Longtime Instructor Back At YMCA After Undergoing Amputation
It was a long journey, but, with determination and a positive attitude, Tommy Miller has gotten back to being active and teaching a fitness class at the Rockbridge Area YMCA.
Due to a circulation problem, Miller, 74, had to have his left leg amputated last year and is now using a prosthetic leg. In these new circumstances, he wants to share what resources are available to others who are in similar situations.
Miller, who lives in Buena Vista and has taught at the YMCA since it opened at its current location in 2010, sought medical attention in May of last year when he had an ulcer on his left ankle, and it turned out to be a circulation problem.
The medical team at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital tried to fix the wound, but Miller flatlined, and his blood pressure went to zero. The team did some X-rays and found that Miller had internal bleeding in an artery and lymphedema, a condition characterized by the buildup of lymph fluid in tissues, leading to swelling, typically in the arms or legs.
“It was a small wound, and it wouldn’t heal,” said Miller. “It ballooned.”
In June of last year, Miller had the surgery, and he recalls a doctor telling him, “If you have an amputation, you’ve got to be positive, and you stick with it because it’s a long journey.” That advice has served Miller well.
Following the surgery, Miller lost about 60 pounds, 50 percent muscle, going from 215 pounds to 155 pounds.
After doing physical therapy at Bath Community Hospital in Hot Springs, where Miller’s son and two grandchildren live, Miller returned to his home in Buena Vista last July and had home health physical therapy with Amedysis Home Health Care. Miller said his family “has been a big support.”
Not long after returning home, Miller went to Virginia Prosthetics and Orthotics to get his prosthetic leg. Miller, who has been working with a physical therapist at Kendal at Lexington, had to have the leg replaced twice since, and he’s hoping to get the final version by October. The leg has plaster on the top part, and the bottom half is made of metal.
About six months ago, Miller started teaching the Active Older Adults (AOA) Circuit class, tag teaming with instructor Liz Williamson. He now uses a walker to support himself and teaches the one-hour on his own on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, doing mostly strength training and working on the upper body. On Tuesday of last week, there were 14 participants in the class, doing arm raises, doing elastic band exercises, lifting dumbbells and doing other exercises.
Eventually, Miller would like to get back to teaching spin (indoor cycling) classes. Miller remembered that Dr. John Sedovy, a surgeon at Bath Community Hospital who used to work in Lexington, told him during recovery, “You attack this like you did the spin class.”
Before teaching at the YMCA, Miller taught classes at Omega Fitness when it was in Lexington. “I’ve always taught classes because I love teaching, and I love the people,” said Miller.
A 1968 Lexington High School graduate, Miller has lived in Rockbridge County for most of his life. After high school, he worked at Lees Carpets, and he worked at other factories in the area until the flood of 1985.
Miller has stayed close to the sports scene as well, serving as a high school football referee for 40 years. He lived in Glasgow for about 25 years and coached football and wrestling at Natural Bridge High School for six years.
Although he still lived in Rockbridge County, Miller worked at Coors Brewing Company in Elkton, about 70 miles northeast of Lexington, for 18 years before retiring in 2013. Over the years, he’s worked with a lot of nonprofit organizations.
While recovering and getting back to teaching, Miller wants others to know what services are in the area for those that want to stay in shape and recover from injuries or medical conditions. He emphasized that the YMCA offers personal training and Fit Starts, which are one-on-one sessions with staff members. The YMCA has classes for people who have to use wheelchairs, he noted. Miller said the YMCA’s main upside is the socialization it offers.
At the YMCA, Miller has gotten a lot of encouraging words and gestures from members. One member once said to him, “You know, Tommy, I bet you’ve met a lot of angels.”
“He was talking about anything from a 10-yearold kids opening the door to people getting off the treadmill and coming over and helping me,” said Miller. “People that I never had a conversation with now stop and talk to me.”
In addition to recommending the YMCA, Miller tells people about Outdoor Adventure Recreation, an organization in which people of all skill levels can enjoy outdoor activities. For those with disabilities, he recommends Valley Associates for Independent Living, Inc. in Harrisonburg, which assists individuals with disabilities in learning the skills necessary to live independently in the community. Miller also praises the medical facilities that helped him and others nearby, including Augusta Health and the University of Virginia Hospital.
To those in recovery from injuries or medical conditions, Miller’s advice goes back to staying positive. “Have that attitude of, you do have a place to come,” said Miller. “A lot of people just get amputations and give up, and it is a lot. You’re in a wheelchair. Your brain has been used to five months with no left leg.”
For those who join the YMCA or other fitness facilities, Miller tells them, “We’re still gonna be here. We’re still gonna open the doors. You can still come and do whatever it is you want to do, socialize, go to the luncheons we have, and go home.”
