Week 2:
Learning as I Go

June 21, 2020

Hello again! As I write this I am sitting at a picnic table in the beautiful Manchester State Park. To my left I can see the forest with many trails hiding between the trees. To my right is the Rich Passage, a popular place for ferries to pass by. I could not pick a better place to write this week’s blog. This weekend I have been able to explore the Manchester State Park, which the technician at MPO recommended to me, as well as the Sunrise Beach Park in Gig Harbor. I brought my camera to both parks and had a blast working on my photography.

I am still loving my internship at MPO and I learn more everyday. This week I had more confidence as I worked, I felt more comfortable and relaxed. One of the big highlights of my week was traveling down to the Olympia office with the two residents I work with for an in-service. Batchford representatives came in for two patient demonstrations and to give a presentation on prosthetic feet. Both patients were trying a hydraulic prosthetic foot for the first time. A hydraulic foot has much more ankle flexion and extension than the standard prosthetic foot. The difference in the patient’s gait (a person’s manner of walking) between the standard feet they came in on and the hydraulic foot were remarkable. The gait looked more natural with the hydraulic foot. Both patients also seemed to be walking at a faster self chosen speed with the hydraulic foot, implying that they had more confidence in their prosthetic. Part of me has always thought that the foot must be the most simple component of a prosthetic leg, during the presentation I learned just how wrong I was. Each prosthetic foot is carefully designed with mobility level and movements in mind.  Someone who pivots a lot, like a chef, will benefit from a foot that rotates well and someone who uses their prosthetic to help transfer in and out of a wheelchair will benefit from a foot with little motion and high stability.

I keep seeing again and again that in the field of prosthetics and orthotics it is very important to listen to patients and initiate honest conversation with them and their loved ones. Each prosthetic and orthotic is carefully designed and fabricated to fit a particular patient and their needs. Nothing about this career seems to be “one size fits all.” I think that is part of what has drawn me to this career path, each day, each patient, and each device is truly unique. I continue to be inspired by patients, their stories, and their motivation to overcome their mobility set backs.

I am still loving Washington. It took a little bit of time, but I can now make it to and from with work no GPS assistance. The roads around Gig Harbor, however, still all look very similar and I rely on my GPS to get around there. When I come home after work each day, my cat sits in the window of the tiny house awaiting my arrival. She loves to help with my daily journal entries by laying on my computer. The first thing I have to do after work is change, before my internship I did not realize how messy fabrication is! I come home each day with plaster, carbon fiber, and plastic shavings clinging to my clothes, but I do not mind a bit.  Justin explained to me that often people with creative minds end up in this career path. Having that creative background is what helps in the lab with socket pulling, plaster modifications, and on-the-fly solutions. Three of the guys I work with are involved in photography or videography and the resident at the Olympia office is a painter. It feels good to know that my love of photography, water colors, and cooking will help me as I pursue my goal of becoming a prosthetist. When I get back to campus after my fellowship I know that my roommate will continue to push my creative boundaries and my course work will enhance my knowledge of the body and mind. I feel confident that I am on a strong path into my future.