Reprinted with permission of the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Ontario, Calif.

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Upland Man Gets a New Beginning

Inland Valley Daily Bulletin (Ontario, CA) - Friday, November 14, 2008
Author: Sandra Emerson, Staff Writer

UPLAND - Dave Armstrong, 33 can finally enjoy a game of catch with his 5-year-old son, Christian.

In July, the Upland man became the fourth person in the country to receive a hand transplant after 6 1/2 years of living with one hand.

Armstrong lost his hand when a gun misfired and exploded.

"Not just anybody can accept the fact of a loss versus having somebody else's hand reattached," Armstrong said.

"That's a huge psychological thing that myself I welcomed with open arms. It was something I waited 6 1/2 years for, and it finally happened."

The surgery was performed by Kleinert, Kutz and Associates Hand Care Center in Louisville, Ky., and the University of Louisville at Jewish Hospital Hand Care Center - the only group of doctors that has performed a successful hand transplant.

Armstrong said he was able to move his fingers 30 seconds after waking up after the 15-hour surgery.

"Everybody's ability to rebuild and recover is different, and so far I've got the best results at this stage," Armstrong said.

"There's another gentleman who's really close to 10 years out, and so far I'm the best, and I'm four months out."

He is required to go through physical therapy five days a week for at least a year and will likely have to take medication for the rest of his life.

"He has certain muscles that are functioning that allow him to bend his fingers and muscles that are functioning on the back of his arm that allow him to straighten," said Chris Porter, certified hand therapist at Rancho Rehabilitation Center.

"Those things we can control, but other aspects that we can't control (include) the nerves' ability to recover."

So far, Armstrong is able to pick up objects and set them down. He even has a limited ability to write.

"Can and can't do, in my opinion, is all in your mind, because there was nothing I couldn't do when I didn't have a hand ," Armstrong said. "I can just do everything better now, and every day. With Chris' help and the San Antonio Rehab, every day is better and better."

Contact with the donor family is prohibited for at least a year after the surgery, but Armstrong said he looks forward to getting to meet them.

"I want the family to know I'm going to take care of it, and it's helping me out just like any of the other organ transplants that are out there," he said.

With two hands, he will not have to deal with people staring at him in public, which started to become a problem, he said.

"I was fine with it for about six years, and the last six months, I started getting a little on the bitter side, because you get tired of people staring and not asking," he said.

Wearing a prosthetic hand was something Armstrong said he rarely did, except for trips to the gym, because nothing compares to the real thing.

"Now I have two hands to hold my family with," he said.