Back in 1987 I was on the news.

They showed me doing several activities with my new myoelectric prosthetic arm. Watch this vintage video clip and then…I’m going to tell you a secret.

First of all, nice hair, right? Here’s the secret: Except for this clip, I never wore my arm to play with LEGO blocks.

I simply used my fingers and toes and teeth, all with more efficiency than my myo. Yes, I was reprimanded constantly about using my teeth, but they worked!

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My personal trainer told me I was boring.

Literally.

I was doing box step-ups for the first time and when I was about half way through he said it.

“Why am I boring?” I panted.

“Usually this is the best part because people are flopping all over the place! Your balance is unbelievable. Honestly, I thought you’d be falling to the right every time,” he told me.

This is essentially EXACTLY what I looked like.

Fast-forward a couple years and I’m on the phone with Gillian from the How To Do Everything podcast and she asks me, “Is there anything you have an advantage over because you have one hand?”

I had never been asked this question before and it stopped me in my tracks. I thought for a moment and then remembered that time with my trainer.

“I have incredible balance,” I told her.

And it’s true. As I’ve thought more about it, I’ve always had really good balance. My mom or dad would have to tell you about my balance as an infant, but it was probably AWESOME. My assumption is that my brain just automatically compensated for the weight imbalance as I grew-up. That said, I wore some form of prosthetic limb for much of my childhood, so that had to factor in somehow, too. I’ve never done any therapy because of my arm, but have always loved playing sports and have successfully accomplished the arduous daily task of showering and getting dressed all by myself. For a fun challenge, try putting your underwear, socks and pants on while standing up…with one hand. But, don’t sue me if you fall over and get hurt.

The other day I posted these questions on the Facebook page:

As I’m writing this, there are currently more than fifty responses. And every one of them is interesting.

It appears to me that this issue – How do I make sure my child has good balance? – is one that has a variety of answers.

The advice runs the gamut and my philosophy is, whatever decision you make for your child is the right one. As the parent who loves him/her and wants the best for him/her, you know best.

So, what are the options?

One of them is to obtain physical and/or occupational therapy. Jen from Born Just Right says about her daughter’s therapy, “Jordan started working with OT and PT services when she was four months old. She was doing just fine but after an expert watched her, Jordan’s body was curved and she hadn’t really paid attention to the left side of her body.

Fast forward to almost nine years later and we still check in with our OT and PT services. Why? Because as her PT says, Jordan is really good at ‘faking it.’ She appears incredibly balanced, but she’s faking her way. We noticed this after Jordan started complaining about how she couldn’t touch her toes. Jordan has maintained incredible core strength but after really looking at her, she wasn’t walking properly! Jordan was moving her long arm when she walked or ran. But she had stopped really freely moving her little arm. That was creating some hip and upper leg deficiencies. (The body is a wild creature. It expects even actions all the time or else it starts messing with you.) Since we started working on more focused running and walking, Jordan is much better at stretching and flexibility. This is a long-term process. Jordan does pilates and yoga each week to keep her body in check. She also dances twice a week and runs with a cross country team. It’s a lot. But it keeps her strong and very aware when her body isn’t feeling quite right.”

Personally, I’ve never had any therapy. Not because I chose not to, but simply because we were never told it was an option! And for some people, in addition to preference, therapy is just not feasible. Whether it be financial or time constraints, if you’re unable to or just don’t think it’s necessary, it’s my opinion that you have nothing to worry or feel bad about. One common theme I saw in the comments thread, though, was getting kids involved in sports or other active endeavors. Soccer, gymnastics, basketball, baseball…all sports require balance and provide a way for kids to work on theirs without consciously thinking about it.

Riding a bike takes mad balancing skills, yo.

Another thing to remember is that some people just seem to have solid, natural balance. And some…don’t. And no matter how many hands they have, all little kids fall down, so I’m pretty confident in saying not to worry about yours.

Obviously I’m not a doctor or a therapist, so please check with yours if you’re interested in finding out how their services might benefit your child. That said, it’s been my experience that therapy isn’t required to enjoy a life of SUPERIOR PHYSICAL BALANCE.

I’m going to start bragging about my balance all the time now.

Or…you know…probably not.

What has been your experience? Have you used therapy to improve your own or your child’s balance? How has it helped?

I wore a prosthetic arm until my early teens.

I had a basic “mitten arm” when I was a baby and then a hook arm and then a myoelectric arm. See some sweet pictures and video of my arms in this post. They all served their purpose during the times I wore them, but then, like many of us (congenital amputees), I stopped wearing it. For me it was a combination of things. It was heavy, cumbersome, and honestly not very useful in most situations. I was never uncomfortable with my appearance, so I didn’t need one for that, either.

In fact, it’s been over 20 years since I’ve worn a prosthetic arm and while the technology I’ve seen on TV from time to time is exciting, it’s never grabbed me enough to try it for myself. That said, something else has caught my attention lately and I think it’s the future of prosthetics.

I’m talking about 3D printed prosthetics.

This blows my mind on so many levels.

In particular, I see three reasons 3D printed prosthetics are the future:

Cost. Availability. Durability.

First of all, the cost. $50. FIFTY FREAKING DOLLARS. They reference the cost of $40,000 on average for a myoelectric arm, but that’s pretty low from what I’ve seen. And if you’re talking about the i-Limb and arms like it, you’re talking into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. So, from a cost perspective alone, these hands and arms are a dream come true.

Secondly, there’s the fact that these prosthetics are available to anybody. As she says in the video above, “Anybody that can get access a three-dimensional printer can have a hand.” I’ve worked for a health insurance company for nearly a decade, so I know first-hand (so to speak) the challenges of getting them to pay for a prosthetic device. Sure, you’ll hear a good story every now and then, but for the most part parents and amputees have to fight just to get basic limbs. The problem, in my opinion, is that the people making the laws simply don’t understand how prosthetics work, especially for growing children. Covering one prosthetic device for the lifetime of the patient would be laughable if it wasn’t such a devastating circumstance.

Lastly, the durability of these devices is spectacular. Let me explain. They’re made out of hard plastic and wires and screws you can buy at a hardware store. So, if something breaks, you print the part and repair it! No visit to the prosthetist. No costly repairs to any electronic components. And you can use them anywhere! Miles O’Brien shared his first-hand experience with the high-tech, expensive arms that he’s been looking at and the limitations they have, especially when it comes to harsh conditions (Listen here). One simple example is if you encounter wet conditions. The high-tech arms are highly susceptible to water damage, whereas the 3D printed devices are not.

None of this is very good news, I assume, for companies that produce and sell high-end electronic prosthetic devices. And please don’t hear me saying that there isn’t a place for them. There is. I’m simply saying that the 3D devices provide an option for the many millions who don’t have access to the high-end devices. I can’t say enough about the folks involved with e-NABLE and their efforts in this endeavor!

So, are the 3D printed devices as aesthetically pleasing? Depends on your taste. Are they as advanced? Not really. But, due to their cost, availability and durability, I believe they are the future of prosthetic devices. And I firmly believe, due to the open nature of their creation, that the quality of these devices will continue to improve.

And ultimately, when I see my friends affected positively – like Sam, pictured below – I know we’re onto something good.

My buddy Sam from Facebook.com/MySpecialHand

What do you think? Have you had experience with either of these options? Share it below!

So, I did the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge thing today.

And it was awesome.

Know what I love most about this challenge that has taken over Facebook? It’s pushed people outside their comfort zone. Hundreds of thousands of people are DUMPING ICE WATER OVER THEIR HEADS to bring awareness to a disease that affects tons of people in a devastating way. And the numbers prove it’s working. The ALSA has raised something like $15 MILLION more dollars than they did a year ago. That’s a lot of money any way you slice it.

It’s been interesting to watch this phenomenon progress. It started small and didn’t quite know what it was trying to do. Initially the challenge was presented as a way to avoid giving money to the ALSA. A valiant, though somewhat misguided effort. Then people started doing the challenge AND donating. That’s when it really took off, at least in terms of effectiveness. And as it got more popular, you guessed it…haters.

Suddenly you find out there are several people in your life who are hardcore water conservationists. “There are people in the world who don’t have water to drink!” That’s true. And that’s not what this is about AT ALL. “Let me get this straight – you dump water over your head to not give money? Sure. Makes sense.” Yeah, that’s why it changed. That’s why people who aren’t looking for an excuse to complain use their brain and say, “Oh, wait, I could do this fun and crazy thing to bring attention to ALS AND I can donate! And I can invite OTHERS to participate as well!”

“Most of these idiots don’t even know what ALS is.” I actually saw that posted. And here’s the thing: THAT’S THE POINT. I’ve seen more people research to find out what ALS is than ever before. “Why ALS?” Why NOT ALS? Are there countless other charities that need support? Of course. But that doesn’t negate the good that is coming from this. Nor should it deter you from joining-in to support a good cause.

Will this eventually peter out? Absolutely. Fame usually does. And there will be tons of people who say, “Told you it wouldn’t last.” And again, those people have completely missed the point. Of course it will end and Facebook will go back to pictures of kids and cats and stupid memes. You know, pretty useless fare.

But at least our timelines won’t be clogged with people doing good.

So, my challenge is for any of you who might have taken a stance against this viral phenomenon…for whatever reason…is to stop nit-picking and get out of your comfort zone and join in. Do something good. If you really don’t want to do the water thing, get creative! Think of another unique way to bring attention ad support to ALS. Do some research if you don’t know what it is. And if there’s a different cause you’d like to champion – do that, too!

It’s been refreshing to see so many people smiling and laughing and doing what they can to help people whose lives are often incredibly difficult and painful.

Keep up the good work, friends!

Donate to the ALSA here!