Arms, legs standard equipment
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 It's costing us taxpayers a collective arm and a leg for the government to bail out the likes of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, yet here in this country are those literally begging for their limbs – as if arms and legs are optional. Durham's Desmond “Dez” Jackson, 9, is one of the fortunate ones. Not only has he been able to get multiple prosthetic devices, but his artificial leg actually fits. It served him well back in October during a San Diego triathlon in which he placed first out of 18 children who, too, are without natu-ral limbs. “We don't like to say he won, because every participant is a winner,” Dez’s mama, Deborah Waddell Jackson, humbly said. Oh, go ahead and brag on the boy! And the rest of us need to cheer on the kid and others from the Triangle Amputee Support Group as they head to Washington, D.C., to urge members of Congress to do the right thing. The Amputee Coalition of America on Tuesday will have more than 150 amputees from across the country descending on Capitol Hill seeking fair insurance coverage for artificial arms and legs that can cost $20,000 or more. “Arms and legs are not luxury items. Mobility is a serious issue for amputees who want to keep their jobs, take care of their families and live healthy, active lives," Amputee Coalition of America President and CEO Kendra Calhoun said in a press release. "Some insurance companies are provid-ing coverage for only one prosthesis per lifetime or eliminating coverage completely.” See, as my young daughters grow, my wife will go to Stride Rite or somewhere and buy them some shoes – hopefully on sale. Now, here's Dez having gone through at least nine prostheses. And Stride Rite doesn't sell those things. It's not like his mama can catch a sale on an artificial leg. Which is why the insurance piece is so critical. “No one would expect a person to wear a single pair of shoes their entire life, and prosthetic devices should be no different.” Calhoun said. “No American deserves to be forced to continue using a de-vice that no longer fits or is broken.” Understand that this isn't just about those born without limbs. Stuff happens. Durham's Rita Hester Pompey can tell you about that. She lost her left leg in 2006 when an uninsured motorist ran her down. “Desmond will get a chance to see how things work on Capitol Hill,” his mama said. Now, that's what worries me. #
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