for such an obtuse guy, i do appear to have something of an “affinity” with you, through this experience, blue!

I don’t know. The arm looks pretty basic and with a harness attaching it to her back. However, the legs look to completely respond to her movement. Many prototypes for limbs seem to be getting good now, but this is not 10 years ago.

It doesn’t really matter, though. Just like it doesn’t matter that there is not a real Hogwarts. The story can still be interesting because it is its own universe. I just needed to make the mental shift when I realized it.

(Note: I couldn’t watch the video bc my work blocks sites that stream anything fun or interesting)

My feeling is that if Al’s jealous it’s of the ease that Brendan involves himself in social situations, not of Brendan talking to Lucille

I don’t know about that—especially if they are experimental: http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/science/health-human-body-sci/human-body/idkt-prosthetic-leg/

They are beautiful legs! I can’t help, but think this is ironic after yesterday when so many people lost their legs in Boston. Thinking of them and wishing them all gentle recoveries.

I am very fascinated with prosthetics. Hoping we see things like this in the very near future. Lots of hope from stem cells research, too.

My aunt lost part of her arm in a very horrible accident when she was a young teenager and even now in her 40s struggles to find something that is comfortable and usable. She prefers not to wear anything at all unless she has to. There’s been many points of her life she has to go under for surgery so they can “reshape” the remainder of her arm.

She constantly has to be careful with her health. One thing a lot of people don’t realize about amputation is if you lose a big part of your body in a serious accident (the more traumatic the worse) you are a lot more prone to illness for the rest of your life. Part of it is the trauma and having to deal with adapting to life. Stress is terrible on the immune system. But part of it is also that the body doesn’t like suddenly becoming asymmetrical. This doesn’t seem to impact people who are born missing limbs the same way.

We also adopted a 3-legged dog. She gets everything under the sun. We adopted her after her accident and it took her a year before she started trusting us. She had severe lyme disease that was treated before we adopted her and it flares back up from time to time. She has Cushings Disease. We also have to buy her lots of medication for hip displacia as she has only one working hip for hind leg support. She’s nearly 12 now and doing great, though. She is a happy girl and the only part of her age that shows is some mild cateracts .

By her comment, I’m guessing Al doesn’t get along with many people. He’s not a gruff loner for no reason!