Bike Adaptation Part 3

Finally!! Here is the finished bike adaptation, it now just has to be fitted to the handle bar. A job for daddy!

Bike Adaptation Part 2

Getting ready.....

Monkeying around on the bars....

The cup! The prosthetist tried the cup on Charlie's little arm for size and comfort, he then trimmed it slightly around the top.

It fits!!!

The prosthetist then needed to work out how long the finished prosthesis will need to be.

Measuring the angle at which the prosthesis will meet the handle bars.

The cup was then marked with a white pencil with the measurements/angles required.

Bike Adaptation Part 1 - Making the cast

This is the plaster bandage that will be dipped into water to make the cast

The prosthetist was keen to make Charlie as comfortable as possible with the process, so did one of his hand first.

Charlie waited for the cast to set, only takes a few minutes then checked it out with his little arm..

Charlie was very pleased with his practise cast to take home, especially with his name and picture on it!

Now for the real thing! After having soap rubbed on his arm (to ease the process of removal at the end) Charlie had a soft cotton sock put on his little arm.

The prosthetist drew some lines on the sock with a funky blue pen (Charlie was upset when this later washed off in the bath!) which came out on the inside of the cast. This was to give him some idea where Charlie's arm bends and where his elbow joint is.

The plaster bandage was then moistened and wrapped around Charlie's little arm.

A messy job! Now I know why the prosthetist wears white!

It's set! Now for the tricky bit!!!

Wiggle, wriggle, pop!!!

Charlie admires his new cast! Charlie asked for his adaption to be made in blue with aeroplanes on it! We return in two weeks to check the cup (made from the cast) fits and is comfortable. The final step will be when the cup is fitted to the bike itself.

Apologies this is a bit belated!!  Charlie has very quickly mastered the art of opening an Easter egg...........another essential life skill ticked off the list!

Butter fingers......

While waiting for our dinner at The Harvester last night Charlie had a bread roll, I automatically went to open his butter for him and butter it, but he had already opened it!! I made him do it again so you could see........I thought it pretty impressive myself!

Prosthetic questions.

I have recently been contacted by a very lovely lady who was one of the first children to receive the myoelectric 'bionic' hand. She has also had experience using a wide range of prosthesis throughout her life. I'm so pleased as I'm sure she is going to be a great help to all of us who have prosthetic related questions. So come on, ask away!!

Mittens

This is how I adapt Charlie's mittens, its really easy! I simply turn them inside out, snip off the thumb and sew up the hole and there you have a perfect little arm mitten. Simple!

Feet first!

Charlie sometimes uses his feet to do things..........

Charlie's Little arm cards?

So we were in a cafe today , when Charlie spots a group of slightly older boys with their family and in a flash he is off (never backwards about coming forwards!). It takes a couple of seconds for the boys to weigh him up and the questions to start, those of you with little armers know how it goes. So I sit back and watch for a minute as I like to try and let Charlie deal with these situations himself now, but one little boy is being persistent "how did you break your arm, how did you break your arm?". I can tell his mum is trying her best, but not liking to let the misconception continue I wander over and gently tell him "Charlie was born with one hand, this is his little arm". Now the older boy joins in, "but how does he eat his dinner?", I point to Charlie's hand and say, "with this hand", he asks again, but this time his mum manages to distract him and change the subject. At this point I thought, if only I had a business card to hand over with the address of this page on it!!! Come and see just how well he manages!! Inappropriate? I'm not sure, but maybe I may jot the address down on some scraps of paper just in case.......

Read this!

Look what arrived today!! Sooooo excited! Can't wait to start reading!

Prompted by a message someone sent me (thanks Janette!) I realised that some of you may not know of this brilliant organisation. Reach are a great support to families and children with upper limb deficiency. www.reach.org.uk

Bodywarmers/gillets are great for autumn and spring- no sleeves to turn up! Love it!