Scientists at Touch Bionics based in Livingston, Scotland unveiled the world’s first bionic finger. It can even be fitted with LivingSkin to match your other hand! I’m loving reading their Twitter updates, and keeping up with this amazing invention.

This truly life changing technology will transform the lives of people like me who have damaged or missing fingers due to injury or birth defects.

I was born with amniotic band syndrome (ABS) a congenital birth defect which results in damage to body parts (usually limbs) due to being caught up and entangled in string-like bands will in utero. These strands are caused by a chance accidental tear in the amniotic sac. No prenatal factors have been associated with ABS, although our family have reason to believe my ABS resulted after exposure to strong farming chemicals.

Although ABS is not genetic I requested 20 week scans during my pregnancies to determine if my two girls were affected as amazingly fetal surgery is now possible. Melbourne surgeons were able to save this baby girls legs while her Mum was 22 weeks pregnant!

Luckily both my girls were born completely healthy, in fact my eldest daughter has the most beautiful long slender fingers with gorgeous shaped nails that grow super fast. They look simply stunning with nail polish on.  And Freya that’s why you can’t stop piano lessons  – your fingers were born for playing!

In my case the ABS resulted in two missing toes from my left foot, some constriction bands on my left hand which means I can’t bend my middle finger and teeny tiny baby sized fingers on my right hand that have no nails or knuckles.

Sorry no photos at the moment, although I hate to admit it, I’m still self-conscious at the grand old age of 38. If I’m lucky enough to be able to go ahead with this technology (as it’s so new, and each device is unique, it’s very expensive) I’ll be delighted to share my BEFORE and AFTER photos with the world!

2010 might just be the decade that I become not only Experimental Mum but Bionic Mum too!

I’ve sent off an initial enquiry to Touch Bionics for their review and hope to hear from them shortly.

I’ll keep you posted, wish me luck!