Patient Stories: Rehabilitation

Memorial Hermann|TIRR

Earl: Amputee
Following an electrical injury that led to the loss of his arm and leg, Earl now speaks around the country about on-the-job safety

Earl, 41, a long-time employee of Reliant Energy HL&P, suffered an electrical contact on the job that resulted in the amputation of his left arm and leg. He was fitted for a prosthetic arm and leg at TIRR and found that he had to learn to walk and perform basic functions of everyday living all over again.

Earl, of Alvin, Texas, spent six months in outpatient physical and occupational therapy at TIRR, where therapists worked with him to develop life skills using his new arm and leg.

Some of the challenges he faced were learning to walk properly, developing the skills to get back to work and achieving greater dexterity. According to Earl, what stands out about his experience with TIRR is the knowledge of the staff and their ability to anticipate and understand the challenges he faced throughout his recovery.

Earl participates in the TIRR Peer program for amputees, which is a support group that meets once a month to discuss issues related to amputees. Shortly after his release from the hospital, he also expressed a desire to help prevent others from having disabling injuries on the job.

He worked with Reliant’s Safety and Public Affairs Department to produce a video titled "It Only Takes A Few Seconds, and Your Whole Life Changes." In the video, Earl discussed the pain he suffered, his rehabilitation and, with his wife Sherry, the impact of the accident on their family. Parts of the video were filmed at TIRR Outpatient Therapy Services while he was in therapy to learn to use his prosthetics.

Earl is now a safety representative for Reliant and in demand across the country as a speaker at safety symposiums and trainings for other utilities, government agencies and different businesses.