Who would think you could take a two-week Caribbean vacation and come home with a new, state of the art prosthetic limb? That is just what is happening on the Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao, sister island to Aruba and about 50 miles north of Venezuela. 

For about U.S. $15,000 an above the knee amputee can travel to Curaçao, stay in a modern hotel, enjoy the beaches and crystal clear water of the Caribbean, learn to scuba dive and get a new leg. While all the fun is being enjoyed, prosthetist Tom de Windt and his staff at Sentro Orto-Fisiko Korsou are busy creating your new limb. 

Trained in Holland, de Windt is creating some of the most innovative, comfortable and practical limbs available today at prices that include all the costs of the Caribbean vacation. While U.S. $15,000 covers an AK, costs for a below the knee amputee is about U.S. $12,000. 

Work in the morning, play in the afternoon
de Windt has organized his practice so that measurements, casting and adjustments --all those activities that require the patient to be present-- are done in the morning. Then in the afternoon patients are free to enjoy their Caribbean vacation. There is no need to sit around an office all day while the work is being done.

And once the prosthesis is ready to try, patients are urged to walk on the beach or boardwalks, go sailing or shopping and really put the limb to the test. In the warm, humid island environment the test is a good one. de Windt's physical therapist partner and wife Mieke also has a few tests designed to check the comfort and fit. Once it is complete she will work with you to improve your gait or motion. 

Concentrated effort
Getting a new limb while on vacation has other advantages too. By devoting a specific two-week period and going to a distant, relaxing environment, patients are better able to focus on the process. They are not stressed and anxious about the time being lost from work. 
They can concentrate on getting the adjustments just right and then testing them with a half day of enjoyable activity. They can also get a tan, learn to snorkel or scuba dive or just relax and enjoy nature. Especially in the winter!