In this photo, Delaney demonstrates the differences between her prosthetic leg alongside her biological leg on Jan. 27
By Jasmine Stevens
LUBBOCK, Texas. – As a child, you’re typically learning your ABC’s, 1-2-3’s, and relishing in excitement over a new 64-pack crayon box. For Delaney Kerby, a sophomore early childhood development major from Dallas, living an ordinary life became one lived with extraordinary parts.
Kerby may be an average, everyday student taking on the throes of college with each step, however, each step she takes is different from that of a normal student. On July 27th, 1997, Kerby was born as a triplet with her brothers Canyon and Preston. Born prematurely at 24 weeks, which contrasts greatly from a normal pregnancy that lasts 40 weeks long according to Women’s Health of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, she was rushed to a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) where she would spend the next three months of her life. She weighed 1lb. 5oz, while her brothers weighed a mere 1lb. 9 oz., suffering from complications which they would later pass away from, leaving Delaney to fight on her own.
Pictured is the transfemoral stump Kerby uses for her left leg, and the tennis shoe used for her right foot in her apartment in Lubbock, Texas, on Jan. 27
While under medical care, Kerby developed an infection to an umbilical catheter she was hooked to, which resulted in a lack of blood flow to her left foot. Doctors kept Kerby’s foot wrapped until her dad could make a decision on whether or not to amputate it. Because Kerby’s foot was described as “black coal,” and “dead tissue that would never come back,” her dad approved.
“The scary thing is, not only did I have to fight the infection,” Kerby said, “but my organs were failing to function and I was struggling to breathe.”
According to a journal in the U.S. Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, central venous catheters (CVCs) are regularly used in intensive care units, and catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) remains a leading cause of healthcare-associated infections, particularly in preterm infants.
Info: A infographic from Amputee Coalition which shows the amount of limb loss that has occurred in the U.S. to bring awareness to limb loss and limb loss prevention. Source: Amputee Coalition – http://amputee-coalition.org.
CRSBIs are usually associated with several risk factors including prolonged catheter placement, femoral access, low birth weight, and young gestational age. Very low birth weight (VLBW) infants are vulnerable to infections because of their immature immune systems, frequent contact with hospital personnel, and invasive procedures.
According to the Amputee Coalition, about two million people are living with limb loss in the United States.
In this picture, Delaney demonstrates her mobility between the prosthetic leg and her biological foot on Jan. 27
Once the infected foot was removed, Kerby would have to begin fighting off retinopathy of prematurity – ROP – which causes vision loss in premature babies, all the while learning how to suck, swallow, and breathe all at the same time. Despite the myriad of problems Kerby faced as an infant, she would conquer and take on each of these battles in stride.
Delaney as a preemie baby following her foot amputation in July 1997, and three years later after being casted with her first leg
After reaching a tiny weight of four pounds, Kerby was finally able to come home with her parents who would have to do daily exercises in order to make her small body stronger. Over the course of her childhood, her parents would begin teaching Delaney how to walk on what she calls her “nub,” until she went to the Scottish Rite Hospital for Children where she would be casted for her first leg.
“Unlike most amputees, I learned how to walk on a prosthetic leg,” Kerby said. “I don’t ever remember having two feet.”
Delaney demonstrates her mobility to stand with both her biological foot and her prosthetic stub on Jan. 27 “I wish I had known we were taking a picture of my feet today, I would’ve worn nail polish,” Kerby said.
Along with mastering the mobility of her prosthetic leg, Kerby would take up sports at a very young age. At the age of three, Kerby would start playing soccer and continue doing so up until middle school. After middle school, she would later quit soccer and join the cheer squad of the high school she was attending at the time, and become a flyer.
Staying physically active and eating healthy was very vital to her, she said, describing her body as precious.
“I almost had my life taken from me,” Kerby said, “and I don’t want to throw it all away, and watch my body wither away for nothing.”
Delaney playing soccer in middle school with her fitted prosthetic leg
Coupled with Kerby’s trials of being an amputee, is the learning disability that she faces as a student at Texas Tech.
Kerby explained that the lack of oxygen received to her brain as a newborn resulted in a learning disability which affects her attention span, as well as her ability to retain information.
“Having to learn how to do everything on the outside of the womb when you’re supposed to be doing it on the inside was very difficult,” Kerby said.
She also said classes with complexity in learning material prove most difficult for her learning disability in college.
Delaney studying and reading bible verses in her apartment in Lubbock, Texas on Jan. 27
Delaney showing her “Encouragement Wall” that she reads every day in her apartment in Lubbock, Texas, on Jan. 27
“When I’m sitting in class and you’re talking way over my head, I’m not going to be able to understand what you’re saying,” Kerby said. “If you’re trying to explain something that’s super complex, you have to really break it down, and basically try to talk to me like I’m probably 12, so I can understand the complex thing you’re describing to me.”
Kerby said there are days when her disability is absolutely terrible, but mentioned Student Disability Services at Texas Tech has been super beneficial to her overall experience in college.
“I get tutoring from them, and I go to the testing center and I take my tests by myself,” Kerby said. “I get double the time so I can really focus on the test that I’m taking and not worry about anyone else who is around me.”
Texas Tech Student Disability Services (SDS) provides in-class accommodations based on the documented needs of each student at Texas Tech. Their mission is to enhance each student’s learning through the provision of programs and services for students with a disability.
Kerby said that SDS also does a great job of having available parking services on campus for handicapped students.
“I can park in any parking lot, which is really nice if one day I don’t want to take the bus, or if I just have one class,” Kerby said. “It’s really nice, but other than that I don’t really need any extra help specifically like when it comes to my leg.”
Granted SDS is catered to students with disabilities and handicaps, Kerby considers herself as “handi-capable,” and often times doesn’t even like the word disabled used to describe her own situation.
“I consider myself ‘handi-capable’ because I can do anything that anyone with two legs can do,” Kerby said. “When I see the word handicapped, disability, or disabled, those are words that basically mean you can’t do something. The word disabled at the end, actually has the world ability in it. If you take the ‘dis’ off, you get the word ability.”
Overall, these hardships faced by Kerby would grow her faith exponentially. Pursuing her relationship with Christ is a cause very important to Kerby, which has helped her through her trials and tribulations greatly throughout childhood into adulthood.
Delaney focusing on a particular verse that catches her attention in the Bible in her apartment in Lubbock, Texas, on Jan. 27. “This is in John 3:11, which talks about testimonies,” Kerby said.
One way Delaney exercises her faith is as a member of STUMO, or Student Mobilization on Campus, which equips students on campus with materials on how to spread the love of Jesus on campus.
“STUMO has helped me grow so much as Christian,” Kerby said. “It has helped me look at my faith, and realize this is what the Lord is teaching me. The Lord is giving me little glimpses of what my life is going to be like with Christ through this.”
Kerby’s faith has shaped the way she looks at herself and her limb difference, and wanted to leave some parting advice for other students who may be dealing with the same limb difference, or struggling with confidence in such a situation.
“If you’re struggling with confidence in who God made you to be, just know that we’ve all been there,” Kerby said. “You have a lot of people around the world that have limb differences, and you don’t even know them because you’re not the only one. Be confident in who the Lord made you to be, because confidence is key.”
A headboard handmade by Delaney’s father behind her bed frame. “I love it so much! My dad cut all of the wood, sized it, and hand-crafted the board. He took all of the screws out so we could load it in the car, and piece it back together once we got to the apartment,” Kerby said.
Delaney also jubilantly expressed what she finds to be the purpose in her prosthetic, and how she’s grateful for what the Lord gave to her.
“I’m 100,000 percent happy that the Lord made me the way that He made me,” Kerby said. “I would not go back if I could. If I could go back to the day that I was born, and the week my foot was amputated, I would not trade that for the world. The Lord knew what he was doing when he put this situation in my life, because ultimately, every that has happened so far has been for a reason.”
Post-graduation, Delaney attributes her plans to her faith and says she will go “wherever He takes her” as she plans on having a career in elementary education.
“As of right now, I plan on being a teacher hopefully for kindergarten, but I’m willing to teach first or second grade,” Kerby said. “I don’t know where I’m going to teach, where I’m going to live, and I don’t even know if I’ll still be in Texas. Like I said, it depends on where the Lord has me at the time.”
In five years, Kerby said she hopes to be either dating, engaged or married to “an awesome Jesus loving man.”
Delaney reading her bible study book called “College” by Jordan Lee, which provides ways for students to transform their college years for the better. “I love this book so much, it’s one of my favorites,” Kerby said.
Sources:
Amputee Coalition — https://www.amputee-coalition.org/limb-loss-resource-center/resources-filtered/resources-by-topic/limb-loss-statistics/limb-loss-statistics/
NCBI – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3250601/
Texas Tech Disability Services — http://www.depts.ttu.edu/sds/
About JOUR 4350
