Hilli’s story

C-leg

In 2012 I was ready for a new prosthesis and I had heard about the C-leg. That gave me a lot of hope for better and easier functioning in the future. Strangely enough, in order to qualify for this computer-controlled knee, I had to follow an extensive rehabilitation process in a rehabilitation center as a ballot. I didn’t need rehabilitation at all, but I wanted that knee, so I adapted to that process. During that trajectory I didn’t have the C-leg yet; this was just the preliminary stage. This was followed by a short trial period of 12 days with the C-leg, which was not really representative. To make matters worse, the health insurer rejected the C-leg after all those efforts. That unleashed a lot of anger in me: first finance such an expensive rehabilitation process and then reject a C-leg for financial reasons. I didn’t leave it at that and eventually got a C-leg.

Bad alignment

To my great surprise, I couldn’t handle it at all. It seemed as if the prosthesis was misaligned and the lower leg was behind the upper leg. After so many years of experience with a prosthesis, you feel it. However, my instrument maker insisted that this feeling was wrong, that this belonged to the C-Leg. So I muddled through. You simply adapt to the circumstances. In the end, the C-leg didn’t offer me what I expected. I already suspected that this had to do with the alignment, but I was not listened to properly.

Hilli is happy that she was finally asked what she wanted with her prosthesis.

Advice

In the end I decided to ask Protec for advice. I found it difficult to tell this to my instrument makers. You have built up an intense bond with them. To my amazement I was able to get in the day after I called. I fell off my chair in surprise. At all my previous instrument makers I had to wait at least one or two weeks before there was space for me. After that I fell from one pleasant surprise to another here. During the first appointment I mentioned that I did not like the alignment of the prosthesis. After a short check, the instrument maker found out that this was indeed the case. So it was immediately clear here. My feeling had not failed me.

I was the focus here

What I found perhaps most impressive was that the prosthetist asked me what I wanted with the prosthesis, what type of person I was and what my day-to-day life looked like. No one had ever asked me that before! It was about me and not about the prosthesis. The prosthesis was immediately realigned and a new socket was made. I was also advised to wear a liner, because I always suffered from inflamed hair follicles and wounds in my groin. This has also turned out to be a huge improvement. I found the people very knowledgeable, decisive and customer-friendly. At first the intention was that I would go back to my own instrument workshop with the advice, but I wanted to stay. I am happy to travel the 170 km.