David Eversden - Back to DIY!
In March 2008 David Eversden, from Braintree in Essex, became PACE Chesham’s first patient client, at their new facility in Buckinghamshire.
David had suffered a popliteal entrapment of the left leg (Calf muscle crushing the main artery causing an embolism) in September 1998. The following February, after an inserted bypass failed, an above knee amputation was necessary.
Prior to his medical issues, David was very active, he explained “I enjoying gardening, DIY, canal boating, photography as well as being a local parish councillor, but I was struggling to enjoy, or even do, any of these activities”
He continued, “I was unable to walk any distances. My prosthetic limb was causing me real discomfort and severely restricting my mobility. I was unable to sit for any length of time, due to discomfort in the groin area, so my evenings were spent laying facing downwards on the floor watching TV!”
Frustrated, David contacted PACE in the hope of improving his situation.
Following an initial consultation with Jamie Gillespie, Prosthetist at PACE Chesham, and discussions with his GP, David decided to proceed with having a new prosthesis made at PACE.
Even at the diagnostic stage, using rigid materials, David explained “I’ve not felt this comfortable in the last five years!”
Since taking delivery of his definitive prosthesis, David has been able to pick up his life again. He has returned to his passion of photography. “I am now able to drive to courses all over the country, which is something I was unable to do before without pain and discomfort.”
Recently, David has been an amputee model for a prosthetic training course and attended an Amputees In Action seminar to become a film extra and member of their casualty simulation team for the armed services.
David is certainly taking advantage of his new mobility. He commented “I don’t have an excuse to get on with the gardening and list of DIY jobs now! The problem is fitting them in with all my other activities!”