By MARY CALLAHAN
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT


Published: Friday, August 21, 2009 at 3:36 p.m.
Last Modified: Friday, August 21, 2009 at 3:36 p.m.




There was a point a few days after Lucky the turtle had his front legs chewed to bloody stumps when his owner was ready to let him “go home.”

Beyond the violent assault, he'd lost a lot of blood and was now bandaged and shot up with pain medications and antibiotics.

Sally Pyne, 60, thought maybe her Lucky had endured enough.

But after finding a resourceful veterinarian with lots of reptile experience, and inspired by the feisty turtle's own vigor, Pyne, an in-home care provider, decided the pet deserved a second chance, even if it meant a $900 bill.

Lucky is now back home and living it up, thanks to four plastic discs of the sort usually applied to chair and table legs affixed to his breast plate with double-sided tape.

The sliders, stacked two high, raise his shell to its proper level and allow him to scoot wherever he wants, powered by his back legs.

“I was ready to let little Lucky go home, but Lucky, he was not ready to give up. His eyes were open, and he was shoving himself around on his two back legs. He was not going to quit.”

North Bay Veterinary Clinic surgeon Robert Jereb said the turtle “was not showing that he was dying.” He amputated what was left of Lucky's front legs then conceived of the chair slider fix.

Box turtles normally live several decades, and this one remained vivacious despite his injuries, Jereb said.

“It wasn't a death sentence to be missing his front legs because he was so active using his hind legs and his mouth,” he said.

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Lucky has lived with Pyne and her roommate, Robert Campbell, in their Petaluma home for about three years along with a menagerie that includes a female box turtle named Lovey, six cats and three snakes.

Until the July 31 attack, the turtle companions enjoyed a natural summer habitat enclosed by an 8-inch wire mesh fence filled with succulents, trees and a spineless berry bush, and measuring about 12-by-16-feet. They had a pond, a “hot box,” brick houses and plenty of places to bury themselves in the dirt.

Pyne thinks, however, leaving food out for a cat that had recently adopted the household brought a raccoon prowling, one she'd seen around the yard before Lucky's injury.

She doesn't know for sure, but believes the raccoon is to blame for injurying Lucky, which was found one Saturday afternoon bloodied under a rose bush.

A key question is why Lucky — whose species is named for its ability to enclose itself entirely within its shell — was vulnerable to the attack in the first place, Pyne and Jereb said.

Lovey had no sign of injury. Lucky, Jereb said, may have some kind of shell deformity that prevented him from boxing up. It's also possible he was overweight and unable to withdraw entirely into his shell.

Pyne was referred to Jereb, who has worked on an assortment of animals over the years, including numerous turtles and tortoises whose shells are sometimes repaired with fiberglass, acrylic, Bondo, epoxies and other inorganic substances.

His approach to Lucky's problem was inspired in part by a tortoise about whom he'd read that had a front leg replaced by a halved billiard ball glued to its front shell.

For Lucky, Jereb was thinking more along the lines of PVC pipe but was browsing for materials at a hardware store when he stumbled on the quarter-sized sliders or gliders he ultimately used.

The discs may later be glued on, though so far the tape seems to be working. If Lucky sluffs off shell surface, the discs may need periodic replacement.

When he's healthier, he also will likely require more surgery to trim back some leg bone that's poking into the skin from his shoulder socket.

For the time being, he's getting antibiotic injections every three days.

Pyne says the turtle gets around so well, “I think he thinks he's walking. I don't think he realizes he doesn't have the use of his arms,” she said.

He is somewhat slower than he was, however, and Lovey — at least for the moment — seems to be enjoying one key change in her companion's behavior after years of amorous conduct that's kept her on the run.

“Now Lucky doesn't chase her around and try to make babies any more,” Pyne said.

Turbo charged: Disabled Stillwater Area High School student named to World Cup Power Soccer Championship squad

By Mary Jellison - Special to the Gazette
Published: Monday, January 18, 2010 12:57 PM CST
When the National Power Soccer Association announced the roster of its 2009 Team USA members, Pete Winslow's excitement meter blew a gasket. "I made the cut!" exclaimed the 15-year-old athlete.

His goal now? To defend the United States' hard-fought title, World Cup Team Champions, when the next international competition takes place in 2011. The last World Cup Power Soccer Championship was held in 2007 in Tokyo, Japan.

A lofty goal for one so young?

"Hardly," said Pete's dad, Herb Winslow, only a single word and quiet cadence needed to reveal a father's pride in his son. "Pete brings a lot of talent, drive and team spirit to whatever he does."

Drive has always been a part of the Winslow family, residents of Woodbury.

Before Herb and his wife Carolyn adopted Pete as an infant, "We visited Courage Center to research the options available to individuals and families dealing with disabilities. Until Pete came into our lives, we'd had no experience in this area. With its vast network of resources and knowledgeable professionals, Courage Center gave us the confidence to know we could navigate these new waters," Herb said.

Pete had been born without legs, a right arm that ends below the elbow, and a left arm that ends in a hand with three fingers. Today, he uses his powerful left arm, his impressive upper body strength, a wickedly maneuverable power wheelchair and personal drive, marshalling all of his attributes to test as many life experiences as he possibly can and to excel at the ones he chooses.

"Courage Center has been giving me options my entire life," Pete said with a smile. "I started at 5 or 6 in the swimming program, then later added weight training in the fitness program, and have participated in, let's see, basketball, Frisbee, baseball, football, track and field and now, because I've been driving a power chair since second grade, power soccer."

"And Pete plays the trombone in the top jazz band at Stillwater High School," his dad slipped in.

"It's sort of tough not to," jokes Pete. "I come from a musical family. My dad plays for the Minnesota Orchestra, and four of my five brothers and sisters all played instruments. I found I could play the trombone using a prosthetic arm, and it works fine."

Pete also credits his siblings for instilling his passion for sports. "They all play, so I do, too."

Pete only discovered power soccer three years ago, so he readily admits he still has a lot to learn.

"But learning is where the fun is, isn't it?" he said. "I'd tell anyone who is thinking about power soccer or any other sport, go slow. Come watch it first. Then, if you want, you can suit up in the gear and give it a try. Go slow, yes; but go! Give it a try."

Jazz band practice three times a week after school, personal practice at home, power soccer practices, week-long soccer camps at Camp Courage in the summer, and travel to soccer competitions around the country (he's been to Arizona, Indiana and Georgia) make Pete one busy guy. But he still takes time to keep up with friends.

"Pete's participation in sports, particularly power soccer, through Courage Center has enabled him to develop personal relationships here at home and all across the country," Herb said of his son. "These guys are on Facebook all the time, and, when they meet for an event, say, in Atlanta, they all know what's happening in each other's lives up to the minute. They care, and they're connected."

Added Pete: "Athletes with disabilities share a special bond. We understand each other and the challenges we deal with. We can say to each other - and to others, too - 'Just try.' Don't get me wrong: I have terrific friends at school, too. But there are some experiences you have to share to understand. That shared bond is pretty amazing."

The whole process - connecting with Courage Center, participating in its programs, discovering power soccer and making the Team USA roster - "has been amazing," said Herb.

"Carolyn and I have watched Pete grow and mature in many ways, from taking responsibility to schedule his time, to developing team and leadership skills. Something like this prepares Pete for more than international competition; it helps prepare him for life," he said.




Courage Center has been named a Paralympics Site for a number of sports. To learn more about Courage Center and its many programs and services, among them a vast array of Sports and Recreation programs, call 763-588-0811 or visit www.CourageCenter.org.

Children with Diabetes, You Are My True Inspiration

Jay Hewitt
Mar 4, 2009

I was diagnosed with type 1 relatively late in life, at age 24. People sometimes remark to me, with genuine kindness, that it must have been harder on me. Perhaps they think I recall what it was like to be a "normal" child and young adult, to do and eat what I wanted without insulin, checking blood sugar, or worrying about highs and lows or long-term complications. I appreciate their sincerity, but I always correct them. Diabetes is not harder for me. It is hard on everyone. Whether you were diagnosed as a child or an adult, it complicates your life and the lives of your family.

Nevertheless, children with diabetes and your families, you are my true inspiration. I meet and speak to thousands of you every year through my racing and motivational speaking around the U.S. You inspire me much more than I could ever inspire you. Trying to understand the changing world as a six-year-old child is hard enough. But having to check your blood sugar, inject insulin, and understand nutrition and exercise, when none of the other kids in school knows or cares what a carbohydrate is-Now that is impressive! You are a role model for other kids. They may never admit it, but they look up to you. It is impressive that you keep going, keep playing, and keep taking care of all the things you must, things that they never have to think about.

I have a two-year-old daughter. If she hurts, I hurt, and I will do anything to prevent it. Just keeping up with the normal child items, diapers, clothes, bottles, and food is a challenge. But parents who must approach their child multiple times a day with a syringe or make sure that an insulin pump stays on, who keep up with the meters and strips, who bring extra supplies and nutrition even for that quick errand, and who wonder in the middle of the night if their child is going low or high-they have to handle a whole other level of parenting.

Parents, you inspire me.

I am a big fan of diabetes camps. Each summer I am honored to spend time at Camp Joslin for boys (www.joslin.org), and the neighboring Camp Clara Barton for girls (www.bartoncenter.org) in Massachusetts. What fantastic places for a child with diabetes. Kids can be kids, play sports and activities, eat, learn, and make friends with other kids with diabetes, all under the 24-hour watchful eyes of doctors, nurses, and counselors from the world-renowned Joslin Diabetes Center and other medical centers in Boston. These kids get to feel that they finally fit in. They gain confidence that they can play sports, do anything, even be an Ironman triathlete, because they see others with diabetes doing it by controlling their diabetes in the right way. I've seen the nervous faces of parents dropping their child off, and their amazed faces when they pick them up days later. "This is not the same child," they say.

Each year at Camp Joslin I host a real swim-run biathlon, sponsored last year by the makers of the Omnipod insulin pump. Last year a six-year-old camper named Josh participated, a boy who had never imagined that he could swim, or run, or do anything like that. He was nervous. But on race day I watched him swim a quarter mile right next to me, then run a mile and cross the finish line to the cheers and roar of the crowd and his fellow campers. His life, and my life, was changed that day.

Another fantastic organization is Children with Diabetes (CWD) (www.childrenwithdiabetes.com), an online community for organizing events and sharing information and support for kids with diabetes and their parents. Each year, the makers of OneTouch glucose meters sponsor my appearance at CWD's Friends for Life conference. Last year 3,000 parents, kids with diabetes, and their brothers and sisters met in Orlando to make friends, attend theme parks, hear great speakers and doctors, and learn about the latest diabetes products and best practices. It is a great deal and wonderful atmosphere for kids to be kids and the whole family to relax, have fun, learn, and be inspired. I'll be there again this year from July 7th to 12th at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, and I would love to see you there.

Racing the Ironman with diabetes can be hard, and some days in a long workout or race I start to wonder if I can keep going. But I think about the kids with diabetes who may be watching me, and their parents who do so much to take care of them, and I am inspired. Thank you, kids and parents, for inspiring me. You are my heroes.

Richard "Dick" Nickle strives to enjoy retirement fully — swimming laps, kayaking, biking or traveling with his wife, Barbara.

"I want to live life to the fullest," the former Cumberland Valley High School principal said. His next sentence catches some off guard: "And I want to inspire other amputees to do the same."

Unless he’s wearing shorts that show off his prosthetic leg or swimming, which finds his "leg" waiting poolside, it’s not apparent that Nickle is an amputee. Neither his gait nor his attitude calls attention to his disability.

"There is life after amputation. Especially with advances in prosthetics, you can live a productive life," said Nickle, 68, whose prosthetic leg has a vacuum system that pumps air out for comfort and better fit. "There was a time when amputees just went home and that was it, life was done. Not anymore."

About 1.7 million people in the United States are living without a limb, according to the National Limb Loss Information Center. The majority of new amputations occur due to complications of the vascular system, especially from diabetes.

Nickle lost his leg in 2000 when a drunken driver coming home from a Super Bowl party hit him as he was clearing snow around his mailbox. He underwent a 10-hour surgery at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center that left him with 300 stitches in his head, a metal rod in his right leg and a left leg that ended halfway between his knee and ankle. It took him nearly a year to recover.

Both despair and hope stand out in his mind from that time.

"I was overwhelmed and not sure what was going to happen," the South Middleton Township resident said. "I had always been a person who had some type of control over what I was doing, and here I was, quite helpless."

But he also remembers a man at his bedside who danced a jig and then took off a prosthetic leg and held it up for Nickle to see. At the time, Nickle thought he must be hallucinating from medication.

"The whole thing seemed surreal, but it sent me a message that there was still life after amputation; it gave me hope," Nickle said. A year later, at a meeting of the Amputee Support Team of Central Pennsylvania, Nickle met Mark Leonard, the man who had indeed danced a jig to inspire him to live.

"That implanted in my mind the idea of going out and visiting other amputees. Having support is critical to a person’s recovery," said Nickle, who credits his wife’s encouragement with helping him adjust to life as an amputee. The two are trained peer visitors with the Amputee Coalition of America, even making visits to other states.

"We’re pretty adaptable. We just didn’t let it bother us that much," said Barbara Nickle.

"There are lots of ups and downs, but it does get easier. Losing a leg does not mean that somebody is any less of a person," said Jake Schrom, 21, a Penn State University student from South Middleton Township. His right leg was amputated above the knee last year after a work-related traffic accident.

Schrom, who has a prosthetic leg, said having a goal to work toward makes recovery easier. "Mine was to get back to normal as soon as possible so that I wouldn’t make it hard on my family and girlfriend," he said. "My next goal was to finish my education and get back to work and maybe one day make the Paralympics."

Schrom, who is a Paralympic powerlifter and competes at international events, went back to work as a landscape contractor for his family’s business last spring. "Some tasks were much tougher and needed to be done slightly slower or differently, but I was working nonetheless," said Schrom, who leads the Nittany Valley Amputee Support Group.

Peter Calcagno lost his arm, just below the elbow, to a malignant tumor 62 years ago. Now 80, the Camp Hill resident said it’s surprising how much a person can adapt to doing things with just one arm — like tying a shoe or riding a bike — if the spirit is there to try.

Calcagno doesn’t wear a prosthetic arm because he didn’t find it to be very comfortable or functional. Although he says his lack of an arm cost him job offers initially, he became a successful engineer and eventually owned a business. He married and had two children.

"You have to be motivated to not let it get you down," he said.

Without downplaying the months of therapy it took to heal and the adjustments he’s had to make in his daily routine, Nickle stresses that he can do just about everything he did before he lost his leg.

"It could get the best of you if you let it, but I don’t have time to be bitter," he said. "There’s too much living left to do."

SUPPORT FOR AMPUTEES

ABOUT THE TEAM: The Amputee Support Team of Central Pennsylvania is dedicated to education, peer support and resource sharing. It meets locally every other month and has chapters in Scranton, State College and Lancaster.

WHAT THEY DO: Peer visitors meet with new and fellow amputees to encourage them and help them make decisions on rehabilitation, physical therapy and prosthetics.

INFORMATION: Contact group president Dick Nickle at 258-6849. Or visit www.amputeesupportteam.com.