{"id":4801,"date":"2020-03-27T10:52:04","date_gmt":"2020-03-27T14:52:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/?p=4801"},"modified":"2020-03-27T10:52:04","modified_gmt":"2020-03-27T14:52:04","slug":"maine-agrability-helps-put-bill-hayes-back-on-his-feet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/agrability\/2020\/03\/27\/maine-agrability-helps-put-bill-hayes-back-on-his-feet\/","title":{"rendered":"Maine AgrAbility Helps Put Bill Hayes Back on His Feet"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Ellen S. Gibson<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Bill<\/a>It\u2019s a warm day in March when I met Bill Hayes and his wife, Carol, on their organic farm in Plymouth, 24 miles east of Bangor. He was chopping a ditch through the ice on their driveway to channel the melting water. \u201cYou\u2019d never know he doesn\u2019t have any feet,\u201d quipped Carol.<\/p>\n

\"flock<\/a>After surgery to amputate both legs below the knees in the summer of 2018, Bill is back at work on Dilly Dally Farm with Carol. They maintain five year-round production greenhouses, each bursting with a succession of greens on this muddy spring day. Bill and Carol have cut nearly 50 cords of wood so far this winter to fuel the outdoor furnace that heats the greenhouses. Their chickens thrive on the spent plants and weeds during the winter. Come summer, Bill will prepare four-and-a-half acres to plant in mixed vegetables and he and Carol will raise broilers and turkeys for market.<\/p>\n

Carol has been farming this land for 18 years. She and Bill teamed up 11 years ago. They have a loyal following at the Rockport Farmers\u2019 Market. They attend the Market at Guini Ridge Greenhouses every Saturday all year and have several restaurant accounts.<\/p>\n

The decision to amputate<\/strong><\/h3>\n

For 25 years Bill dealt with massive arthritis and feet that twisted painfully when he walked because of Compartment Syndrome<\/a>. Carol says, \u201cIt was a long, long road for Bill to get to the point of amputation.\u201d First, his right foot was the biggest problem, then his left became worse and worse. By the time his doctor recommended amputating both feet at once, \u201cI didn\u2019t hesitate,\u201d Bill said. \u201cI knew it was the right thing. My feet were not going to get better.\u201d Although they weren\u2019t sure what the new normal would be, Carol and Bill now say that having both feet done at once was a blessing in disguise. One surgery meant one period of recovery, and Bill had both legs fitted for prostheses at the same time.<\/p>\n

Leading up to his surgery in 2018 and during 2019 while he recovered, there was a lot more farm work for Carol to do. \u201cWhat Billy does is so important\u2014fixing equipment, tractoring in the fields,\u201d said Carol. \u201cWhen he was out of commission, I couldn\u2019t do nearly as much as I do now.\u201d<\/p>\n

The new normal<\/strong><\/h3>\n

What is it like to recover as a double amputee? Bill was in a wheelchair for several months. It was hard, they both agree. \u201cWe knew we\u2019d have to make adjustments to everyday life, but we didn\u2019t anticipate how much harder things would be in a wheelchair,\u201d Carol said. They made modifications to make it work. Bill said, \u201cWe wash 50-70 dozen eggs a week to sell at market. Carol rearranged the kitchen so I could help her with this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Attitude is everything<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Bill credits his doctors, his prosthetist, and his physical therapist for getting him walking and working again. The prosthetist fitted his prostheses and made them comfortable and pain-free. His physical therapist understood Bill\u2019s role on the farm. She had him doing everything, even climbing ladders. \u201cI took my chain saw to therapy,\u201d he said, \u201cAnd she showed me how to stay balanced, to be careful to stand on even footing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carol credits Bill for being such a good patient and having such a good attitude. She downplays her role, but anyone who has been a caretaker knows that it takes a toll. Bill couldn\u2019t help much and his many appointments took Carol away from the farm\u2014a double whammy. \u201cWe worked around it,\u201d said Carol. (Sometimes her daughter was able to help with the driving.)<\/p>\n

Maine AgrAbility plays an important role<\/strong><\/h3>\n

As Bill got back to work on the farm, he faced some limitations. He contacted Maine AgrAbility to find out more about the program. After an eligibility screening, he was paired with Kelley Spencer, an Assistive Technology Professional and owner of Maine Assistive Technology Solutions. Kelley has worked with the Maine AgrAbility program for many years. She understands agricultural work and is skilled at recommending solutions that will meet specialized employment needs.<\/p>\n

Kelley had an initial visit with Bill on the farm in March 2019. He said, \u201cShe asked me, \u2018What can we do to help you get back to your normal routine on the farm?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

\"hydralic<\/a>\u201cThe biggest thing I need on the farm is a lift,\u201d Bill told her. He had always maintained the farm equipment\u2014a critical role on a farm\u2014and could no longer do it because he couldn\u2019t get down on his knees.<\/p>\n

A lift is expensive, and Maine AgrAbility does not have funding for equipment, so Kelley connected Bill with Vocational Rehabilitation.<\/p>\n

What is Vocational Rehabilitation?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Voc Rehab or VR<\/a>, as this program is often called, is part of the state Department of Labor. VR provides funding for equipment necessary to accommodate the employment needs of people with disabilities. In employment lingo, this equipment is called \u201cassistive technology.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kelley helped Bill understand what to expect when working with VR. It takes time to go through the application process. By May, Bill had been assigned to a VR Counselor who authorized payment for Maine Assistive Technology Solutions to do a full Assistive Technology Assessment.<\/p>\n

The assessment took place in June 2019. Kelley met Bill at Dilly Dally Farm again, and carefully matched his need for accommodations with his capabilities. \u201cWorking with Kelley was awesome,\u201d said Bill.<\/p>\n

\"Bill<\/a>She submitted a report to his VR counselor with a list of equipment that would allow Bill to return to his regular routines on the farm. His counselor authorized the purchases a month later. The list included<\/p>\n