Veteran Gets Chance to Walk Again
Curtis Robinson lost his left leg as a result of complications of diabetes. In an instant his life was drastically changed. Robinson ended up in a wheelchair, a big contrast to his previously active lifestyle.
Curtis Robinson, an Army cannon crewmember Veteran, lost his left leg as a result of complications of diabetes. In an instant his life was drastically changed. Robinson ended up in a wheelchair, a big contrast to his previously active lifestyle.
While in the military he was part of a team and played a critical role in supporting artillery and infantry units. As a cannon crewmember, Robinson was constantly on the go, handling ammunitions, operating numerous tactical systems and executing artillery tactics and strategies. But as a citizen and with his condition, he was limited. Performing simple tasks such as bathing became an ordeal.
“I had to hop around my house to complete stuff because I didn’t have space,” said Robinson. “I live alone and felt that I had no one.”
Already struggling to cope with daily activities, within a short time, Robinson lost his father, then his mother and a sibling. And he began to question his faith.
Robinson fell from a ramp at his apartment on three occasions and he was attacked and robbed. In his mind, this occurred because he only had one leg.
But his life took a change for the better recently. Despite restrictions because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Robinson was fitted and received his first prosthetic leg.
“Because of the current pandemic we are not able to see Veterans as we normally did but Mr. Robinson was an emergent case. It is always a pleasure to help my fellow Veterans and I am pleased we could do this for him,” said Michael Howze, CAVHCS chief of prosthetics.
After working with a CAVHCS prosthetist and the prosthetic manufacturer’s clinical specialist for over two and a half hours, Robinson took his first independent steps in over a year.
“People take things for granted, the small things. But they, VA, the prosthetics team gave me my strength back,” said Robinson.
