BILLINGS — After facing a life-altering amputation, one Billings man is helping create a support group for fellow amputees with the help of the Rehabilitation Hospital of Montana.
Andrew Walker lost his leg early this year, after falling ill on Christmas Day due to a severe leg infection. Walker was in a coma until Jan. 9, and when he woke up, his right leg was gone.
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MTN covered those early days of recovery, when he was about to be returned to his family after spending a few weeks in the hospital.
"When I woke up Jan. 9, I had no idea where I was," Walker said in January. "I was still here. That's what was important. I have my three boys and a wife, and I'm just really glad I'm here."
At that time, Walker vowed to not just get better, but return to the active lifestyle he had previously enjoyed.
“I’m going to get a prosthetic, and I’ll be doing the same stuff I was doing before," Walker said in January. "In four months, you wouldn’t even know.”
Fast forward to today, and Walker's prediction has come true. He is adapting to his new prosthetic limb and making significant progress in his recovery.
“As my physical body gets better, my mentality gets better because I’m seeing progress," Walker said. "I’m seeing myself returned to who I was before."
His physical therapist, Jeff Smith, has witnessed Walker's determination firsthand.
“He really just took off. Every session, he was doing better,” Smith said. “It’s hard to put into words on how good it does feel. It's incredibly rewarding.”
The journey hasn’t been without its challenges. Walker admits that adjusting to life at home has been mentally draining, as there are constant reminders of what he can no longer do.
“That’s like a reality check of where I’m at in my life,” Walker said.
Walker said that there have been days when he felt overwhelmed. At those times, he relied on friends.
“The other day I was having kind of a bad day, and I just messaged one of my other amputee friends and said, ‘Hey, I’m having a hard time,'" Walker said with tears in his eyes. "She kind of talked me through it.”
Walker realized how important having someone to talk to was on difficult days, and that's why he is working closely with the Rehabilitation Hospital of Montana on a new project to provide a support group for people like him.
“It’s just a good thing to do," Walker said. "To help someone who’s having a dark moment and just say, ‘Hey, it’s going to be okay.'"
The first meeting for the Amputee Support group is on Monday, May 12 at 6:30 p.m. It will be held at the Rehabilitation Hospital of Montana on 3572 Hesper Road.
Walker said he'll be there, as he continues to make progress himself, focusing on one day at a time.
“I can’t really change what happened to me,” Walker said. “What I can do is try to find those incremental 1 percent increases every day, and that keeps me positive.”
