I attended the ACA conference as well and was really blown away. As an amputee & amputee advocate, I feel totally re-charged and even more excited than before to be involved in this field. As an amputee, I felt this amazing connection with all the others there with limb loss, no matter our ages, genders, or amputation circumstances. I was able to see new technology face-to-face and learn about new resources that I can pass on to the rest of the amputee community. The ACA staff and exhibitors obviously really cared about what they did. This was my first time at the conference and there is no doubt that I will go back every year. This conference is a gift! What a blast!

This is my 4th or 5th ACA conference and as always it is the highlight of my year. This IS MY VACATION, others may wish to fly around the world or visit various places in the USA and other countries. Ok, I would too. But the one week that I always plan for is ACA conference. One sees old friends and the instant you see them the year that has passed is quickly melted away. Always greet the NEW MEMBERS, they are noted by a PURPLE tag on their badge. This simple act of kindness will bring both parties a smile as well as open up dialogue from one amputee to another.

The event was outstanding this year. Many new workshops were added precisely due to the amputee communities advice to ACA. This is your convention, you help establish the contents, and you as the amputee become the entire focus of the convention.

Huge kudos to the ACA staff, in front and behind the scenes. This is not an easy task to appease more than 800 amputees and their families. Glitches do happen, the staff is always sorry that these things do happen, many are simply out of their control. Nonetheless the staff will always go the extra 3 miles to go out of the way to right the glitch. Please send an email, card, or a simple 2 minute call to say thank you.

The exhibit hall was a delight as well. Many new companies were represented this year, a breath of fresh air is gratefully appreciated. It was also nice to see our friends from companies that have been there every year. New ideas and innovations for the amputee are readily available. But more important your feedback to the company representatives is most needed. This fellow amputees is the catalyst that produces modifications to existing prosthetics and orthotics. More importantly your ideas help bring forth new ideas that will only improve the devices that improve our quality of life.

If you have not attended a conference I highly recommend doing so June 2009 in Atlanta.

Many thanks to all who exhibited and attended.