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Most people take their arms and legs for granted. They use them every day to do anything they want to do.
But what would happen if suddenly, an arm or a leg wasn't there? What if a person had to go on without an arm or a leg that was lost to disease or some massive injury?
John Thompson, of Fort Dodge, found out what would happen when, about five years ago, his right leg below the knee had to be amputated due to complications of diabetes.
After he got out of the hospital, he found there wasn't a lot of support available for amputees. He used his own willpower and physical strength to adjust to a new way of living.
Thompson could never forget those initial struggles he endured. He did not want anyone to have to go through the same thing.
'I want to do something for people that I wish would have been done for me," he told The Messenger recently.
So he led the way in creating an organization that is apparently unique in the United States. It is called Lost Limb Riders. It combines the camaraderie and culture of a motorcycle club with peer support and practical advice for amputees and their loved ones.
Thompson has no experience as a medical or human services professional. But he is an amputee with a desire to help others who have experienced the same challenges that he has.
In fact, the group has no paid staff. Members like Raymond Glover Jr. who have not lost a limb are powered by their desire to help others. The same can be said for Chris Hirschauer, who handles the groups' web site and business needs.
What Lost Limb Riders is trying to accomplish is remarkable.
It was born from one man's struggles after an amputation. Building on the experience of John Thompson, it seeks to prevent others from experiencing the same struggles. And Lost Limb Riders is about amputees helping each other. There are no lectures from researchers or other professionals; just amputees gathering to talk about their concerns, their fears and their successes. It is a group of amputees talking about what works and what doesn't as they navigate their changed world.
And it fills a unique need. There appears to be a lot of support groups across the country for a lot of different conditions. But there does not seem to be anything that fills the niche that Lost Limb Riders does.
We congratulate Thosmpson and his supporters for starting a unique effort to help others.