Accident Report

Unfortunately, even with safety measures in place, accidents do happen in the utility industry. A couple of weeks ago, the Commercial Appeal ran a story on a former MLGW employee who lost his arms in the line of duty.

Prosthetic limbs no roadblock to amputee's goals, successes
By Lani Lester

It was a hot August morning in 1991 when Lee Shelby's life changed forever.

Then 28 and a lineman for Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division, Shelby was in a bucket truck that backed up to a pole to allow him to cut a secondary wire going to a house.

He was halfway through the job when his right hand touched a primary conductor and about 12,000 volts of electricity shot through him, burning his hands severely.

"I kept looking down at them, trying to get them to move," he said. "And when I picked my arm up, my wrists were just kinda limp. They wouldn't move."

Shelby spent 23 days in the burn unit at the Regional Medical Center at Memphis. Both hands, wrists and a portion of each forearm were amputated about three inches from his elbow.

He started rehab the day he was released.

"We went to therapy every day, just like work," Shelby said. "I got dropped off in the morning, picked up there in the afternoon."

Independence was important for Shelby, who needed to be able to take care of himself and raise his daughter, LeAnna, now 15, who he's had custody of since his divorce in 1993.

In the nearly two decades since, Shelby has remarried and now has two stepchildren and a 2-year-old grandson.

He has gotten his pilot's license, gone skydiving, received a permit to carry a handgun, and hunted and fished -- all without the use of his hands.

"I can't tell you that I would have the same attitude if it were me," said his wife, Sherri Shelby.

Having the right prostheses has been a big part of his success, said Shelby, who admits not everyone is fortunate enough to receive prostheses that are a good fit.

Shelby has relied on body-powered prostheses which, with practice, have allowed him to go about his daily activities with little difficulty. Unfortunately, the devices require "socks" and a harness that puts pressure on the back over time.

But Memphis prothestist Tien Tran recently fitted Shelby with a set of myoelectric prosthetic arms that he designed.

The new arms, which cost $25,000 apiece, don't require socks or a harness and should make daily activities even easier.

Tran said electric impulses from muscle contractions help operate myoelectric devices.

Shelby has had myoelectric arms before but they were uncomfortable, less powerful and not as functional as Tran's newer design.

With his new arms, Shelby hopes to take on new challenges.

He resigned from MLGW last year to run his own business making inflatable moon-walks, jumpers and slides. He's thinking of writing a book and even toying with the idea of learning to ride a motorcycle.

Wanting to share his successes, Shelby travels the country speaking to other amputees who have lost limbs in electrical accidents.

He just returned from Alabama and plans to speak in North Carolina and Kentucky before the summer ends.

Shelby said his goal is to encourage, motivate and give hope to other amputees.

The 45-year-old is also working on his peer counselor certification from the Amputee Coalition of America.

Shelby said he can do any activity that anyone who has the use of their hands can do.

"I just have to do mine a different way," he said.

-- Lani Lester: 529-2395

Support

Out On A Limb is a Memphis area amputee support group that holds monthly meetings. For information, contact William Samuels at 767-8511 or memphislimbloss@aol.com