Hi my name is David Lynch and my story is not all that much
different than every one else's is. I suffered an injury to my right
leg in November of 2000. Resulting in 6-7 surgeries, starting with
simple debreedment and leading up to a partial disarticulation of
my right foot in January of 2006. Unfortunately or so it would seem
that didn’t work and on May 8, 2006 my right leg was amputated
below the knee. I had suffered for so many years with terrible pain
and frequent hospitalizations, I had terrible infection that had
gotten into the bone and it was slowly killing me. My doctors Paul
J. Nicholls, Mathew A. Nicholls, and Lisa T. DeGnore at Kentucky
Orthopaedic and Hand Surgeons literally saved my life and started
me on my way back to living once again. I had my surgeries and
the amputation at Central Baptist Hospital in Lexington Kentucky.
To say I was ready for an amputation would really be a lie. I
had told Dr. Paul Nicholls if he was taking my leg to make sure that
I didn’t wake up. You see in my mind losing my leg was equal to
grandson and a copy of the New York Times. On the front page of the NY Times was a story about a
double amputee who had just climbed and summitted Mount Everest. Dr. Nicholls then told me I had a
choice getting aggressive and getting ahead of the bone infection and having the below the knee
amputation and walking in 8-12 weeks or going home to die from the infection. Well at that moment I
decided that I wanted to live and we set up the amputation for the next morning.
The amputation went perfectly and after a few days I was discharged and scheduled to go to Cardinal
Hill Rehabilitation Hospital for rehab and physical therapy. But first I had to recover from the amputation
and obtain a prosthetic limb. Sadly I had no insurance and very little cash so the search began, for some
help with funding and obtaining a leg/foot.
I found a prosthetist who started working with me but when I was without funding and insurance,
they were kind but advised me when I got funding or coverage to come back and they wold help me get
into a prosthetic leg.
Amazingly, a case worker at Cardinal Hill named Trish heard of my problem and she made a phone call
to John “Mo” Kenney at Kenney Orthopedics and told him about me. Mo said that he had charitable
mission work all over the globe and if he couldn’t help someone in his own backyard what did that say
about him? Well needless to say Mo, Gary King, Ron Boots, Paul Katzman and everyone at Kenney
Orthopedics came to my aide.
I found myself a “home” with Kenney Orthopedics. They made me feel special and showed me such
amazing attention to detail and well they simply made me feel welcome. Once I got my first prosthetic limb
I was off the Cardinal Hill for Physical Therapy to learn how to walk again. What they didn’t know is that
since Mo Kenney and Gary King are both amputees I had already been given several tips and excellent
guidance on how to walk and how to pay attention to my gait so my PT went fabulously and since the
Physical Therapist was already in the loop with Kenney Orthopedics I had amazing results.
You might when I said “Unfortunately or so it would seem” earlier; Well losing my leg below the knee
might just be the best thing that could of happened for me. I now do everything that I ever did in the past
(perhaps even more) I just do it differently. How do you ever truly say or repay someone who has given
you your life back? I don’t know but what I do know is that Dr. Paul Nicholls, Trish at Cardinal Hill, and
Kenney Orthopedics are the people who gave me a second chance. They taught me limb loss is not life
loss and it certainly is not the end of life or even the end of a quality life. For me it was a new beginning
and I will be forever grateful to each and every person who has played a part in restoring my faith, health
and happiness.
I want to say thank you to everyone at Kenney Orthopedics because without them I doubt if any of
this would have been possible. Thanks Mo your kindness and generosity and compassion are just so
amazing. Paul thanks for working with me to find funding, Ron you always have made me great sockets
and Gary thanks for everything you have made me laugh and think and push myself. Every one at Kenney
I want to say thank you for your kind professionalism.
I was very blessed to find such wonderful doctors, Physical Therapists and case workers at Cardinal
Hill and Kenney Orthopedics. I forgot to mention the walking clinics offered by Kenney Orthopedics at
Cardinal Hill, go they are amazing! Dennis and Todd had me running in 15 minutes for the first time in
about 8 years. They can give hope to anyone. The entire Kenney Orthopedics experience is one that I will
cherish always.
Sincerely,
David Lynch
