Editor’s Note: For this Thanksgiving edition, we’re bringing you a special note of thanks from Mendoza senior Andrew Daigneau. Andrew fills us in on his journey to recover from a motorcycle accident that resulted in the amputation of his right leg, among many other injuries. You can read his full story here.

Another Step Forward

Thanksgiving has always been special to me. During my childhood, it was a time of year where so much of my family got together in one place. It was not uncommon for my parents to have gatherings of 20 or 30 people in order to share thanks (and to eat very, very well). Many meals, card games, and movies have been experienced with friends and family on this wonderful holiday.

As I aged, I recognized that Thanksgiving was not just about enjoying the day, but about recognizing and giving thanks for all of the opportunities and blessings in my life. That being said, I never imagined that I would have a story like this to be thankful for. 

Last year, as some of you may know, an accident changed my life forever. Just a couple months prior to Thanksgiving 2022, my family was unsure if I would regain an active lifestyle, if I would keep the same personality, and, for a short time, if I would even live at all. 

Well, I most certainly did all of those things. Furthermore, I received my first prosthetic leg just two days before Thanksgiving. This was a huge step (literally) toward my future. I had so much to be thankful for. I was alive and surrounded by the same wonderful people, doing the same fun things. In just a few months I had taken strides that should not have happened for over a year.

Unfortunately, these strides did not continue as quickly as I hoped. I experienced troubles with a socket prosthetic. The battle for a successful fit was a never ending uphill battle. I fell behind schedule and could not get rid of my crutches though doctors expected that I would. I eventually found out that the problem was not with my form nor with my strength, but with my leg itself. 

I would need surgery to walk in a socket, so I went all in, seeking a process called osseointegration which would eliminate the socket altogether. The doctors placed a titanium rod inside my femur that now attaches to my prosthetic leg, eliminating an external socket entirely. This process makes my prosthesis as close to my own leg as currently possible. With this new connection, I can rotate my prosthetic leg (point my toes in or out), which was previously impossible. 

I also could not really lift my leg before, as my amputation was high enough to all but remove any leverage I would have had on the leg through my soft-tissue. Now that it is connected to my body more directly, I can lift it up in front of me and to my side, making numerous actions possible that would not have been otherwise. Furthermore, I have gained what doctors are calling osseoperception. The bones in our bodies are incredibly sensitive to vibrations – so sensitive that I will be able to feel (through my right leg) what kind of surface I am walking on, and even tell if I step on a pebble in the sidewalk. 

I began physical therapy on November 8 and will continue for the majority of the spring semester. In this time, I will be able to completely remove crutches from my day-to-day life. I will also learn how to normally climb stairs (both up and down), build the tolerance required to walk on this new leg all day and develop a gait that looks completely normal. With long pants on, you might never know I am missing my leg just below the hip. This procedure has limitations, sure, but will get me as close to normal as is possible.

I am finally getting a real glimpse at how well I can move with a prosthetic leg, and I am extraordinarily excited. This year’s Thanksgiving will be a day to reflect on my wonderful family, an incredible community, and yet another big step in my recovery.

Andrew had osseointegration surgery to place a titanium rod inside his femur on August 10 in New York. His prosthetic is an Otto Bock Genium X3, an incredibly advanced leg that will allow him to develop greater flexibility and a normal gait.