Barr Foundation's Weekly Salute to Jim Young CP / Poultry In Motion
Tony Barr
Description
Collection
Title:
Barr Foundation's Weekly Salute to Jim Young CP / Poultry In Motion
Creator:
Tony Barr
Date:
10/13/2005
Text:
Q: Why did the chicken cross the road?
A: Well in this case he was searching for the newest AMPUTEE PROSTHETIC
CLINIC in South Georgia.
A few weeks ago Jim Young, CP, FAAOP was attacking a small stack of
administrative paperwork at his new prosthetic care facility in Tifton, GA.
When the phone rang Jim answered with his usual greeting Amputee
Prosthetic Clinic, Jim speaking, may I Help You? The caller said, hey I've
been driving past your facility and could not help but notice your sign with
the colorful pirate for the last month, and have meant to call you.
The caller explained that he was a physician whose office was around the
corner and that what he was about to ask was no joke. Alrighty then, Jim
thought, lets have it.
The caller (we'll call Dr. Farmer) explained that he raises fancy chickens
as a hobby, and that about a year ago his rooster got his leg caught up in
some bailing twine. Before Dr. Farmer discovered the entangled rooster,
circulation had been disrupted to the point that gangrene had set in, and
the result was a spontaneous amputation. Next Dr. Farmer asked Jim if he had
ever made a prosthetic device for an animal, and do you think you could
make a prostheses for a chicken?
Jim proceeded to tell Dr. Farmer that in fact he had once made a prostheses
for a dog, but that after gimping around as a tripod for a year the
prosthesis was more a chew toy that anything else. However, a chicken being
bipedal my increase the chances for success, if we can find a way to gain
purchase and suspend the prosthesis. In other words Jim's answer to weather
or not he could make a prosthetic limb for a chicken was an emphatic, maybe?
Schedules were coordinated and confirmed, re-coordinated and reconfirmed
until finally the chicken was brought in for an evaluation and consult. The
night before the chicken was to be seen Jim scoured the internet researching
chicken anatomy. Dr. Farmer described what he thought was a below-the-knee
type amputation during the initial conversation. However, after a little
research Jim believed the amputation was more likely a partial foot
amputation. Jim like a lot of folks believed that a chickens knee bends the
opposite direction of a human knee, but that is not true. What most people
think of as a chicken's knee is actually the ankle. Chicken and humans have
a femur, but where humans have a tibia and fibula chickens have a
tibiotarsus, and where humans have tarsal bones for a multiaxial ankle,
chickens have a tarsus metatarsus for a single axis ankle.
During the evaluation Jim's suspicion of a partial foot amputation was
confirmed, and as luck would have it the chicken's residual limb was about 2
inches from the proximal joint and bulbous. This bulbous distal end was
ideal for a supracondular type suspension. A two stage casting technique was
used to capture the shape and size of the residual limb, and a supracondular
style socket with anterior opening was laminated.
The socket now complete, Jim's only real concern was where can I buy a
prosthetic chicken foot? At once a vision came to Jim of his mentor,
Rodger Wier, CP, VAMC Prosthetic Chief (ret.) from Huntington, WV. Rodger
always told him to look to the toy industry for innovative- outside the box
- cutting edge genius. Clinging to that thought Jim found himself wondering
the isles of Wally World.
In the Halloween isle he found it. The suitable replacement. The economy
pumpkin carving set.
The pumpkin saw was used like a pipe, and the orange handle fit perfectly
into the inside of the standard galv. pipe used in the industry. The scooper
even though it looks more like a ducks foot worked well for a chicken foot.
The area where the scoop and handle merge was heated with a propane torch so
that the angle of the dangle mimicked that of the chicken.
Silipos gel liners the small ones used for fingers and toes was placed on
the chickens residual limb as an interface.
After all the effort what does Jim have to show for it.
Well if this is not EGGACTLY what one calls POULTRY IN MOTION, then what is?
I guess that is why he says for all your prosthetic limb needs contact
Amputee Prosthetic Clinic 802 East 20th Street Tifton, GA. 31794
Or call 229.387.6600
Story and pictures of this remarkable fowl prosthetic rehabilitation are
available at:
<URL Redacted>
Such Whole Again stories hopefully will help make your weekend and to
remind you, knowing that most of you whom became professionals and industry
providers, got into this business to help people (and animals! ), and that
you are accomplishing allot and are appreciated by those that you help.
Each week we send a post and salute to honor a person(s) or Hope Donor(s)
whom has made a great difference in a life.
Thank you Jim Young ..now I know why this chicken will still be able to
cross the road :)!
Have a great weekend.
Tony Barr
Barr Foundation
www.oandp.com/barr
561-394-6514
A: Well in this case he was searching for the newest AMPUTEE PROSTHETIC
CLINIC in South Georgia.
A few weeks ago Jim Young, CP, FAAOP was attacking a small stack of
administrative paperwork at his new prosthetic care facility in Tifton, GA.
When the phone rang Jim answered with his usual greeting Amputee
Prosthetic Clinic, Jim speaking, may I Help You? The caller said, hey I've
been driving past your facility and could not help but notice your sign with
the colorful pirate for the last month, and have meant to call you.
The caller explained that he was a physician whose office was around the
corner and that what he was about to ask was no joke. Alrighty then, Jim
thought, lets have it.
The caller (we'll call Dr. Farmer) explained that he raises fancy chickens
as a hobby, and that about a year ago his rooster got his leg caught up in
some bailing twine. Before Dr. Farmer discovered the entangled rooster,
circulation had been disrupted to the point that gangrene had set in, and
the result was a spontaneous amputation. Next Dr. Farmer asked Jim if he had
ever made a prosthetic device for an animal, and do you think you could
make a prostheses for a chicken?
Jim proceeded to tell Dr. Farmer that in fact he had once made a prostheses
for a dog, but that after gimping around as a tripod for a year the
prosthesis was more a chew toy that anything else. However, a chicken being
bipedal my increase the chances for success, if we can find a way to gain
purchase and suspend the prosthesis. In other words Jim's answer to weather
or not he could make a prosthetic limb for a chicken was an emphatic, maybe?
Schedules were coordinated and confirmed, re-coordinated and reconfirmed
until finally the chicken was brought in for an evaluation and consult. The
night before the chicken was to be seen Jim scoured the internet researching
chicken anatomy. Dr. Farmer described what he thought was a below-the-knee
type amputation during the initial conversation. However, after a little
research Jim believed the amputation was more likely a partial foot
amputation. Jim like a lot of folks believed that a chickens knee bends the
opposite direction of a human knee, but that is not true. What most people
think of as a chicken's knee is actually the ankle. Chicken and humans have
a femur, but where humans have a tibia and fibula chickens have a
tibiotarsus, and where humans have tarsal bones for a multiaxial ankle,
chickens have a tarsus metatarsus for a single axis ankle.
During the evaluation Jim's suspicion of a partial foot amputation was
confirmed, and as luck would have it the chicken's residual limb was about 2
inches from the proximal joint and bulbous. This bulbous distal end was
ideal for a supracondular type suspension. A two stage casting technique was
used to capture the shape and size of the residual limb, and a supracondular
style socket with anterior opening was laminated.
The socket now complete, Jim's only real concern was where can I buy a
prosthetic chicken foot? At once a vision came to Jim of his mentor,
Rodger Wier, CP, VAMC Prosthetic Chief (ret.) from Huntington, WV. Rodger
always told him to look to the toy industry for innovative- outside the box
- cutting edge genius. Clinging to that thought Jim found himself wondering
the isles of Wally World.
In the Halloween isle he found it. The suitable replacement. The economy
pumpkin carving set.
The pumpkin saw was used like a pipe, and the orange handle fit perfectly
into the inside of the standard galv. pipe used in the industry. The scooper
even though it looks more like a ducks foot worked well for a chicken foot.
The area where the scoop and handle merge was heated with a propane torch so
that the angle of the dangle mimicked that of the chicken.
Silipos gel liners the small ones used for fingers and toes was placed on
the chickens residual limb as an interface.
After all the effort what does Jim have to show for it.
Well if this is not EGGACTLY what one calls POULTRY IN MOTION, then what is?
I guess that is why he says for all your prosthetic limb needs contact
Amputee Prosthetic Clinic 802 East 20th Street Tifton, GA. 31794
Or call 229.387.6600
Story and pictures of this remarkable fowl prosthetic rehabilitation are
available at:
<URL Redacted>
Such Whole Again stories hopefully will help make your weekend and to
remind you, knowing that most of you whom became professionals and industry
providers, got into this business to help people (and animals! ), and that
you are accomplishing allot and are appreciated by those that you help.
Each week we send a post and salute to honor a person(s) or Hope Donor(s)
whom has made a great difference in a life.
Thank you Jim Young ..now I know why this chicken will still be able to
cross the road :)!
Have a great weekend.
Tony Barr
Barr Foundation
www.oandp.com/barr
561-394-6514
Citation
Tony Barr, “Barr Foundation's Weekly Salute to Jim Young CP / Poultry In Motion,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 25, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/225522.
