“Learning to Accept, and Master, a $110,000 Mechanical Arm”

James Dao, writing for the newspaper’s series on injured veterans “The Hard Road Back,” details Cpl. Sebastian Gallegos’ injury and reintegration into civilian and family life.

According to the article, Cpl. Gallegos is one of less than 300 American soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan to lose one of his arms. The process of re-acquiring skills that were once second-nature, such as grasping and keeping hold of everyday objects, now takes intense concentration and patience.

Partly because there are fewer people who lose upper limbs to injury, there is not always ways to help them adjust that are known to be effective. The hope is that with time and greater scientific advancements made at places like the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, people with upper body amputations and other reasons for needing prosthetics will be able to regain feeling and sensation.

The link also includes a video that explores both the physical and psychological effects of Cpl. Gallegos’ injury.