Speaking with Manuela about her new TASKA CX™ has reminded us that rediscovering quality of life as a differently-limbed person is a team effort. There are many people whose work (often behind the scenes) we should recognise and celebrate.

This story is about a champion team. What Manuela calls her ‘super team.’

Manuela is a Mum who lives in Germany. In 2016, she suffered a thrombosis of the upper arm. Manuela was put into an artificial coma six days after the birth of her second son due to severe pneumonia. Upon waking from the coma, she discovered her left hand had blackened and needed to be amputated, along with a portion of her forearm. 

Manuela tells us that before the whole tragedy, she was a workaholic. “I worked a lot. With the hospital time after the coma, I had time to think about my life so far. I decided to fight for my children and my family.” After her surgeries, the nature of her work focus changed dramatically. Luckily, she had a super ‘workmate’ by her side.

“My occupational therapist and I are a team. A super team. She is a transtibial amputee and I am a forearm amputee. She understands me and my fears and motivates me.”

Manuela has used hand prostheses since 2017. She received a myoelectric prosthesis as her initial fitting after her amputation. Manuela then saw the TASKA CX in an industry magazine. A smaller hand and also waterproof. Her curiosity was most certainly piqued. In 2022, TASKA approached Manuela to test the TASKA CX - she was also our hand model at the OT trade fair in Kassel. When the TASKA CX was approved for the German market in January 2023, Manuela was fitted with a new prosthesis soon after, and it has been instrumental in her ongoing therapeutic recovery.

Many of the ‘little things’ that bring Manuela joy these days, she discovered with her super teammate as part of her rehabilitation therapy. She is now a devotee of arts and crafts, a passion she discovered with the guidance of her Occupational Therapist. 

For basket weaving, Manuela uses the TASKA CX’s tripod grip or the pincer grip. When she’s diamond painting, she uses her right hand only. So, she usually uses the relaxed grip for the work because it looks more natural. “I've also been doing macramé with my occupational therapist for four weeks. I like to use the Key grip to hold the ligaments tight.”

Manuela and her new TASKA CX are also somewhat of a super team. Being 100% waterproof, the TASKA CX allows her to wash with two hands. She can use her hand to help her young son in the shower and loves that she has no more gloves that you have to check for holes. Not to mention, no more changing gloves where the help of another person is required. A favourite feature is that the TASKA CX reacts very quickly, even when changing the grip pattern. 

These days, very little is holding her back. Manuela is a hard worker and lives to be helpful. She works in retail and loves all the positive reactions her new TASKA CX gets from customers when working at the checkout. In her spare time, she volunteers with the Bundeswehr, Germany’s armed forces. She helps them by role-playing during training exercises. “I play an injured woman who has lost an arm. I support first aid courses for pyrotechnicians.” It looks like being part of a super team extends into other aspects of Manuela’s life. We’re so proud to have had her help testing the TASKA CX and thrilled to welcome her as a TASKA Champion.