"Have you gotten her a prosthetic yet?"
"Why won't you get her one?"
"When will you get her a prosthetic?"
"Don't you think she'll be better off with a prosthetic?"
"They're doing amazing things with prosthesis these days, you know."
People, enough.
Just stop.
Please!
Please!
We are well aware of the advancement in technology in the world of prosthetic devices! We've even been cornered at a Twins game last year, or was it the year before, from a man sitting behind us who was a Shriner here in the Twin Cities and said he could do something for my daughter. My response is this:
If we found that our daughter was
struggling physically with everyday tasks,
then we'd consider prosthesis
or even surgery
to give her more movement in her hand.
But I haven't found 1 thing that my daughter cannot do.
I know you think I'm seeing that through a parent's eyes, but its true! I've found NOTHING! She can cut her food (sure, steak is tough, but that can be tough for any kid!), she can flip cartwheels better than any 7 year old I've met, and she can tie her shoes beautifully without difficulty.
I will absolutely not put my traumatized, attachment-challenged daughter through any unnecessary surgeries just to give her more mobility (because she doesn't need it) or to give her a different cosmetic appearance. I cringe at the idea of taking one of her toes and moving it to where a finger should be. Then that gives her 2 odd limbs instead of just one. That's not right, for us.
Her lack of a hand is not an issue.
Yes, we have a 504 written for her limb difference. Frankly friends, that is more for the teachers than it is for her. We have had some awkward circumstances happen in music class that make us shake our heads at how teachers handled musical instruments that would typically require 2 hands. They made an assumption that Quiet Tiger wouldn't be able to do something and didn't even let her find her own way. It made me cringe. The 504 ensures that teachers treat her fairly and give her a chance to try things her way, not necessarily the teacher's way.
And I will say that we had a 3D printed hand back in Texas. It was given to us by a friend of my husband's who was studying at UTSA. He took measurements, made one prototype just her size, then made a second, larger one. But for us, for Quiet Tiger, they were almost non-working. She couldn't grasp anything and hold anything with the hand. Sure, the fingers had some movement, but these hands were not functional. And then we moved. When we moved, we lost our connection to help to make the hands more functional. Lastly, I'll mention that with the rate kids grow, they'll outgrow a 3D printed hand very fast, thus our need for 2 of them in Texas. And getting replacements would be time consuming not only for us, but for the developer.
Let me be clear: I have no issues with families who put their kids through surgeries or who go the route of a prosthetic device. If that's your family, then kudos to you. I've cheered friends on for the very same decisions! I "like" and "follow" many prosthesis companies and non-profits online and on Social Media like Facebook and Instagram. But what's right for 1 family isn't right for another. These limb different kids aren't made from cookie cutters. When and if we ever find that our daughter is struggling physically with tasks, then sure we'll consider trying something that would provide a solution to her difficulties. Absolutely we will!
But for now, we're all set, we're good, we're thrilled with all she can do and we're excited to see all she will do with 1 hand! She's "limbitless!"
