"Impressed by the service from my first appointment"

I asked for a referral to WestMarc for a prosthetic to help with exercise (specifically yoga) as I have a limb difference (shortened right arm) which I've had since birth.   This had resulted in increasing back pain which I was hoping to limit and manage long term.  I had seen someone on YouTube with a yoga prosthetic in Canada and wondered if that might be something possible here.  

The referral from my GP came back within a few weeks and was so impressed by the service from my first appointment.  When I first went in, I met with a prosthetist and OT and was referred for physio.  I also got cast for an arm on my first visit.  They were all super supportive and eager to look at options for helping mobility/pain and increasing the type of activities I could do.  

I met with a physio soon after my initial appointment and was assessed and given some starter exercises to increase my mobility.  I can't say enough how much that has made a difference to pain levels and general daily living.  Beforehand I had no idea what practical steps I could take to help my back and pain and didn't know who could help.  Through the physio appointments I learnt a range of exercises which I've been doing on a regular basis and am amazed at the difference they have made to my back.  After 40 years of increasing poor posture and back pain, I now have a structure for stretching which has made a massive difference in a short time!  It's been amazing to have that input and expertise to create a plan for steps I can take.

My yoga prosthetic was built and I have used it multiple times per week for yoga, Pilates and going to the gym.   It's feels like a part of me and my prosthetist has been great at amending parts of the socket to fit better.  I had some prosthetics when I was in Primary school but had not had any since.  I really wish I had got in touch with the service earlier as having this as a tool has enabled me to access exercise classes and gym machines I've not been able to before.  And has given me the confidence to go into group classes and ask how I might adapt things.  I'm now in the process of getting a multi-articulating arm to use for daily activities and specialist activities such as woodwork which has opened up a whole new world of possibilities! 

Overall, I can't say how much I've valued the input from the team.  Going from a position of having pain, not knowing how to manage that, and not knowing who to turn to get help, I'm now in a place where my mobility and general fitness is improving and I'm now looking at how I can improve daily living.  Thanks so, so much guys!