December Newsletter Vol. 4 Issue 12  Patients in the News In the October special edition of In Motion, which focuses on peer visitation and amputee support groups, Fran Schifilliti, (above knee) was featured in a story entitled, “Finding That Second Home, Support group provides security and confidence for lively grandmother” When Fran moved back to New York from New Jersey she consulted with A Step Ahead about getting a new prosthesis. Fran has been an inspiration to many patients with her positive outlook and her desire to regain her independence.
Michael LaForgia will be featured in the January issue of readers digest in an article entitled, "The Iron Man". The article is an outcome of Mike's work with the National Meningitis Association (N.M.A.) and is meant to increase awareness of bacterial meningitis (meningococcal) and the available vaccine. The article describes the events of Mike's battle with bacterial meningitis. It is told by Mike and starts with the days just prior to him getting sick, his fight to survive, his rehabilitation and eventually getting back in the race (running and triathlon). Mike's article will also be highlighted on the Reader's Digest web site: http://www.rd.com/content/meningitis-miracle-a-real-survival-story/. A story about Mike was in Long Island Newsday after he ran a sub 30 minute 5 Kilometer race on Thanksgiving morning. This article also focused on Mike’s recovery from bacterial meningitis and his return to his active lifestyle of running, cycling and competing in road races and triathlons. The complete story can be seen at: http://www.newsday.com/news/local/ny-litrot1124,0,7913594.story 
On November 11, Amy Palmiero-Winters was featured in the Long Island section of the Sunday New York Times. The article focused on Amy’s receipt of the Runners World Heroes of Running award and her aspiration to set an example for others by reaching for higher goals. The complete story can be viewed by clicking HERE.
A Step Ahead visits Walter Reed Army Medical Center On November 16, John Tartaglio, along with Michael LaForgia, Phil Kreuter, P.T. and Amy Palmiero-Winters visited the new Walter Reed Army Medical Center Amputee Rehabilitation Center. The main purpose of the visit was to educate the prosthetists, physicians, physical therapists and patients of the functional abilities of John Tartaglio (Bilateral hip disarticulation) as well as demonstrate the prostheses that he uses. John spoke and answered questions from the staff for over 90 minutes. In addition they received a tour of the facility which included the new state of the art gait analysis lab. Below are John’s thoughts on the visit to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center:  “I thought the experience at Walter Reed was great. They have some extremely advanced technology that they are using for rehab and clinical purposes which I think is going to be great for amputees as athletes and patients. There was a great atmosphere there. I thought that people really understood that it is possible to use a prosthesis even with a high amputation level such as mine. It was very inspiring seeing the patients because after talking to them a little bit you could see that they wanted to work hard and become successful in using their prosthesis. It reminded me of when I first started and they inspired me to give myself a kick in the butt and train harder!!!”
Staying Active with Winter Sports Skiing, snow boarding and ice skating are fun winter sports. At A Step Ahead we can custom align your prosthesis so you can enjoy these activities safely. In addition to alignment, we custom fabricate knee orthoses and stump helmets to protect your residual limb. Knee braces are essential for below the knee amputees who ski. While skiing, your knee will be subjected to side to side forces that will place excessive strain on your knee joint. A custom brace can be fabricated to attach to your prosthesis and will provide improved side to side stability reducing the risk of injury to your knee.
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Joe Gormley ready for the ski season
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If you are an above the knee amputee, skiing without your prosthesis is common. A stump helmet is a device that will encompass and protect your residual limb if you fall. They are designed to reduce the risk of bruising and possible fractures of the bone in your residual limb. If you are gearing up for winter sports or are interested in a custom prosthesis for any sport, call our office to speak to one of our prosthetists.
Amputee Support Groups The next ASPIRE support group meeting will be held on Wednesday January 30 at 6:15 pm at the Hospital for Special Surgery located at 535 East 70th Street, NY. For more information about the ASPIRE support group contact Charlie Steele at charlieatl@aol.com or (212) 877-7050 A new Amputee educational and support group is starting at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York. They will have their first meeting on January 4th 2008 at 9 am. Dr. Robert Friedman, D.P.M, a diabetic foot care specialist will be their guest speaker. The meeting will be held at the Hoyt Board Room Children’s Hosptial room 121 north. For more information contact M. Stern at 212-305-9917
The Long Island amputee support group meets the first Saturday of each month at South Side Hospital, 301 East Main Street in Bayshore. If you are interested in joining this group contact Jodi Adler at 631-968-3330.
Peer Visitor Training Seminar Did you get to talk to another amputee soon after your operation? If no, it would have helped you to adjust to limb loss if you talked to someone early on who has "been there - done that". A Step Ahead Prosthetics will be hosting an ACA certified peer visitor training seminar on Saturday February 23 at Glen Cove Hospital. The peer visitor training program is a nationwide program developed and coordinated by the Amputee Coalition of America (ACA).
A peer visitor is someone who has experienced a life changing event (limb loss or congenital deficiency). In addition they are living a full and productive life, and has completed a training program preparing them to visit another individual and his/her family facing a similar experience. A Peer Visitor volunteers to:
• Serve as a role model
• Offer emotional support
• Provide information about the resources available locally and nationally
Peer visitors are sensitive listeners who will use their developed skills in communication to facilitate the new amputee’s own recovery and self-exploration so that they may make good decisions for themselves. The trainer for this seminar is Charlie Steele. For more information about attending and registering for this training program and becoming a certified peer visitor, contact Charlie Steele at charlieatl@aol.com or 212-877-7050.
The Holidays & Seasonal Changes Affect Prosthetic Fit We all know what is like to eat and drink more during the holiday time. It is hard to resist all the parties and the extra food that comes with them. Be aware that with this extra intake of food and drink you may develop significant weight gain.
When your body weight changes or fluctuates, you will notice that your prosthetic socket may not feel right or fit correctly. You may notice pressure areas and discomfort in specific locations on your residual limb. With minor and gradual changes in weight (maximum 3-5 lbs) your prosthetist can make changes to the prosthetic socket to accommodate for these changes. If your body weight changes drastically or quickly either up or down your prosthetist may need to completely fabricate an entirely new prosthetic socket.
If you notice that you are not fitting properly in your prosthesis, or there is discomfort ands areas of pressure contact your prosthetist. If you wait too long to address the issue of weight changes with a prosthetic socket that is not fitting well, you will potentially have to have major changes made which will be time consuming and potentially costly.
The keys to maintaining a healthy body weight are a well balanced diet and an active lifestyle. The level of exercise and activity will vary greatly for each person. What ever level of activity you choose, it is essential that you remain active and closely monitor any body weight changes and report them to your prosthetist.
Virtual Consultations A Step Ahead now offers the ability to do live video consultations with our prosthetists and perspective patients around the world. Through the use of this technology we can demonstrate prosthetic design and components using photographs and direct visualization. Using any computer with high speed internet access will allow you the ability to take advantage of this very convenient, cost effective technology. In addition, this allows us to more accurately assess a new patient before they travel to our facility in New York. For more information and details about how to set up a virtual consultation, contact our office or go to the following page at the A Step Ahead web site: http://www.astepaheadonline.com/video_consult.html
Holiday Hours A Step Ahead will have limited morning hours on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve. We will be closed on Christmas day and New Years day. Please call early if you need an appointment during the week between Christmas and New Years day.
 Tommy Koehler of Hampton Bays, New York, below knee amputee, Ironman triathelte and world class distance runner, broke his own personal and American record at the Philadelphia Marathon. Tommy’s time of 3:08:21 was more then 10 minutes faster then his previous best at the 2006 New York Marathon. His time placed him in the top 6 per cent of all runners, 389 overall out of 6677 finishers.
Tommy’s time at Philadelphia qualified him for the prestigious Boston Marathon. For 2008 his goal is to improve on his Ironman time at the Lake Placid Ironman in July as well as continue to improve on his marathon time. Congratulations to Tommy on a great race in Philly!!
Team A Step Ahead has developed a new working relationship with Long Island Tri Coach (L.I.T.C.) http://longislandtricoach.com/document/54966 , a well known multi-sport coaching company. Jose Lopez, founder and President, of Long Island Tri Coach is also an accomplished triathelte. Mindy Davidson, Administrator for L.I.T.C. and Vice President of the Greater Long Island Running Club is also coordinating this program.
Through a sponsorship program established by Long Island Tri Coach and the Runners Edge of Farmingdale, New York, two Team A Step Ahead triathletes, Michael LaForgia and Tommy Koehler, will receive a full year of triathlon coaching in 2008.
The coaching program will be coordinated by Bob Otto, PhD, exercise physiologist, Director of the Human Performance Lab at Adelphi University, coach and triathelte. Included in the coaching package will be physiological testing at the Human Performance Lab. The athletes and coaches of Team A Step Ahead are excited about the establishment of this coaching program and all parties look forward to a very successful season!
A Step Ahead is a Provider of Prosthetic Care for Federal Employees A Step Ahead has been asked to become a provider in a federal program that will give employees in over 40 federal agencies the opportunity to receive the complete services of our facility. Based on A Step Ahead’s many years of experience in providing prostethic care to disabled veterans, we will now be a provider for prosthetic & orthotic services in the New York metropolitan region. Incorporating a 100 mile radius from our facility, employees of agencies including the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, Coast Guard, the Army, Navy & Air Force Department of Transportation, the FBI, the Secret Service, Department of Homeland Security, Health & Human Services, Department of Transportation, will now be able to benefit from all of the expertise and experience of A Step Ahead.
Mobility Clinic Join Dave Balsley, P.T. and Phil Kreuter, P.T. for their monthly mobility clinic at 10 am on Sunday December 16 at the Jericho High School track on Long Island. They will provide instruction in gait training and running techniques as well as advanced mobility skills. Dave and Phil have extensive experience working with amputees of all ages and activity levels.
Come work out with world class athletes and learn from experienced coaches and physical therapists. The setting is relaxed and enjoyable. There is no pressure, come learn and see what you can do to improve yourself or just watch. For more information and directions to the mobility clinic, please call the office at 516-681-3484.
 The following is an update on New York legislative issues from Morgan Sheets
National Advocacy Director of the Amputee Coalition of America:
“We pulled off a lot of press and organizing work last year, but as you know this bill has not had a chance to be heard. It has died several sessions in a row due to a lack of support from the committee chairs. We are investigating an administrative strategy. I held a meeting with a local attorney and legislator to discuss reaching out to the state insurance administration. Additionally, we have an activist who has reached out to Majority Leader Canestrari and Senate President and Majority Leader Bruno to gain their support for the bill. They were part of an effort to help a young woman from Africa get prosthetic care in the U.S. We are looking to leverage these recent humanitarian efforts to get their support behind the parity bill. We will continue to work towards a legislative remedy while looking into alternate strategies. Please, let me know if you have any questions.” To find out more about the ACA's Congressional initiative to expand access to prosthetic care, go to: federal@amputee-coalition.org. To get involved in your state efforts, contact the ACA at state@amputee-coalition.org or call (888) AMP- KNOW
 Tips for the Winter Months To get a better grip on the ice and snow, we recommend ice traction slip-ons, which attach to the bottom of your shoe or boot to improve traction in winter conditions. For more information on this and similar safety products for the winter go to:
http://cozywinters.com/ice-cleats/ice-cleats.html?source=go&gclid=CIn72LPWwYkCFSmBFQoddD8r2A
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