On Jan. 30, 2017, 53-year-old Linda Niedbalski suffered a massive heart attack. For two grueling weeks, she was on life support and later placed in a medically induced coma.

Upon waking, she learned that her legs had been amputated just above the knees due to the loss of blood flow to her organs related to the heart attack.

Thankfully, Niedbalski kept her own heart and her hips, but not before two additional surgical revisions to her legs.

Fast forward almost three years later, Niedbalski and her husband of 38 years, Eric, are a well-known presence at Brooks-TLC Hospital System, Inc. Physical Therapy Department in Dunkirk where she undergoes rigorous rehabilitation/physical therapy every week. From outside appearances, life for the Niedbalski’ s seems to have settled into a new normal as Eric shines as a rock of support for his wife, making adjustments to their Fredonia home, including a new chair lift and installation of accessible sidewalks outside.

Above, Kristen Wallace and Niedbalski with her mobility scooter at a recent session at the Brooks-TLC Physical Therapy Clinic.

The power of friendship

Working with her Brooks-TLC therapist, Kristen Wallace, DPT, Niedbalski is nearing achievement of many goals she set for herself last year; among them, to resume her passion for box gardening, and, with Eric’s help, riding her four-wheeler on the couple’s country property. The two women agree their relationship has uniquely developed more as close friends than one of therapist/patient. The pair has incorporated therapy concepts into their usual outings of swimming, water aerobics, shopping and lunch dates. In fact, Wallace’s three young girls have become regular passengers on the back of Linda’s mobility scooter.

Inside the Dunkirk PT clinic, however, the pair tackles the serious business of Linda’s mobility — walking, standing, and improving core and arm strength. Kristen proudly shares of her patient and friend, “Linda has walked 100 yards without an assistive device as a result of the hard work she has done on her core.”

The achievement hasn’t come easy, however. “We’re also working on learning to fall properly with the fall and roll technique, which minimizes impact and potential injury during Linda’s inevitable falls,” Wallace adds.

PT and prosthetics

Submitted photo Linda Niedbalski at the Above-Knee Amputee Bootcamp in Washington, D.C., from Oct. 10 to 12. At right, Niedbalski works with Kristen Wallace.

“One of my long term goals is to walk with long prosthetic legs,” Niedbalski longingly shares. But the highly customized devices need to be continuously adjusted by a prosthetist, and there is no access to one in the local vicinity. Wallace and her team are able to help Niedbalski maneuver once she is wearing the prosthesis, but without proper adjustments, her limbs can become irritated.

To help her achieve her long-term goal, Wallace put her friend in touch with the “Decide to Rise” Hanger Clinic Bilateral Above-Knee Amputee Bootcamp, held in Washington, D.C. from Oct. 10 to 12. The event featured 21 skilled prosthetists from Hangar, Inc., a leading provider of state-of-the-art prosthetics and orthotics.

Niedbalski says of the event, “It was life changing — being around a group of amputees just like me – seeing all the different levels of mobility. … There are only 1,000-1,500 (Bilateral Above-Knee Amputees) in U.S., and 41 of us were there. We were able to share experiences and become connected to each other and with outside resources.”

One of the Bootcamp outings helped participants navigate ramps, stairs, curbs, and uneven terrain right in Washington D.C., and Niedbalski successfully climbed three stairs at Lincoln Memorial.

“Before Bootcamp, I wanted to wear my long prosthetic legs. But I learned from the Hangar Clinic there are many stages of legs sockets — from short to long — and learning to use each of them will be a work in progress. I’ll get there eventually by taking baby steps — literally.”

A more manageable goal, for now, is to work toward wearing her newly adjusted short prosthetics from the time she wakes up until she goes to bed.

Strength and purpose

“Through my journey, I’ve learned that I’m much stronger than I thought,” Niedbalski said. The former M&T Bank vice president has always enjoyed helping others, but as a result of her challenges and struggles, has uncovered a new purpose in her gift of mentoring others. Linda has become a credentialed advocate as a Certified Peer Visitor through the National Amputee Coalition. She has also recently presented at M & T Bank’s Disability Advocacy Network (DAN), speaking on diversity, inclusion and disability awareness. Her plan is to continue speaking to other groups as opportunities arise.

“Kristen encourages me to push outside my comfort zone”, she states. Of her Physical Therapy team, Linda adds, “They are among the most caring and dedicated group of people I’ve met and I’m honored to consider them friends.”

In addition to specialized services for amputees, Brooks-TLC Physical Therapy Specialty areas include certified vestibular / balance assessment and treatment, return to sport functional testing and comprehensive Biodex report, and kinesio taping / manual therapy.

Brooks-TLC team of physical therapists treat a wide range of neurological / balance disorders, musculoskeletal issues, sports injuries, women’s health including pre/post pregnancy care and back/pelvic pain, as well as post-op rehabilitation.