Thank you for all that came out to our Mixer @ Losers in Cool Springs! It was a great success! Baillie and the Boys were great as usual and we appreciate their continued support!

We have 2 months till our 4th Annual Benefit on November 12, 2011! Crunch Time!!!

I would recommend visiting our website to view all Sponsors who have contributed to our benefit this year! Tickets will go on sale in the next two weeks which can be purchased on our website! Watch for an email… There is a discounted rate if you purchase multiple tickets, so check that out! ! Silent Auction “pre-view” will be available October 1st. This will allow you to view all Silent Auction Items for the Benefit…some items are Southwest Airline Tickets, Jack Daniels Autographed Whiskey Barrel and Guitars signed by Kix Brooks and several other Artist!!

It’s unbelievable how many funding applications I receive each week from amputees. The assistance that amputees need all over the nation is immense! I wish I had a money tree in backyard so ML could help every person in need. Unfortunately, I don’t….However, events like mixers and the benefit and all sponsors that contribute allow us to help who we can. The expense for a prosthesis can range from hundreds to several thousands of dollars, literally just for someone to live a full and independent life! Please continue to share information about Mending Limbs with your family and friends. The benefit is a great way to come out and support our mission! Consider it your “date night” for the month! We have incredible entertainment, food and beverages donated by our local Restaurants Stoney River, Boscos, Chili’s, Sweet Temptations, Starbucks and Brinkmann’s Wine and Spirits!! It will be a night you won’t forget!!! So…save the date, hope to see YOU there!!

Life is busy!! Avery is walking everywhere!!! Seriously, she is growing up way to fast. This past year has flown by. She is walking herself right into “Mom’s Day Out” and is typically the one that takes the longest naps! (we know she is related to her daddy) She truly is my little love bug!!

The next few months are crazy busy with my brother’s wedding in California, Avery’s 1st Birthday and the Benefit!! Next week we head to California for Brandon and Shana’s Wedding…. This will also be Avery’s first airplane ride. She is really excited to meet all her friends and family from California and I’m ready for some days on the beach!!!

Here are a few pics from the Mixer and my buggy!!!

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Featuring entertainment by The Band “On-Call” and The Vespers!

You can purchase your tickets here:

If you are interested in donating or helping for this event please contact the Organization here.

We have some really awesome things in the works for the rest of 2011… Our 2nd Mixer will be at Loser’s on Thursday, August 18, 2011 as well as the 4th Annual Benefit Concert and Silent Auction on Saturday, November 12, 2011! Man, our Sponsors have been generous this year!! We’ve received some incredible Silent Auction items! I think people are going to fighting over the autographed Jack Daniel’s Barrel. In between both of those events we’ve got a few surprises that we will let you know about! Thanks to an incredible board we’ve been so successful!! If you haven’t met them yet…soon you can view pics of each one of them on our website!

I’ll get back to my life story as an amputee I promise I just felt like today wasn’t a good day too….check back soon!! Here is my stolen quote of the day from the one and only Garth Brooks “Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers”.

Mending Limbs Mixer at Loser’s 2 Cool Springs

Thursday, August 18 , 2011
Entertainment by: Baillie and the Boys
$10 Cover (all benefiting MLO)

To get back on track to where I left off…. From 18 months till now I’ve worn AK (Above-the-Knee) Prosthesis. Each prosthesis was made by my leg man. He actually made my last one in January 2010 (he has now retired and sold his business- I’ll get to that =(  ). I continued life just like every other child. I was on the Lake Forest Sharks Swim team. My parents enrolled me at age 5. I swam on the Sharks for years. I swam side by side with 2000 Olympic Champion Kaitlin Sandeno. I was best at backstroke!  To this day I still hold the record for the fastest time!! Crazy!!!

At 18 months my right foot was amputated and my knee was fused. In fourth grade, I had my last surgery. The doctors removed a few inches of bone from the bottom of my stump and shaved the right side of my bone so I would not have a bulge in my leg. This surgery was needed so that when standing and sitting me knees would align correctly. I do remember vaguely that this was a pretty painful surgery, but I made it through like a champ! I went back to school on crutches for several weeks while I healed until I was able to walk with my prosthesis. I truly had the best friends and family. Most people would think going through all this might be traumatic….But, honestly I just remember all my friends and family surrounding me with support!!! Will continue about this journey later….

This past weekend, we went to Steeplechase!! It was so fun! Our neighbors have two spots right where the horses are cooled off after the race!!! Muddy, Rainy and a bit cold! But it was so fun!! Jared and I have met some great friends!!!Oh and by the way, my Bestie Kim from California made and shipped the BEST CAKE BALLS ever!!! If you have no idea what they are check out her website (www.creativecakeballs.com) She ships every where and once you have one you will be addicted!!!  Also, yesterday we went to High Meadows Alpacas in Leiper’s Fork…. oh my!! They seriously are the cutest things ever!!!! We went with my parents and grandparents. Avery met “Winston” who absolutely LOVED her!!! I think most of all he would have loved to have taken off her fluffy bow!!! But they only have 2 bottom teeth, so I wasn’t too worried!!! While we were there a baby was born… so sweet. They are 20 pounds when they are born! Wheww! Definitely check out the event they hold in September!! Super fun outing, especially with the family…. Visit there website!  www.highmeadowalpacas.net- Talk soon =) Hope you have a great week!!!!!

I’ve been told several times in the past few months that I should create a blog to tell my story, so here it is. I never thought that 10 years ago I would be writing this or be the founder of a non-profit organization. I moved to Nashville for School and Music, never did I know that I would face a challenge a few years back that would bring me to where I am today. At this point in my life, I honestly feel that I need to share my story about my life growing up as an amputee…. I’m hoping that it will help others know that perfection isn’t always everything!

I was born June 25, 1981 in Mission Viejo, California! Crap, I’m almost 30!! Anyways, I was born with 2 legs, however, my right leg did not fully develop. My right femur had only developed fifty percent and I was born with a very small ball and socket, this birth defect is known as Proximal Femoral Deficiency (PFD). PFD is very uncommon and the exact cause can be very complex and be combined with other congenital abnormalities. The news was a shock to my parents as technology was not like it is today. They were not forewarned or prepared for this situation (which wouldn’t have made a difference to them).  As most parents dream and want a healthy child, that doesn’t always happen. I was healthy just not perfect! Who is perfect anyway?? My parents accepted me just the way I was. They did not leave me at the hospital; say they couldn’t handle me or didn’t want me because I would grow up wearing a prosthetic leg. Resources to help my parents cope with a child with PFD like the internet, small groups or extensive research just wasn’t there. My parents took advice from my doctor’s on how they should raise me. They brought me home and surrounded me with love and treated me as I was no different than my brother or any other child.

At an early age, I wanted to walk so bad, I was fitted with a small prosthesis to help me walk until my leg was amputated. At 18 months I had my first surgery at UCLA and my right leg was amputated. I was then fitted with an above the knee (AK) prosthesis. Rudy Nunez, C.P. owner of Am-Pro Prosthetics in Anaheim, CA made me my first leg. You will get to know him as my “leg man”.  My leg man became my family as I saw him sometimes monthly or maybe once a year just depending on how I was growing.  I once read this quote when I was doing some research “a good prosthetist is worth his weight in gold”. Oh man, is that true! My leg man is best. Let me tell you, he is a “PRO” at fitting patients just like me!

I’ve gotta run! My baby is waking up! Will continue soon…..

Frank Wall needs to be able to move. He’s the owner of a roofing company, but can no longer reach the heights he used to.

Everything changed May 31, 2008. On the side of I-24, Frank pulled over to help a stranded driver. A drugged-out driver slammed into him. Frank says, ” Kind of got a glimpse and my leg was going at a ninety degree, so I knew I was in trouble.”

He was more than in trouble. He had an eight percent chance of surviving. After a 64 day coma, Frank woke up to find out his left leg was gone, but what never left him was his always thinking about others, even the man who hit him. He says, ” The tragedy in this whole thing is that man killed himself, he’s got a daughter and parents, and they lost him.”

Frank’s selfless attitude caught the attention of a group called Mending Limbs. Founder Michelle Prichard tells us, “That’s the goal for our organization, is to help amputees and to help them live their lives independently.”

Mending Limbs connected Frank with Bulow Biotech Prosthetics. They have built him a $40,000 state of the art computerized leg. Founder Matt Bulow says, “This can allow him to more safely walk on uneven ground, and really do his work.”

Frank was given his brand new leg and is walking away a brand new man.

In the past Frank could not get a better leg because of insurance problems. Which actually is a fight a lot of amputees face. That’s part of the reason Mending Limbs exists. Because of the generosity of that group and Bulow Biotech, Frank is walking away with that new prosthetic without having to pay a dime.

Check out more video coverage here:

Channel 4 News
WZTV Fox 17 News