‘I’m going to run again’. This was the first thing Torie said she remembered saying when she woke up after having her arms and legs amputated in 2019. Now she’s training to be an LA 2028 Paralympian.
Five years later, Torie wears leg prosthetics, two Hero Arms, and she was recently fitted with two Hero Flexes. We caught Torie fresh off a two-hour bike ride for a catch up. Here’s how it went:
Torie – “Sorry I’m late, I was in the zone and then snapped out and realized I had to pedal all the way back.”
Evie – “No worries, how long was the trail?”
Torie – “18 miles, doing a bit of elevation training today.”
E – “Two-hours on the bike, what goes through your mind?”
Torie – “I listen to music, zone out. I get lost in gospel music. It’s a time for me to connect to myself spiritually. I don’t dwell on the past, I always think about where I want to go next, what I want to achieve, what barriers I have to overcome.”
E – “That’s your two-hours done, now you can relax for the week?”
Torie – “It’s running day tomorrow.”
E – “I thought it was running day yesterday?”
Torie – “I train five days a week, and like to alternate between running and biking.”
E – “That’s intense! How do you stay motivated?”
Torie – “I have to do intense exercise, it numbs the neuropathic pain.”
E – “Like phantom pain?”
Torie – “No. There are still nerve endings that aren’t attached to anything where my amputations were. They short-circuit all the time. It’s a daily burning pain that gets worse in higher altitudes and bad weather. Now I’ve come back from the bike ride, my body is calm, the pain is gone. I don’t like to take medication during the day, it makes me sleepy and idle. I don’t like being still, so I take medication at night to help me sleep.”
E – “Do you add any other sports to your exercise routine?”
Torie – “I’m about to start training in the water, for swimming”
E – “For LA 2028?”
Torie – [goes shy] ” I think I will try.”
E – “Oh wow. Triathlon?”
Torie – “Yes. I looked at the requirements, and they don’t scare me”.
E – “This is incredible.”
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I love the fit of my Hero Arms and since the shape and weight of my arms haven’t changed, the team just printed my Hero Flexes with exactly the same fit as the Hero Arms and sent them out with no clinical appointments needed!
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Torie – “Yeah, I’ll keep you updated on how I’’m progressing. There’s also other sports I want to try with my Hero Flexes – bowling, golfing.”
E – “When did you get fitted with your Hero Flexes?”
Torie – “About a month ago. They are so good and light. I put them in my bag sometimes and forget I have them because the weight is so light.
E – “Because you’ve had your Hero Arms for a little while now?”
Torie – “Yeah I love them day-to-day, I just wish they had touch screen capabilities!”
E – “I’ll pass that on to the R&D team. Did you have to get re-cast for the Hero Flexes?”
Torie – “No, I love the fit of my Hero Arms and since the shape and weight of my arms haven’t changed, the team just printed my Hero Flexes with exactly the same fit as the Hero Arms and sent them out with no clinical appointments needed!”
E – “Are they working well, do you like them?”
Torie – “Yes! It’s what activity arms are supposed to be, light and ventilated so you don’t have to worry about sweat build-up or adding extra load to your arms.”
E – “Which terminal devices have you got at the moment?”
Torie – “The TRS Criterium Pivot. It lets me hook around the handlebars and unhook to control the brakes on the other side. I feel like I finally have all the kit to reach my peak performance.”
E – “That’s so awesome to hear. Are there any events you’re training for at the moment?”
Torie – “Yes! The next three months are going to be a bit crazy. At the end of September, I’m running a marathon at the Colorado Springs Marathon, then I’m doing an Ojai, CA Women cycling retreat in Oct, and then flying to San Diego for the CAF Triathlon. Enhancing Skills for Life has a team doing the triathlon, I’ll be doing the biking part of the triathlon.”
E – “You have a really close relationship with CAF from memory, how did you hear about them and get involved?”
Torie – “I was actually at a routine check up appointment with my prosthetist, when I noticed running blades in the corner of his office. I thought they looked incredible, until he told me the price. I said “I better not touch them”. They were beyond out of my price range. And then my prosthetist told me about CAF and their grants and how they help people get back into the sports they love.”
E – “ Did you get your blades?”
Torie – [She laughs] “I got my blades. Actually they are so worn out from running I just had to get the threads replaced, they are so worn out!”
E – “What’s going to a CAF event like?”
Torie – “Think of any sport you want to try, CAF will find a way to accommodate you. There’s a clinic for badminton, tennis, running, golf, you name it! And it doesn’t matter if you’re a child, or a recent amputee, it’s an incredible support network. I go to all their events, tough mudder, marathons, the lot. Going to a CAF event is like another world on its own. When you leave you feel so refreshed, meeting new and familiar faces. “
E – “Who is part of your entourage?”
Torie – “My husband and my son, they are my biggest supporters and love coming with me. My son actually has friends now who are amputees.”
E – “What was it like for him after your amputations?”
Torie – “The hardest part for me was when he was bullied because of my limb differences. I dropped him off at school and I think some kids commented about me not having arms or legs and that made him really upset. When he told me about some of the kids picking on him, I called the school and now I go in every April during Limb Loss & Limb Difference awareness month and bring my prosthetics and talk about my story to the whole school. All the kids know me now. It’s about creating opportunities for children to be curious and ask questions.”
E – “That’s so awesome to hear. Your ability to put a positive light on difficult situations is something I’ll definitely be trying. Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me today, any last bits of feedback you’d like me to take back to the team?”
Torie – “Just want to say how impressed I am with the Open Bionics’ customer service. I had an issue with my thumb on the Hero Arm, and the whole process of getting a loaner hand to getting the Hero Arm fixed was seamless. So fast, efficient, and I didn’t have to go a day without an arm. Thanks!”
E – “Thanks so much Torie, we’ll be keeping an eye on your training progress, so let us know if there’s anything else we can do to help.”
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