Partial HandFinger Loss
Activities of Daily LivingOccupational and Physical TherapistsCosmetic ProsthesesHeavy Duty Prostheses

Reaching Out to Others with His New Prosthetic Fingers: Raymond’s Story

Amber Henson
by Amber Henson
Apr 8, 2025

Speaking with our Houston center team, everyone commented on how much fun interviewing Raymond would be [Raymond is on the right above]. Turns out, they were right! Raymond was a joy to speak with — he cracked jokes, spoke freely and was humble when complimented. But there was something else too, an honesty that is hard to come by. Raymond wasn’t afraid to share any of his story or any of his feelings regarding his amputation, and it was refreshing to hear him speak.

Raymond lives in south Texas near the border. His accident happened at work, at a factory. Raymond experienced a crush injury. “When I got to the hospital, they told me there were no broken bones, so I thought, ‘Great, I just need to heal and then I’ll be okay.’ But over time, my hand just wasn’t healing. We waited and I was hopeful, but the capillaries had been crushed, and they were not healing. It was similar to frostbite. I had one doctor who told me to keep waiting, but I went to another doctor, and he was like, ‘No, it’s infected, those fingers need to be amputated before your whole hand needs to be removed.’ He told me it smelled — I can laugh about it now, but yes, it smelled.”

Raymond checked into the hospital. He was hoping for a two week stay, but it turned into three weeks. Raymond isn’t just an amputee — he’s donated a kidney and he’s a Navy veteran, so he’s had his share of hospital stays and challenges. But the surgery was particularly rough: “They didn’t give me enough anesthesia. I woke up in the middle of the procedure. I couldn’t feel my hand, but I did have to use the bathroom. I scared the surgeon, he was concentrating, and suddenly I opened my eyes, and he was freaked out. But since I only have one kidney, I really had to go! So, they took care of that, then gave me some more anesthetic, and when I woke up, I didn’t have any fingers on my right hand.

“Once I got home, I was surprised by how much I was struggling. Putting on pants was difficult. Eating was hard — I was like a baby, because I was so messy when I ate. I thought, ‘Oh my god, I need a bib.’ Changing the gears in my car. Or deodorant. That was a whole thing. Not being able to do what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it was so difficult. At Thanksgiving, if I want some more ham, I’ll get up and I’ll go slice it. But this past year I had to ask my niece to do it, and she’s more than happy to help, but I’m just so used to doing everything myself.”

Raymond did receive a lot of support from his family and friends. “My sister came out from California when I was in the hospital. I have a really good friend who actually drove with me to Houston when I needed to go there to visit the Arm Dynamics center. I was so surprised she said yes, I just asked her randomly and she was like, ‘Sure, I could use a getaway.’ It’s a six-hour drive, so it meant a lot that she was willing to go with me.”

Support has also come in the form of counseling. “I used to be so active. I was always the guy people came to when they needed help — that’s why I was helping that coworker out on that machine that day. If I need to go up a ladder, get up on the roof, fix something, paint something, that was me. But after my accident, it’s like there’s a voice in my head that’s like, ‘Hey, something bad could happen.’ I’m second guessing myself. So instead of taking a walk, it’s easier to stay inside. Or I’d think, ‘Oh, I’ll drive there,’ and that voice would be like, ‘Well, what are you going to do if you get a flat tire?’ Between that voice making me want to stay home, and not working on the factory floor, where I was active and would sweat constantly, I am not in the shape I want to be. But with talking with my counselor, and having my new device [pictured below], I’m starting to get out a little more, getting back to doing things.”

De La Cruz Point Design Digits

Raymond received his first prosthesis about a month before speaking with us. “I really wanted the red to contrast with the black. It looks so cool — the red pops against the carbon fiber. I even bought a case for it. I have a friend who has been going through a lot, health-wise, and I took it over to his place and he was like, ‘Wow, that is so cool.’ He didn’t know something like that existed.” Raymond is looking forward to getting into the gym and the confidence that his device allows him. “I can change the gears in my car now. That’s why I felt good about driving to Houston after I had my device — the freedom felt so good.”

Raymond’s Arm Dynamics’ occupational therapist, Tim, recalled a story from one of Raymond’s visits: “We go through all the daily tasks while teaching our patients how to use their prosthesis. Raymond was here and it was time for lunch, so we went and got lunch together and brought it back to the office. We were sitting there eating and talking and Raymond went to grab his water bottle with his prosthesis, to bring to his mouth. He did it almost instinctively and didn't think about it. After he took a sip, both of us looked at each other and we just burst out laughing. He told me he had become used to using his sound limb, his other side, and the fact that it was now automatic for him to use his injured hand, like it was normal to use his prosthesis, was amazing to him.”

Raymond happened to be at the Houston center two times that potential patients came in. “The first guy, he was in his early 20’s and he was missing a couple of fingers. I had my device then and I was able to show him what I could do. He was excited, knowing what was possible. The other guy was just a teenager, both his hands were affected. He didn’t talk much, he seemed to still be going through it, but I was also able to show him some things. Tim handed me a sledgehammer just so I could see how much weight my fingers could hold, and I was able to show this kid, like, look, you can hold this thing, and the fingers don’t break. Getting to show those kids what the end game looks like, I hope that helped them.” Raymond’s prosthetist Scott: “Having Raymond there to speak to those two young men was really helpful. Raymond is so upbeat and enthusiastic about his improved function.”

In the image below, you can see Raymond with his second prosthesis, a passive silicone restoration.

Raymond-1

Raymond had some parting advice for anyone at the beginning of their prosthetic journey. “Don’t be afraid to ask for and receive help. It will be a hard journey, but don’t give up. Don’t be afraid to push forward. Staying still means those negative thoughts come and they stay. It’s not going to be easy, but it can be done. That’s where my mentality is right now, because I am just getting started with moving more and getting out. I’m still at my same company, doing part-time office work because I still have a lot of occupational therapy, but I’m still going.” Scott: “Every patient has to work hard and practice with their devices, but Raymond’s super positive attitude is the main ingredient for a successful outcome.”

Raymond told us: “Scott and everyone at the Houston center were fantastic and I’m really looking forward to what I can do with my device.” We’re so glad to hear it. If you or someone you know is looking for this kind of thorough, holistic prosthetic care, please contact us. Our prosthetists, occupational therapists and support teams work with each patient to make sure they get back the function that they are looking for.

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