A Medical Mission means chipping in wherever you are needed! Thanks to my Student Teachers Mario and Evan for accepting me on their prosthetic fitting team for the day. We met and interviewed this 52 year old male, who lost his left leg, above the knee, from a silent land mine leftover from the Vietnam War. Its amazing how our mission team functions, making and supplying over 100 prosthetics for the unfortunate patients of Vietnam for approximately $85.00 USD. With no previous formal training on prosthetics fitting, observing the process when possible, I felt ready to join for a day of measuring, fitting and testing prosthetics! I traded in my stethoscope for a tape measure and dug in!! The biomechanics of an above the knee prosthetic is intricate, detailed, and tedious. Many man hours go into the actual process, including sweat, cuts, bruises, and sore knees! As you can see, sawing a close to perfect limb is crucial to a proper fit. Cutting and molding the socket takes patience and care. Adjusting the knee socket makes a good limb, a GREAT limb!!! Even down to the proper "Prosthetic" sneaker size all requires meticulous attention to details. I am extremely proud and pleased to say that Mario, Evan and I were able to provide this humble gentleman a new above the knee prosthetic, but more importantly a new lease on improved quality of life!!! He would not leave clinic until he personally thanked and shook hands with every member of our Medical Mission Team!!! As he strutted his way down the clinic pathway, I was reminded of just how precious the basic needs of life are, how accidents can happen to anyone, and that we are all mortal!!!
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