Real-Life Decision Making -- Solution
You suggest she take her time deciding, and give her as much information
as possible.
This is the real-life decision made by Kerry Calder. He is a prosthetics
designer.
He says everybody's situation is different, so a prosthetist needs
to learn as much as possible about a client. The prosthetist then has to tell
the client the benefits, as well as the drawbacks of getting a prosthesis.
"What I guess it comes down to is, are the pitfalls greater with what you've
got now, or going this other route?" Calder says. "That's something that
has to be determined by the patient, ultimately. By them getting as educated
and getting as much information as they can, that's how they arrive at
that decision."
Part of the challenge in educating a client, Calder says, is overcoming
their false notions about prosthetics. He says the media gives people a mistaken
impression of prosthetic technology.
"People, when they talk about artificial limbs, the first thing they think
of is the Bionic Man," Calder says. "In actuality, the life of an amputee
is not as pleasant as that. There's a lot of problems involved with a
prosthesis, and it's something that, once you make that decision, is
with you for the rest of your life."