For Clarification

After being approached by a few different friends and then receiving email questions as well, Larry and I want to clarify some inaccurate information that people seem to be hearing.

The question/information concerns the cost and the details of the trip to Minnesota and the construction of Amanda's new leg. Please let me take a moment and try to clear up this confusion. *Note - although anyone who has ever experienced the diagnosis of a disease such as cancer is aware of the devastating financial pressures it puts on a family, we do not ever try and use this web site as a way to ask for money. We are honest when we speak of the hardships and honest when we give our sincere thanks to those who have helped us financially during this time. But please be aware that as I work to clarify the mis-information regarding Amanda's new prosthesis I may discuss money in order to clarify the questions.

Originally we believed that we would need to stay in Houston for 6 - 8 weeks while Amanda was fitted, the leg was crafted, it was adjusted and then she was taught to use it. The length of time is because of the amount of time that it would take between each appointment. Although we were excited for Amanda to receive her leg, we were sorry to think of the long weeks of our family living apart.

So it was an incredible gift to our family when the prosthesis center called to tell us that Otto Bock (the company that creates these legs) had just created a new, improved artificial hip joint (the Helix)for the type of prosthesis that Amanda will need. They told us that if we would allow Amanda to go to a Minneapolis conference with them, they could use her and her prosthesis as a model to work on and learn on. The advantages were that she would receive her leg - fully fitted and adjusted to her - in three days instead of over a series of weeks, her prosthesis would include the newest hip joint available with no additional cost increase to us, they would receive training in the crafting and use of this new joint and they would pay for her airplane ticket and hotel for the conference.

And so, we will purchase my airplane ticket to Minneapolis so that I may travel and stay with Amanda while she attends the conference and then, just a few days later (instead of many, many weeks!), we will return home with her new leg (including the newly improved Helix hip joint).

As some were led to believe, Amanda's leg is not free. The placement of the newly improved hip joint and the cost of the conference is free to us, but we are still responsible for the cost of the leg. Insurance does not consider a prosthesis "necessary" and so pays very little. A wonderful grant was offered on Amanda's behalf from the Limbs of Love organization which will cover about 1/3 of the cost and we are so very grateful for that. The remainder of the balance as well as a significant down-payment (which we are still responsible to pay on account before she attends the conference) remains our responsibility.

This trip and this conference is truly a gift to Amanda and our family. Your prayers over it, our time there and for Amanda as she "steps" into this new aspect of her future are both coveted and appreciated.