Patient Stories: Sumner Handy

I first learned of the tumor in my tibia in the fall of 2008. It was small then, not painful, and not likely to be cancer. Just a thing that’d apparently been with me for a while. My Ultimate Frisbee career was just starting to take off, so I decided I’d ask few questions and just play through.

But I really started to feel it the weekend of the Fourth of July in 2010. Playing in a 2,000-player Ultimate tournament outside Seattle, I noticed I needed some extra ibuprofen for my left leg on the morning of day three, and I sat myself down on the sideline. Even icing it in elevated, snow-capped Crater Lake on the way back through Oregon didn’t abate the swelling or the developing limp. There’d be no Kerri Strug miracle for me.

Throughout my ensuing treatment, I dreamt about running and getting back on the Ultimate field – the deep cuts, the throws, and especially the defensive plays. I had identified as an Ultimate player since high school, and maintained that self-perception throughout treatment. While it seemed counterintuitive, I ultimately realized that amputation would actually afford me more mobility than my alternative treatment option. That was a big mental step toward getting back on the field.

It’s hard to tell my story without mentioning the role my prosthetist played. When I met Mark Hopkins (of Dankmeyer) at my pre-op appointment, the path to playing again began to take shape. Mark was able to temper the anxiety I felt about what was to happen for me between the operating table and the Ultimate field. The whole team at Dankmeyer has reflected that attitude and support as I’ve worked with them over the last several years.

Whether it’s Ultimate, or chasing around a five year-old, or just walking from the train station to work – I’m happy to be able to do it. Whatever it is you want to do, tell the staff at Dankmeyer and trust them to help you get there.

Watch Sumner play some Ultimate Frisbee here:

Team Dankmeyer

What is a "Color Run” and how did Dankmeyer, Inc. get involved with this event?  
 
Well, a Color Run is a charitable 5K Walk/Run, where colored corn starch gets thrown on you as you make your way through the course– it's messy and colorful!  Our story starts back in the fall of 2013.  “Would the Dankmeyer group want join our family in the Color Run?”, asked Jody, mother of Tru - a 7 year old boy and right knee disarticulation amputee.  She took me a little by surprise.  Because, well, I don’t run!  I don’t like running.  And I’ve never participated in a race before - because I’ve never wanted to.  But the only answer to Jody's question that made sense to me was “Of course. That sounds great!”
 
Tru is one of my little inspirations.  And I was impressed by his and his family’s determination.  So we formed a team.  And he trained for this.  He would run in his neighborhood to his stop sign and back, gradually increasing his distance.  And his mom practiced throwing corn starch on him so he wouldn’t be afraid of it during the race.  While Tru was training, a few other Dankmeyer patients signed up– another young amputee named Eric and his family, and a brand new amputee Steve, who only had only gotten his first prosthesis less than 2 months before the event.  So on race day, I gathered with Tru, his parents and his sister, along with our other two other daring amputees, many of the Dankmeyer staff, and families.  Some of us ran, some of us walked, some of us did a little of both, and some waited at the finish to snag some great pictures.  But we were all there supporting one another in our individual goals and having a great time doing it.  And what inspired me the most, was after all of this, Tru asked to do it again!                                                

-Angie Swindell, CPO

Tru (center) accompanied by mom Jody (left) and his prosthetist Angie (right).

For more pictures click here...