He started to go and turned back to Carol. “I talked to Fritz this morning, he called to find out how Denise was doing. I told him your interest in the surgery. He told me that if you want it I should do it.”

“What? When? You said you didn’t have permission to do it.”

“I got permission to triple the study size earlier today. I don’t understand how. The FDA had been stone walling me for over six months on a request to double the study. Then today, bang, out of the blue I get permission to triple it. But they didn’t help with the funding so I need to raise the money to do the surgeries. The insurance companies will not pay for the surgery. They will pay for a new amputation but not the extra of this surgery. It is a little more work and some expensive material. And to keep the study going I have to do at least two a week. Fritz told me that if I do revisions for him he will pay for two for each one I do. He said if you, Susan and Debbie fit the profile and want it, you go first. He wants to wait for you three till Denise is nearly ready to go back on the road. He wants to keep the road show going.”

“And he is paying for this?”

“Yes. He is paying. And for each one of you I do I get enough money to do someone else. You are to all call home and have all of your prostheses marked and dropped off at the studio. He is going to have someone drive them here so we can modify them when we do your surgery. The faster you can get Denise going, the sooner you get your surgery.”

He turned and left.

Carol turned to Denise. “I guess you heard that. We need to get you moving.”

“If this is as good as you say, I understand why you want it. Just tell me what you need me to do.”

The two were out in the hall walking most of the day.

On the one trip Carol started crying. “If I saw that your leg had no circulation we could have had it fixed.”

Denise looked around. “I need to be honest with you, there was nothing you could have done. The doctor said that.”