This month represents the first National Limb Loss Awareness month.  As an Nurse Life Care Planner that specializes in developing life care plans for amputees, I am delighted that this issue is getting the attention it deserves.  Did you know 60% of limb loss is preventable?  That is due to the fact that the number ONE reason for lower limb amputation is diabetes.
 
Here are some statistics on amputations in the United States:

U.S. Amputee Population Approximately 1.7 million
82% of Amputations Are Dysvascular Related
97% are  of Dyvsacular amputations lower limb
In General …

Workplace injuries happen.  Some such accidents involve debilitating injuries that include amputation of a hand, arm, finger, foot, leg or toe.  In fact, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, as many as 10,000 American workers are victims of amputation injury at work.  These workers represent 6.5 percent of all US amputations in a given year.
Some of these injuries may be due to equipment malfunctions or malfunction or bypass of safety features.  Others result from inattention.  Regardless of the cause, amputation injury is life changing.  The more catastrophic …

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

If you are looking for a prosthetic provider in Arkansas, check out this list.  These providers are members of the American Amputee Foundation.  They provide support to amputees, their families and care providers.  All the facilities and/or prosthetists are certified by the American Board for Certification in Prosthetics, Orthotics and Pedorthics.  I have personally worked with Snell Prosthetic and Orthotic Labs for many years.  I have found them to be personable, reliable, friendly, accommodating, and best of all, they are experts in their field.
Advanced Prosthetic …

The Amputee Coalition of America (ACA) is now accepting applications for the second annual Christina Skoski, M.D., Scholarship until March 15, 2010. The fund will once again award a one-time, $1,000 scholarship to a student with limb loss who has a special desire to learn and exhibits potential for success. The scholarship is only open to undergraduate students who will be entering or who are already attending a 4-year college.
To be eligible for the scholarship, students must be amputees and have a minimum high-school grade-point average (GPA) of 3.5 and …