Your Story Matters: Walking Toward Tomorrow. Judd’s Inspirational Journey

We first met Justin “Judd” over a year ago when he admitted to the Rehab Unit at one of our Ohio partner facilities. Judd admitted to the facility on 12/28/24 after undergoing a right above knee amputation. He needed to learn how to safely transfer and complete ADL’s as independently as possible to return home with his very supportive wife, Candy. Judd was using a walker at home and had a left lower extremity prosthesis that he has been using since his left above knee amputation in December 2010. Judd was actively driving and playing golf on his left lower extremity prosthesis prior to his second surgery. 

Judd was highly motivated, determined, and ready to put in the hard work. With the help of wonderful nursing staff, therapists, and his wife, he was able to increase his independence with bathing and dressing as well as learn to complete slide board transfers safely with some assistance from Candy. He was soon able to complete car transfers safely and discharged back home with his wife.  His recovery continued with home health therapy services as his right residual limb continued to heal.          

As the healing process continued at home, Judd returned to Optimus prosthetics for fitting of two new prosthetic legs without knee components, “stubbies” as the prosthetists call them. Using the “stubbies” require a person to exert 2x the energy as he normally would to stand up from the wheelchair due no knee components, requiring Judd to use 100% upper body strength to bring his upper body over his legs. Judd returned for outpatient therapy in May of 2025 to learn how to use his new legs for the next four months. Initially, he was not able to get up onto his legs at first without assistance. But by the end of the four months, Judd was able to meet more than 50% of his goals including transfers and increasing his balance. He progressed from needing to hold onto the walker with both hands to being able to let go with one hand. During these four months of outpatient therapy, Judd attended drivers education/driving classes and was able to get his license to start driving again using hand controls. 

Since Judd did so well learning to walk and transfer using his “stubbies”, we discharged him from OP therapy services knowing that the next phase of his journey could begin. The prosthetist proceeded to make his new sockets and legs with knee components, so it was like starting all over again but because Judd had done so much strength, gait, and balance training, he was now strong enough to get his new lower extremity prosthetics and returned for therapy on 12/22/25. Since returning for OP therapy, Judd has been able to increase his ability to transfer with minimal assistance, increasing his walking distance, and improving his standing balance. When Judd returned for OP therapy in December, he was very unsteady and apprehensive to let go of the walker with 1 hand, but now he is able to let go and complete an activity without the assistance of his walker and occasional verbal feedback from the therapist. Judd’s therapy with his newest lower extremity prosthetics is ongoing and he is determined to reach his personal goal of golfing again! 

Through this entire journey, Judd’s wife, Candy, has remained by his side and is his biggest supporter in helping him increase his independence. Judd has been willing to trust his therapists, Lindsay Schulze and Mandy Holtsberry and has worked hard during each therapy session over the time he’s been in therapy. Judd still has a goal of being able to get in/out of his vehicle by himself and walk into wherever he is going without needing the wheelchair. Judd is a true picture of what hard work and determination looks like which has allowed him to make such good progress throughout his therapy journey.