From a short trip to a long journey…
In August 2021 I did a short motorcycle trip to Romania that unfortunately ended in a motorcycle accident.
At first the damage appeared to be minor. The following month I was repatriated to a hospital in the Netherlands. A reasonably functioning elbow could still be created from my shattered elbow, but an amputation above the knee was necessary for my left leg.
This was followed by a difficult rehabilitation process in the center of the country. The rehabilitation with the socket prosthesis was successful, but once back in everyday life, problems such as bone infections and excessive sweating arose, which also caused problems with the vacuum of the socket prosthesis. Active functioning without pain also appeared to be disappearing from view.
But then, I received information about and the possibility of osseointegration, or the click prosthesis.
Success stories and also less successful stories, but the fire was still fueled.
After extensive consultation with doctors and gathering information from a patient association, the decision was made: Do it!
The operation took place in April 2023, followed by rehabilitation some time later. And to date? Improved walking capacity, great ease of use, no problems with osseointegration or stoma, and the icing on the cake……..I successfully passed a driving test and got my motorcycle license back. Things that have a lot of added value for me and that were unattainable when using the socket prosthesis.
Unfortunately, the short journey has changed a lot, but thanks to the help and efforts of many, I have been able to take small and larger steps during and after my rehabilitation. So the journey continues as usual, albeit in a modified form but in good spirits.
