked, helping without asking, giving his time to others time and again? Always there always helpful. Does he deserve to STRUGGLE to lay brick, STRUGGLE to build the fireplace, STRUGGLE to build that building, STRUGGLE! He deserves to be where he was before this accident. Having 2 crushed legs is healable but an amputated arm doesn't grow back. The technology today is beyond limits, those that love and care about Marc need to come together and see he gets what he so rightfully deserves. With all this said, there's maintenance, upkeep, and additional diagnostics as his body changes with age, it's a continuing expense. An expense we don't wish on anyone. 

For Marc to get to where he was before his accident, he will need a prosthetic arm based on body movement and a robotic prosthetic arm for his everyday life. He needs/wants to be able to lay brick; Marc is considered a Master Mason. The quality of his life before the accident needs to be restored. Marc is someone that always helped others and is a hard-working physical man. To say he is a perfectionist is an understatement, he was the BEST and will be the BEST again with your help! Marc needs both hands/arms to bring him back to his restored lifestyle. 

Insurance is helpful, insurance companies love our premiums, but insurance doesn't cover nearly what's needed; we all deal with this at one time or another. We will fight, we will appeal, we will win. I'm a women that don't take NO for an answer; lightly.

All funds will be used for his prosthetic robotic arm, maintenance, and upkeep; the upkeep is astronomical on a robotic arm. This isn't a one and done, this is upkeep for the rest of Marc's life.