Our Stories
People share their experiences
Alvin Bell
On February 15, 2004, I was in an automobile with my cousin. I was the passenger and had fallen asleep at the time the driver lost control of the vehicle. The accident happened in East Texas where I had been attending two funerals on the day before. I was thrown out of the vehicle through some small trees and one of the limbs snatched my right ear off. I was transported to a local hospital which is not advanced enough to do that type of surgery. Therefore, I ended up being transported on a second journey to Tyler, Texas. They brought a doctor in to do a surgery that would involve re-attachment of my ear.
The surgery went okay, but when the ear is completely gone you cannot get the same physical look just within one procedure. This surgery was simply to attach the ear to my head the best they could. It required a lot of healing time. Then during a second surgery the surgeon would cut behind the ear and elevate it away from my head. This required another healing process to see what the outcome would look like.
Turns out, it just looked like a cauliflower ear that some wrestlers have due to wear and tear from competing in that sport. By this time, I had been wearing a patch over my ear for just under two years. After discovering what the physical outcome was, I ended up going to three different doctors to figure out what I should do. The first and second doctors were to discuss the possibility of reconstructing the ear surgically by removing and using cartilage from one of my ribs. In discussing it with the second doctor he saw that I was wearing a patch over my ear and therefore knew that I was particular about my appearance. This is the point where I was referred to Mr. Greg Gion and Ms. Allison Vest. Once visiting Medical Art Prosthetics, I knew this was the route that I wanted to go because of physical appearance. Mr. Gion and Ms. Vest have been very helpful and professional since day one with explaining my options with the prosthetic ear. I was also referred to Dr. Douglas Sinn by Mr. Gion who is one of the best doctors with doing the surgical procedure with the implants for the prosthetic ear. I have been to five doctors from start to finish, but once reaching Medical Art Prosthetics the end result happened quickly. Needless to say, I am very happy and pleased about my physical appearance with the prosthetic ear.
-Alvin Bell