Positively Naperville | No Arms, No Legs, No Worries.

Anna was born with no arms or legs. A term technically referred to as Tetra-amelia syndrome (TETAMS) is an extremely rare genetic disorder causing the complete absence of all four limbs (tetra-amelia), along with potential other severe defects.

But that didn’t stop Anna from trying scuba diving with Diveheart.

When I met Anna, she was in charge of onboarding new patients at the Houston Shriners Hospital for Children.

Anna was able to be mobile, and she gave me a tour of the hospital because she used a modified power wheelchair that had little pad-like steering wheels that extended up to the stubs at each of her shoulders where her arms would have been. She was able to move the pads like a steering wheel with her stubs.

I’ll never forget at one point on the tour when a co-worker came up to her and was teasing Anna about something. I’ll never forget what Anna said, “What do you know? You’re a TABI.”

I asked, “What’s a TABI?”

She said, “Temporarily able bodied individual.”

I stood aghast when I realized what she meant. I am TABI and so is everyone who is considered to be able bodied. I learned a lesson that day.

Once we got Anna in the pool amd we established her buoyancy, she was able to dive independently, controlling her buoyancy using only her breath, with her Diveheart team nearby for safety.

What’s interesting is that Anna was born with a partially formed leg that is flat, much like a fin. On land, she sits on it during the day. But in the water, she uses it to move herself forward. Because of its shape, however, finning causes her to go round and round in circles. So we trained Anna two techniques.

First, when her Diveheart buddy is steering her by holding the tank valve, she does not use her fin, as it creates a struggle for control between diver and buddy.

Second, when Anna wants to be independent, we give her the signal that we are letting her go. She then controls her buoyancy with her breath, and together we work to figure out how she can use her fin effectively to remain independent in the water.

Good divers are always learning—and Anna took us to school for sure. This experience, along with many others, has helped me develop the Diveheart adaptive scuba training program which is the most innovative in the world.

Thanks to Anna and others who help us “Imagine the Possibilities” in our lives.