Paul Carr
Port Clinton resident Paul Carr doesn’t let his limb loss stop him from what he loves doing most — line and swing dancing with his partner, Marge.
“Some people are reluctant to be first persons on the dance floor, but we’re not,” Carr said. “We want to dictate our own fun.”
In 2020, Carr had his leg and foot amputated below the knee after receiving a rare inflammatory response to the COVID-19 virus. This response, called “COVID toes,” involves inflammation of the small blood vessels. Reduced blood flow can lead to tissue death, with amputation possibly needed to prevent the infection from spreading to the rest of the body.
“In the hospital after my amputation is where I met Paul [Leimkuehler],” Carr said. “The road after amputation is grueling, and Paul has been amazing. He has always been there for me, fitting me with the necessary sockets, checking my residual limb, watching my gait, and helping me correct it.”
Carr is fitted with a BKA socket with a pin lock, as well a shock and rotation foot with a hydraulic.
After COVID-19, Leimkuehler Prosthetics & Orthotics started to once again host an annual picnic for its patients. Carr wanted to attend one to meet more amputees, and now he won’t miss the get-togethers. He said he’s met a “phenomenal” group of amputees.
“The amputee community at Leimkuehler is a very welcoming community of people,” he said. “You definitely get a sense that you are not alone.”
A part-time insurance agent at Carabin Insurance Agency — part of the Gardner & Strayer Insurance Group — Carr specializes in Medicare supplemental insurance and often serves as a source of information for amputees regarding Medicare Advantage Plans. He told the story of a gentlemen who had to wait for four months to receive a prosthetic foot after he was told the foot he needed was too expensive. His Medicare supplemental insurance helped him cover the cost of the foot.
“Those on Medicare, especially seniors, get taken advantage of by their Medicare Advantage Plans,” Carr said. “When you’re rehabbing a major incident, like losing a limb, you want to make consistent progress towards your goal. You don’t want to wait in a wheelchair for four months. That will drive you mad.”
Carr’s goal after his amputation was to dance five or six nights a week. As a kid, Carr wanted to attend basketball camp, but his mother signed him up for dance school. By the time he was 13, he enjoyed swing dancing—and was even danced on a bandstand television program. “When people are dancing, they’re all smiling,” he said.
The Army veteran describes Leimkuehler as the place where he gets everything he needs.
“Paul helps me with everything at Leimkuehler,” he said. “The depth of knowledge and experience of the prosthetists there are amazing. They set me up with sockets, boots, and even with surgeons so I can get prescriptions to receive my equipment from Medicare. Paul has been with me every step of the way.”
Carr remains positive, forming relationships and getting out on the dance floor. His message or mantra is: “I am about ability not disability. If I can walk or dance, so can you!”