GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Stacie Carr, a paraprofessional and mother of two girls, is living a life of pain.
Carr was diagnosed with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) after a traumatic fall 17 years ago. She lost her leg after multiple surgeries and treatments. CRPS is a severely disabling condition. Carr describes it as "your pain signals never shut off."
"The pain is insane," said Carr in a December 2023 interview with 13 ON YOUR SIDE. "It’s rated as the most painful condition. It’s called the suicide disease because most people will commit suicide over not having correct treatment."
But this August, she had a "life changing" surgery to help ease her pain.
Osseointegration is a procedure that inserts a metal implant directly into the bone of the residual limb. The prosthesis attaches directly onto the implant, but the implant is not removed. It helps ease pain for many with socket-related discomfort.
"The biggest thing that's super cool is I can feel the ground coming through the skeletal system," said Carr. "So, I can tell if it's cement, or if it's grass, it's carpet, hardwood."
The osseointegration surgery helps some of the pain Carr feels with her CRPS, which was targeted to her residual limb and her former prosthetic socket irritated.
"It's not an option for everybody," said Daniel Malach, a certified prosthetist at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital who works with Carr. "But for some folks that are struggling, for some folks that have fitting issues, I'd like to say that I've seen tremendous results."
Carr visited New York to have the surgery, saying there wasn't a doctor who performed osseointegration for below the knee amputees.
"It's very cool," said Carr. "There's not many that have it, and it should be more well known and more options and easier to get than it has been."
She is now working on physical therapy at Mary Free Bed, working on hip strength, mobility and more.
"I'm excited for what's to come: running, hiking, rock climbing, all the cool things I want to try and do," said Carr. "There's so much to look forward to."
She has a goal to race in the Mary Free Bed Prosthetics Limb Loss Awareness 5K in April. She also has a trip planned to the Upper Peninsula to hike with her family.
"It makes me feel really, really happy that she feels better and she’s really happy," said Chelsie Carr, her daughter.
Carr said her husband, Cody, kept her sane through the pain and surgery journey.
"She has been such a strong person who, even with all the years of struggles, has always tried so hard to do better for herself so she can do better for the others around her," said Cody.