In the first episode of season two of the We’re not Stumped podcast, I welcome television producer Rachel Grow. Rachel was born in Wiesbaden, Germany with a congenital condition called symbrachydactyly. Symbrachydactyly is a rare congenital hand condition in which a child is born with abnormally short fingers that may be webbed, misshaped or missing. It is often confused with other hand conditions but differs in that the underlying structure of the hand is affected — not just the fingers. The hand may not function well, and the bones, muscles, ligaments, and nerves of the hand are also often affected.
Even with her start in life, Rachel has continued to move forward with nothing but a positive attitude. She has worked in Hollywood both in front of and behind the camera, most notably as a producer on such shows as America’s Got Talent, American Idol and Shipping Wars. In this episode Rachel talks about her prosthetic designed by Arm Dynamics and created by Point Design, a great story on how she learned to tie her shoes…and much more!
To learn even more about Rachel, you can follow her on social:
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@BionicRachel
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bionic_rachel/
Her appearance on The Tex Factor: https://youtu.be/S2IBDkjZdJA?t=640
Prosthetic Links:
Arm Dynamics: https://www.armdynamics.com/
Point Design: https://www.pointdesignsllc.com/
#amputee #amputeelife #amputeestrong
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In this powerful episode of We’re Not Stumped, Mike sits down with Lindsay Hicks to share her courageous decision to choose amputation at age 22 — and the emotional and physical challenges that followed. Lindsay opens up about navigating identity after limb loss, the support of her parents, and the mindset that helped her move forward. She shares how setting a goal to walk unassisted by Christmas gave her focus during recovery and how resilience continues to shape her life today. The conversation also explores her prosthetic journey, serious medical complications including liver failure and infection, and the determination that helped her regain mobility after two years on crutches.
What if surgery and virtual reality could dramatically reduce phantom limb pain? On this episode of We’re Not Stumped, host Mike Bolland sits down with Dr. Glenn Gaston, orthopedic hand and upper-extremity surgeon, to explore groundbreaking innovations in amputee care — including the Starfish Procedure and a virtual reality treatment for phantom limb pain. Dr. Gaston shares how a life-changing patient experience led him to build a dedicated amputee clinic and push beyond century-old methods of care He also shares his journey into amputee care, the inspiration behind his innovations, and why collaboration between surgeons, prosthetists, therapists, and mental health professionals is shaping the future of limb loss recovery.
Lera Doederlein joins Mike Bolland on We’re Not Stumped to share a powerful story of choosing possibility. Born with AMC (arthrogryposis multiplex congenita), Lera grew up in Phoenix using braces and forearm crutches while navigating school, friendships, and the quiet realization that sports might look different for her. As a teenager, she made the bold decision to pursue double above-knee amputations in order to gain independence and improve long-term mobility—and it transformed her life. Lera walks us through the realities of recovery and physical therapy, learning to use prosthetics, and the moment a clinician pushed her beyond her comfort zone—encouraging her to run just a week after she started walking. She also shares why community matters so much, from Camp No Limits to Hanger events and amputee boot camps that helped her build confidence and momentum.
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