Vicki's Forum and Blog

If you are a hook pretender I hope you will share your experiences with us. Do you have one or two hooks? How often do you pretend? Do you go out in public wearing your hook or hooks? Tell us as much as you feel comfortable with.

Vicki

Vicki,
I have posted before (as twohooks) as you know I pretended with two hooks and two fake BK legs for several years in public. I am now a full time rbe pretender. I had a serious hand injure in January causing sever tendon and nerve damage. I now have only 10% use of the hand I tried to get the Dr. to amputate at that time but he did several surgery's with no help he now says it's as good as it will get but still won't amputate. I applied for and received Social Security Disability so I am now retired. I told the woman next door the first part of April that I was going out of state to have another operation and asked her to watch my house. When I returned you should have seen the look on he face when she saw me cutting the lawn. I had on a bright pink (quite visible) stump cast. I wore the cast for 3 weeks and told her I was going away again to get a prosthesis. I returned 1 week later with my hook and have been using it every day since. The only time I don't wear it is when I go to my MD but I have been to my Dentist and eye Dr with it. I even wore It yo sign my retirement papers at work and have seen a lot of people I use to work with. I am good with living this way I guess 1 hook is better than none.
"Hook"

Went out this afternoon for about 4 hours wearing my hook. Like Mckay, I function easily with my hook and have never been noticed as anything but an LBE amp. Mckay-how do you like the #7 work hook? I've been thinking about getting one. thanks, joehook

Sounds like you are having fun. I couldn't imagine using only one hook. Almost no handicap. The feeling of being out and being forced to do everything with my two hooks is great.

I remember a few years ago I was out and trying to pay. I was having a hard time with the bills. It's really hard to get the money out and select the right bills. What's harder is getting the change and all back into my wallet. The sales woman was very understanding though. I knew she probably felt bad for me being so handicapped. Little did she know that I really enjoyed the struggle. If you keep your cool you can function quite will with your two hooks. You have to think about things in advance so you don't get stuck. I have only had to ask for help a few times.

Vicki

Joehook: I like how the #7 looks but I would save my money and buy SS canted hooks rather than the #7. Same with the lyre shaped hooks. I have one of those also but rarely use it. A single canted hook or a pair of canted hooks works best for me. I expected the #7 to make things easier but I haven't found that to be the case. The canted hooks work pretty well for everything. Have fun! Mckay

I have been pretending for awhile. Then I became an AE, unilateral...wish I could have done both arms...so I have mega experience. I don't get stared at much. I don't have to pretend at daily life, but very much desire a bi-lat. I have the very arm I want to be fitted with if I can find a place that will do it. Otherwise, I'll do it myself, dangerously, like I did the RAE. I was lucky to avoid the loony farm on that one and would like another method besides a compound mitre saw!

I pretend at home, late at night and sometimes when I get up in the morning when the kids and wife aren't home (rare). As I can easily get, through insurance right side devices (eBay is often cheaper...a 5X costs $360 to me with insurance, though I got a left on eBay for $40.00 tonight!) and co-pay, I have lots of terminal devices, wrists, etc. My latest eBay arm is WAY more comfortable that what my last prosthetist gave me...and repairs at $1500/pop for something I have done myself before (when I still had a prosthetist who would order any part I wanted) are ridiculous. I am an elbow disarticulation...hard to fit and I'd really like it shortened so the E-300/E-400 elbow will be anatomically correct as they are much more durable than an ED, outside locking hinge elbow. They typically spontaneously fail on me after 2-4 months...and the same $7.00 part always fails...but my current prosthetist only wants to order the whole freaking unit at $350 and charge me another $1000 to fix it....ARG!!! The ED arm cost me $9000 and I can't use it as it breaks so often. My last prosthetist was willing to fabricate an eBay arm I had, after I cut off the upper socket (which I then fiberglassed into a workable BE arm for the left side...not all that pretty, as I don't have the ability to sand sockets at this time) and making me a socket that would fit me.

I think I know more about harnessing body-powered devices than many prosthetists these days...they want to sell the fancy myo-electric ones (profit!)...when they came out, my friendly prosthetist said they were gonna be $1000 within ten years...after the initial cost of$25,000 to $50,000 (didn't happen). I want to be fitted with body powered if I can find a place that will do it. Otherwise, I'll do it myself, dangerously, like I did the RAE. I was lucky to avoid the loony farm on that one. He told him they'd be about $1000 a piece in ten years...yeah right, huh? $25,000 to $50,000 now...ridiculous and not controllable by many amputees, like me. Profit for the prosthetics companies that make the "fancy stuff" for the veterans that served us.

I hope this doesn't go into the "no politics" rule on this board.