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"A Portsmouth woman said her life has been changed thanks to a new bionic foot.Connie Nason, 45, is the first person in New Hampshire to be fitted with a new type of prosthetic called the Elan.Fifteen years ago, she lost her lower right leg because of complications from Berger's disease.\"It was hard,\" she said. \"I stayed in bed for four months and cried, mourning the loss of my leg.\"Since her amputation, Nason has relied on a cane for support. She said everyday activities such as walking her cat were a challenge.Now, she is cane-free, and she and her husband, Charles, agreed that the new foot has been life-changing.\"This new ankle is unbelievable,\" Charles Nason said. \"I don't have to worry about her falling. She has more confidence, and she can walk longer distances. Up and down slopes. Unbelievable.\"The Elan is a microprocessor-controlled foot-ankle system. Connie Nason's prosthetist at the Hanger Clinic in Somersworth said it gives people like her independence and confidence.\"It's a hydraulic cylinder system governed by a microprocessor,\" said prosthetist Paul Jenkins. \"When Connie is walking, the microprocessor senses the forces on the foot and adjusts the hydraulic sensors accordingly. So, if she is going downhill, it will open and close.\"The Nasons are looking forward to their 15th wedding anniversary next year and said they are also looking forward to future advancements in technology.\"This is the beginning of bionics, and I am very happy with it,\" Charles Nason said.\u00A0"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.wmur.com/article/woman-says-new-prosthetic-foot-has-changed-life/5176871>