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To most of us, doing something single-handedly means that we are doing it alone. We are accomplishing something without the help of anyone else. My name is Catherine Meade and, for my husband, Tom, single-handed means doing it alone AND with only one single hand. I'm starting this campaign along with our seven children, hoping to surprise Tom on Father's Day (June 19th) with the funding necessary to get the prosthetic hand that insurance companies denied.
Tom, a Long Islander from East Islip, New York, was born 51 years ago without a right hand. He has lived a blessed life, but not one without struggles. Besides the moment-by-moment struggle of living in a two-handed world, Tom lost his Dad at only ten years old and was forced into a life of manhood far before most would expect. His grieving Mom and two younger sisters relied on him for protection, provision, wisdom, and support. The man he became because of that is inspirational, one that learned how to do things on his own and to rely on himself.
Most people that meet Tom find it amazing that he can do everything with only one hand. There isn't anything you would catch him saying he cannot do. He has figured out ways to be a guy like any other who can play baseball, shovel snow, tie shoes, drive a stick shift, ride a bike, play golf, change a tire, even fight fires as a volunteer fireman: all with only one hand. He did have a "hook" as a child, but overall, he has been able to do all this for fifty-one years without the use of a prosthetic. So, what's the trouble?
The trouble is that his only hand is now TIRED. Doctors have told him it's as if his hand, which did double the work for 51 years, is now 102 years old. He has what doctors call over-use injuries. His neck and left arm have nerve damage from disks that are compressed in his neck. After neoro-surgery a few years ago, Tom still has lingering effects of elbow pain. He also has numbness in three of his five fingers. I have actually watched Tom walk up to a closed door and look at the doorknob, hesitating for a moment wondering how much it will hurt his hand to just turn the knob and walk through the door. Those are hard moments. He has always been independent. He doesn't ask for help, even if it means enduring more pain.
But, Tom finally swallowed his pride and admitted that he should save the remaining function in his only hand and agree to find a prosthetic that could help him to rest his tired left hand before it was too late. The idea that Tom could lose all function in his hand one day is a possibility. He must preserve it now.
When we first looked into electronic hands available today, the videos on the internet made Tom cry. The idea that a hand could be electronically connected to his own right arm that would have fingers that MOVED was too much, too futuristic to even imagine. These hands could open and close to play catch, to hold a glass, or to open a doorknob.
We went to HANDSPRING in NYC right away and started the ball rolling on getting Tom a new hand. Unfortuantely, though we saw story after story of people whose hands were lost and replaced by these electronic hands, our insurance company DENIED the claim because Tom was born this way.
Simply said, they feel that if Tom has been this SUCCESSFUL through life using only one hand, they do not see the need for him to have a second hand at all. Appeal after appeal brought no justice. The two-handed representative on the phone explained, but what's the difference? A denial is a denial.
How does an independent man handle that kind of decision? to have finally admitted that having help would be great, only to be told, "Nah...just kidding."
I would love to surpise Tom and announce to him on this Father's Day that we were able to raise the funds for him to get him this hand. Though HANDSPRING has generously agreed to forfeit their profit and offer us the hand for cost, there is no way for us to afford that $75,000.00 hand without the help of donations.
I want to applaud Tom for navigating his way through 51 years single-handedly, but I would also like him to have the opportunity to stop feeling he has to. I think it's time to give Tom a hand. I hope you agree.
Here are a few words from HANDSPRING. Read on...
“As the Clinical Director of Handspring Upper Limb Prosthetic Rehabilitation Services, I had the unforgettable pleasure of meeting Tom and Catherine Meade, as well as nine, yes NINE, of their family members back in December of 2013 at a consultation in our NYC office. A few things became clear to me during that meeting; One, that Tom had spent considerable time thinking about and ultimately making the decision to pursue a prosthetic/electromechanical hand, after having spent most of his life and career successfully navigating a two-handed world with a one-handed body. Also clear was the fact that there was a lot of love in his family; the sheer numbers (it’s a record, honest!) present indicated the support he had from them as he investigated the process. Lastly, it was also very clear that his then 8-year-old son Casey (pictured above) was the smartest person in the room. We proceeded to talk about Tom’s history, which included predictable, and in his case, now extreme symptoms of “overuse syndrome”, which is a term used to describe damage to one hand when it does the work of two for decades. In Tom’s case, he had even torn the biceps muscle and tendon on his intact arm, for which his surgeon recommended surgical repair that would have immobilized that arm, making the case of medical necessity for a prosthetic hand to use as a substitute. The prosthesis would be indispensable during the recovery period, and then very important to help prevent further damage after his recovery. Sounds like a fairly straightforward justification for a prosthesis, right? But no……Alas, the insurance industry strikes again!! In Tom’s case, his particular carrier had inserted an exclusion to its list of “covered services” that resulted in the denial of the prosthesis prescribed by his doctor and clinically indicated as “standard practice” in any and all clinical journals and reference manuals on the topic. Various appeals were filed, but “Goliath” won that round, and “David” is still suffering, more than two years later. Catherine shared with me her idea to “crowd fund” an appeal for funds that could get Tom a high functioning prosthetic arm and hand, and of course asked how much money would be needed. Some of the details of that conversation follow: A prosthesis suitable for Tom that would most closely and efficiently reproduce the functions of a natural hand include component parts that we purchase from manufacturers throughout the world, and clinical skills to assemble and connect Tom to the technology itself, and to train him to use it. These components include a hand, an interchangeable powered “hook”, a wrist unit enabling the user to “palm up or palm down”, a control system that translates the signals in the muscles of his affected arm into commands to the hand and wrist, and a silicone “interface” between his skin and the prosthesis that secure and comfortably attaches the system to Tom. The “clinical” elements are provided by an experienced team of men and women who put all the pieces together, and who also train the user to integrate it into their lives. This is what Handspring does every day. The component “hard” costs (Handspring’s costs) can exceed $50,000 for the “parts” of a high functioning system. The typical “retail” cost, meaning the amounts billed to Medicare/Medicaid/private insurance/workers compensation companies, can approach and even exceed $100,000, depending on the complexity of the case and the components used. For these reasons, I suggested to Catherine that somewhere between $60,000 and $75,000 would be more than adequate to provide the absolute best combination of components which, combined with my willingness to contribute Handspring Clinical Team Services at a significant discount, would make her hope for Tom a reality… I’ll do my part, but I may need Casey’s help!!!"
-Tom Passero
Clinical Director, Handspring
Tom, a Long Islander from East Islip, New York, was born 51 years ago without a right hand. He has lived a blessed life, but not one without struggles. Besides the moment-by-moment struggle of living in a two-handed world, Tom lost his Dad at only ten years old and was forced into a life of manhood far before most would expect. His grieving Mom and two younger sisters relied on him for protection, provision, wisdom, and support. The man he became because of that is inspirational, one that learned how to do things on his own and to rely on himself.
Most people that meet Tom find it amazing that he can do everything with only one hand. There isn't anything you would catch him saying he cannot do. He has figured out ways to be a guy like any other who can play baseball, shovel snow, tie shoes, drive a stick shift, ride a bike, play golf, change a tire, even fight fires as a volunteer fireman: all with only one hand. He did have a "hook" as a child, but overall, he has been able to do all this for fifty-one years without the use of a prosthetic. So, what's the trouble?
The trouble is that his only hand is now TIRED. Doctors have told him it's as if his hand, which did double the work for 51 years, is now 102 years old. He has what doctors call over-use injuries. His neck and left arm have nerve damage from disks that are compressed in his neck. After neoro-surgery a few years ago, Tom still has lingering effects of elbow pain. He also has numbness in three of his five fingers. I have actually watched Tom walk up to a closed door and look at the doorknob, hesitating for a moment wondering how much it will hurt his hand to just turn the knob and walk through the door. Those are hard moments. He has always been independent. He doesn't ask for help, even if it means enduring more pain.
But, Tom finally swallowed his pride and admitted that he should save the remaining function in his only hand and agree to find a prosthetic that could help him to rest his tired left hand before it was too late. The idea that Tom could lose all function in his hand one day is a possibility. He must preserve it now.
When we first looked into electronic hands available today, the videos on the internet made Tom cry. The idea that a hand could be electronically connected to his own right arm that would have fingers that MOVED was too much, too futuristic to even imagine. These hands could open and close to play catch, to hold a glass, or to open a doorknob.
We went to HANDSPRING in NYC right away and started the ball rolling on getting Tom a new hand. Unfortuantely, though we saw story after story of people whose hands were lost and replaced by these electronic hands, our insurance company DENIED the claim because Tom was born this way.
Simply said, they feel that if Tom has been this SUCCESSFUL through life using only one hand, they do not see the need for him to have a second hand at all. Appeal after appeal brought no justice. The two-handed representative on the phone explained, but what's the difference? A denial is a denial.
How does an independent man handle that kind of decision? to have finally admitted that having help would be great, only to be told, "Nah...just kidding."
I would love to surpise Tom and announce to him on this Father's Day that we were able to raise the funds for him to get him this hand. Though HANDSPRING has generously agreed to forfeit their profit and offer us the hand for cost, there is no way for us to afford that $75,000.00 hand without the help of donations.
I want to applaud Tom for navigating his way through 51 years single-handedly, but I would also like him to have the opportunity to stop feeling he has to. I think it's time to give Tom a hand. I hope you agree.
Here are a few words from HANDSPRING. Read on...
“As the Clinical Director of Handspring Upper Limb Prosthetic Rehabilitation Services, I had the unforgettable pleasure of meeting Tom and Catherine Meade, as well as nine, yes NINE, of their family members back in December of 2013 at a consultation in our NYC office. A few things became clear to me during that meeting; One, that Tom had spent considerable time thinking about and ultimately making the decision to pursue a prosthetic/electromechanical hand, after having spent most of his life and career successfully navigating a two-handed world with a one-handed body. Also clear was the fact that there was a lot of love in his family; the sheer numbers (it’s a record, honest!) present indicated the support he had from them as he investigated the process. Lastly, it was also very clear that his then 8-year-old son Casey (pictured above) was the smartest person in the room. We proceeded to talk about Tom’s history, which included predictable, and in his case, now extreme symptoms of “overuse syndrome”, which is a term used to describe damage to one hand when it does the work of two for decades. In Tom’s case, he had even torn the biceps muscle and tendon on his intact arm, for which his surgeon recommended surgical repair that would have immobilized that arm, making the case of medical necessity for a prosthetic hand to use as a substitute. The prosthesis would be indispensable during the recovery period, and then very important to help prevent further damage after his recovery. Sounds like a fairly straightforward justification for a prosthesis, right? But no……Alas, the insurance industry strikes again!! In Tom’s case, his particular carrier had inserted an exclusion to its list of “covered services” that resulted in the denial of the prosthesis prescribed by his doctor and clinically indicated as “standard practice” in any and all clinical journals and reference manuals on the topic. Various appeals were filed, but “Goliath” won that round, and “David” is still suffering, more than two years later. Catherine shared with me her idea to “crowd fund” an appeal for funds that could get Tom a high functioning prosthetic arm and hand, and of course asked how much money would be needed. Some of the details of that conversation follow: A prosthesis suitable for Tom that would most closely and efficiently reproduce the functions of a natural hand include component parts that we purchase from manufacturers throughout the world, and clinical skills to assemble and connect Tom to the technology itself, and to train him to use it. These components include a hand, an interchangeable powered “hook”, a wrist unit enabling the user to “palm up or palm down”, a control system that translates the signals in the muscles of his affected arm into commands to the hand and wrist, and a silicone “interface” between his skin and the prosthesis that secure and comfortably attaches the system to Tom. The “clinical” elements are provided by an experienced team of men and women who put all the pieces together, and who also train the user to integrate it into their lives. This is what Handspring does every day. The component “hard” costs (Handspring’s costs) can exceed $50,000 for the “parts” of a high functioning system. The typical “retail” cost, meaning the amounts billed to Medicare/Medicaid/private insurance/workers compensation companies, can approach and even exceed $100,000, depending on the complexity of the case and the components used. For these reasons, I suggested to Catherine that somewhere between $60,000 and $75,000 would be more than adequate to provide the absolute best combination of components which, combined with my willingness to contribute Handspring Clinical Team Services at a significant discount, would make her hope for Tom a reality… I’ll do my part, but I may need Casey’s help!!!"
-Tom Passero
Clinical Director, Handspring