Fw: [OANDP-L] Amputee Rides Across America Event

[Daniel Dheret]

Dan Sheret rides along U.S. 421 in Pender County on Thursday morning. Mr.
Sheret, who lost his ankle and foot in an accident a couple of years ago, is
training to ride from California to New Hampshire this summer.
STAFF PHOTO - Ken Blevins
By Trista Talton
Staff Writer
trista.talton at wilmingtonstar.com
CURRIE - Dan Sheret knew that having a limb amputated would forever change
his life.
He just didn't expect the life-altering surgery could lead to a bicycle trek
across the United States.
"There's not much I can't do anymore," Mr. Sheret said. "For me, life got
better. I'm about to go on an amazing journey, and I wouldn't have if I
hadn't lost my leg."
The Wilmington resident's been training six days a week on back-country
roads dotted by farm fields in Pender County. In less than a month, he'll
begin a 52-day, 3,800-mile trip from San Francisco, Calif., to Portsmouth,
N.H.
That's pretty impressive, seeing as how a little more then a year ago the
41-year-old couldn't walk. The discomfort in his right ankle was unbearable.
Mr. Sheret shattered his right ankle after he made a bad landing trying to
hop over a short fence in the spring of 2000. The prognosis from doctors
wasn't encouraging.
"It would have been five years of surgery with about a 25 percent chance of
success. I just decided I didn't want to do it. It (the amputation) was
going to come anyway," Mr. Sheret said.
Accepting that fate was tough for the retired furniture maker.
"I still remember the amputees of my dad's generation of World War II," he
said.
Images of stiff-walking men needing the help of a cane burned in his mind.
Through heart-ache and tears, Mr. Sheret began to investigate the latest
prosthetics and amputation procedures. His wife, Mary Ames Sheret, helped
him.
His research led him to Dr. William Ertl, whose grandfather developed an
amputation reconstruction technique using a residual limb that makes it easy
to walk. Mr. Sheret's leg, from about the mid-calf down, has been replaced
with a prosthetic installed with a pump system that pushes out air with each
step. The technology allows him to better control his leg and is a
comfortable alternative to less-flexible prosthetics.
"I don't have any problems with a skin breakdown or getting a bruise," Mr.
Sheret said. "I can bike 100 miles and step off and not limp."
He felt so good about his new limb, he decided to hop on a bicycle. His
first trip was short, about a half-mile. Little by little, Mr. Sheret
peddled longer distances.
"It's your average mid-life crisis," Mr. Sheret said jokingly.
The riding eventually led him to a group of 60 middle-aged professional
bicyclists who will made the cross-country trip with him. "America by
Bicycle" has been launched to help raise awareness about the Ertl procedure
and the Barr Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping
amputees worldwide.
On a hazy, early morning in the parking lot of Moores Creek National
Battlefield, Mr. Sheret smoothed sunscreen over his exposed skin. He drives
from Wilmington to the remote historic site, where he starts a typical
80-mile bike ride.
A colorful spandex sock that stops at the edge of his shorts covers his
right leg. The cover protects his residual limb and cuts down on inane
questions from strangers about his amputation.
"When I'm on the bike, there's no difference between myself and any other
40-something bike rider, except I get to wear this cool leg cover," he said.
Trista Talton: 343-2070
trista.talton at wilmingtonstar.com
    

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: RAllor at aol.com 
  To: Amputee Information Network 
  Sent: Friday, May 09, 2003 1:43 PM
  Subject: Re: Fw: [OANDP-L] Amputee Rides Across America Event


  In a message dated 5/9/2003 10:23:41 AM Central Daylight Time, t-barr at t-barr.com writes: 



    See press release below. 

    http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2003305090341&Profile=1004 



  A funny thing is happening on the internet.  The above website requires a registration that includes a lot of personal and trivial information. That is too much trouble to read an article.   

  That practice seems counter productive, yet, many sites are doing it. 

  TRuss 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: https://mailman1.u.washington.edu/mailman/private/amp-l/attachments/20030509/7f11729f/attachment.htm