It was a simple fall. It really didn't even hurt, but what Judith didn't know is how that one fall would change her life forever. Judith had fallen hundreds of times during her 75 years, just like we all have, and she really didn't think too much of it at first. However, when she went to the doctor, she learned that this tumble broke both of the bones in her ankle, and after months of trying to get it to heal, she began noticing that her foot was turning in and swelling. The condition of her foot made it impossible for Judith to walk or even wear a pair of shoes.

 

Finally, her doctor had to give her the difficult news. She had 2 options. She could either go in for elective amputation surgery and get a prosthesis or spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair because she would not be able to walk again. Judith wrestled with this decision, as anyone would. Her doctor recommended that she go talk to the people at Optimus about what her options would be for getting a prosthesis. Judith admitted in our interview that she was skeptical when she arrived for her consultation appointment at

Optimus, and when she came in, she had pretty much made up her mind to not go through amputation surgery. She was just coming to satisfy her doctor and to get a little more information.

 

She continued to be skeptical even as the practitioners came back and talked to her about the prosthetic process and different prosthetic options. 

"No offense to them, but they had 2 legs," explained Judith.

She was worried and fearful about what going through amputation surgery would be like, and that is a question that the practitioners could not answer on a personal level because they had not been through it. Then, midway through Judith's appointment, she was introduced to patient advocate Lyndsey Wilcox. That is when everything changed. 

Judith was shocked to learn that Lyndsey was missing both her legs below her knees. Lyndsey took off her prostheses and showed Judith how they worked, talked to her about what she experienced when she had her legs amputated, and offered insight into what the daily life of an amputee is like. It was during that conversation that Judith decided, "If she [Lyndsey] can do it, I can do it!" That night in the car ride home, Judith told her husband, "Ok. Let's do it. Let's schedule surgery."

 

Judith made a remarkably quick recovery, and now, not only does she have a prosthesis, she is walking! This was something that less than a year ago, she didn't think she would be able to do. She admits that learning how to do everyday tasks in a new way was challenging at first, but she eventually figured out her own methods and strategies. Having another amputee like Lyndsey on staff at Optimus really helped Judith because she could ask Lyndsey questions, one amputee to another, and having someone who has been there is a huge comfort.

 

Judith's next goal? She has said all along throughout her fitting process that she wants to dance with her husband, Monroe, on his birthday. "It may only be slow dancing in the kitchen," she laughed. "But I promised him we would dance, and we will!" 

Without her prosthesis, Judith would never have been able to walk, let alone dance, and, she admits that if it hadn't been for her getting to meet Lyndsey, she probably would not have gone through amputation surgery at all. We are so honored to work with Judith and Monroe, and help her reach her goal.