tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80140953310847686262024-03-12T20:50:35.470-06:00Challenging RealitySolutions to the barriers faced by quadriplegics and the technology to make life easier.Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14186869322975478054noreply@blogger.comBlogger89125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014095331084768626.post-69959800461221499402016-05-25T12:42:00.002-06:002016-05-25T12:42:32.403-06:00Infrared Activated Garbage Can<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm back from my long hiatus with a few new items to post. I know it has been too long, but I feel like I have nearly completed everything I, personally, have to share. As new technologies or barriers are faced I will share them, and there's one that really got under my skin yesterday that I may need to rant about on here, soon. For now, a simple, affordable and very useful piece of technology is the infrared activated garbage can lid.<br />
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It can be difficult enough with functioning hands to bring a load of garbage to the can and open it without leaving any mess in the process. Add to that paralyzed fingers and often our dexterity itself is not enough to carry garbage over, let alone open the lid. Obviously foot pedal operated garbage cans don't work for us and many of the good cans out there are spring-loaded or designed in a way that the lid cannot stay open. With these cans, if you know you will need the lid open for a significant period of time, there are buttons to press to keep the lid open until you press the other button to close it.<br />
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These cans are not perfect. In my opinion, they automatically close too soon after opening and are not sensitive enough to stay open when a person's hand is still over the sensor while depositing multiple pieces of garbage. The first one that we had had critical parts, the gear responsible for opening the lid, made of plastic that broke far too soon, rendering the automatic lid useless, even after being repaired with some epoxy. Charge me an extra five dollars and make those important pieces of metal. Also, as entertaining as it is for children and some seniors, they almost need to come with instructions on the front indicating that you don't need to close the lid. All you will be doing is breaking that plastic gear I just spoke of.<br />
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That said, using D batteries, it will open and close thousands and thousands of times between needing new batteries, so, as long as they don't break the lid, let the kids play.<br />
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Source: The best one we've bought came from Costco for about $40. Other department stores like Canadian Tire carry them but are way overpriced until they come on sale, like most of the items at Canadian Tire.Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14186869322975478054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014095331084768626.post-59016563821821571132015-09-19T21:31:00.001-06:002015-09-19T21:31:23.834-06:00Swiffer Duster<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I haven't disappeared forever and Challenging Reality is not finished, yet. It's just that I've had some excellent opportunities to work on even larger projects that will help more people in even greater ways than what I've done here. When those opportunities come I've had to take them. As they wrap up, and a smaller two-week project for the health region begins soon, I can begin thinking about the work here.<br />
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One item that I've been meaning to highlight for a long time is a Swiffer Duster. Any wand type duster will work, I just happen to have the brand name at home. That said, it's not that I use it nearly as much as I should. I greatly appreciate my wife's keeping of our home and feel as though what I am able to do, and am able to reach, is not the most efficient use of my time if I could be cooking, washing dishes, managing finances or the other tasks that I excel at more than cleaning.<br />
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As simple as these static charged dusters are, they work even better in combination with <a href="http://challenging-reality.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-gloves.html">The Gloves</a>, as do so many of those things that require a little bit of dexterity to use effectively. I imagine that a <a href="http://challenging-reality.blogspot.com/2013/07/universal-cuff.html">universal cuff</a>, or other strap to assist in securing the duster to your hand, would do a fine job in giving the strength and grip necessary for something as light as a duster like this.<br />
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The little bit of extra reach, the lightweight nature of the product and the effective way that it picks up dust makes it a fine product for quality cleaning, whether being used by a disabled person or an able-bodied person.<br />
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<b>Source:</b> Any department store.<br />
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<br />Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14186869322975478054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014095331084768626.post-4536016363896853352015-05-04T07:00:00.000-06:002015-05-04T07:00:02.210-06:00Think Twice Before Taking that Handicapped Spot in RussiaLast week I discussed <a href="http://challenging-reality.blogspot.com/2015/04/handicapped-parking-and-placard.html" target="_blank">Handicapped Parking Spaces and Placards</a>.The irony of this video making its way into my presence into my newsfeed via Reddit, just a few days later, is quite remarkable. Without question some of the most effective anti-drinking and driving or anti-texting and driving advertisements are those that shock and surprise a person. After all, it's becoming more and more difficult to make an impact on people as we grow increasingly desensitized.<br />
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I don't have a problem with shocking advertisements in the safe situation such as watching TV or YouTube. However, as you will see in the video below, my concern is that the surprise my cause a driver to slam on the gas, instead of the brake. Watch for yourself.<br />
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I can't say that I have a problem with this strong approach. It's clever and makes people think. It may be Russian, Russian drivers may purportedly be less considered about leaving accessible spaces open to those needing them, but I'm pretty sure the message is transferable to just about anywhere in the world. I don't know if I like the shock it might cause a driver but maybe it would make them think twice and never forget what they saw. Still, face-to-face communication and a growing understanding is probably more long-lasting and encouraging but it's pretty difficult for us disabled people to connect with everyone we would like to educate.<br />
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Good on Russia for addressing the problem. A lot of blatant accessibility problems in Canada never get attention or looked at. I guess it takes somewhere with a little bit of courage to respond strongly enough to effect results.<br />
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Originally seen on <a href="http://digitalsynopsis.com/advertising/dislife-more-than-sign-disabled-parking-hologram/" target="_blank">Digital Synopsis</a>.</div>
Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14186869322975478054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014095331084768626.post-20519081252997502882015-04-27T21:23:00.001-06:002015-04-27T21:23:19.324-06:00Handicapped Parking and Placard<div class="pixels-photo">
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There is a problem with that title, I know. I'm not entirely certain what the politically correct term is but I know it's not handicapped spaces. I'm not certain if it is accessible parking spaces or barrier free parking spaces. In Saskatoon and most of Saskatchewan those terms would be as literally incorrect as they are politically correct. I chose this title because, as outdated as it is, it is the most easily recognizable term that is understood by the most people.</div>
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Parking Spaces</h3>
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It's not that we are not grateful for them because we are. It's that seldom are they wide enough to deploy a ramp or a lift and then still have enough room to exit the vehicle. Heaven help us if there is a median, as is common in the construction of current parking lots. Medians may protect vehicles from carts but they do not allow us adequate space to enter and exit our vehicles and they are the perfect place for snow to build up against, making the spot even smaller in winter. Often the only way is to park right on the driver's side line or park at an angle so we don't get blocked in. Far too many times I hear about peers of mine having notes put on their window, telling them what horrible drivers they are, because they were protecting their own interest and safety by parking at an angle. One more reason why I hope this site and this specific post reaches a few able-bodied people. This is one of the most public and visible struggles and adaptations to the average person.<br />
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This summer would you do us a favor and take a look at the lines in the parking lot? Try to remember how wide those spots are and, this winter, when you are desperately seeking that parking space a precious 10 feet closer to the door, remember we need that extra room and that spaces are designated as wider. If you are ever in a larger center in Alberta, British Columbia or Washington state, take a look around. Their spots are wide enough for both the vehicle and a ramp, and have designated marked off sections between each for a person to exit the vehicle, be it transferring into a wheelchair from the driver side, or exiting a ramp or lift on the passenger side.<br />
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Finally, regarding the parking spaces, to those who don't lose sleep over using them occasionally, I know you are just running in, but you might very well be taking up or blocking a critical spot for a vulnerable person who needs it or is trying to get back to their vehicle. We only wish we could just run in.<br />
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Placards and Permits</h3>
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The second portion of this post is regarding the parking placard hanging from my mirror. Thankfully North America has standardized the format and any time you see a placard that size and that colour, regardless of where it is issued, you can know its purpose and so can parking enforcement officers.<br />
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On the front side is a sticker as issued by the city of Saskatoon which allows a person to park at any unreserved meter belonging to the city (this excludes the University campus or Innovation Place) for up to 36 hours. This is invaluable when we cannot easily come out to move our vehicle or when we quadriplegics have difficulty putting coins in the meter. Most the time, half of the coins end up in the gutter and parking costs us twice as much. Yes, the city is switching over to more automatic meters and they are uncertain how they will handle these stickers in the future. As of this writing this sticker system is the case. This I say to those who think we are getting a free ride, they do cost us $20 a year and I would gladly pay more for the convenience.<br />
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Finally, take a look online before you travel to a different city. Some places, like Seattle, allow free parking to anyone with an issued placard. This was great, convenient, and perfectly affordable during our visit some two years ago. However, that city has cracked down on the number of improperly issued permits. Too many people were using expired temporary ones or did not genuinely need the helping hand. I respect the City of Seattle for their decision to prevent abuse by those who would occupy a spot that could have been used by someone with a greater need.<br />
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<b>Placard Source:</b> Abilities Council or applications can be found online. A doctor's approval is likely necessary.<br />
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One final note about the photo. The pink in it is a tribute to the pink neon light I was so fond of in my old 1981 Chevy Scottsdale.Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14186869322975478054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014095331084768626.post-78260403497517276262015-04-07T12:35:00.000-06:002015-04-25T21:07:58.354-06:00Hill Climbers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hill climbers, or hill stoppers, have been one of the best technological additions I have ever experienced. The particularly grippy Q-Grip <a href="http://challenging-reality.blogspot.com/2013/11/push-rims.html">push rims</a> that I enjoy are a great help but they are still susceptible to wet conditions. If they get much moisture on them your grip was gone when it came to contact between them and <a href="http://challenging-reality.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-gloves.html">The Gloves</a>. These hill climbers, when properly adjusted, are unbelievably effective at digging their sharp teeth into the tread and preventing lost ground.<br />
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Even when the wheels and rims are caked with snow and moisture, these grippers allow you to take a rest, get a grip on either the wheel or a spoke, and inch your way up a slope. No rush to speedily give your chair a push and get your arms back in time to prevent losing ground from the slope. One of the worst circumstances is when you give a hard push and your hand slips off the rim due to lack of grip. In a case like that you not only lose your forward momentum but can often injure a finger and have difficulty regaining your grip to prevent losing ground or spinning entirely around to be going down the slope, headfirst. A situation like that happened to me out on a path down by the river, when I lost my grip and ended up being bent over with my head between my knees barreling down a hill. With no trunk muscles to sit me up, and my hands trying to slow me down, I thought for sure that I was going to end up on my face on the asphalt or in the grass. These hill climbers would have prevented that.<br />
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When they are not properly adjusted, or if your tires are low on pressure, they can let you down. We have found them to be the most effective when used very slowly and intentionally. That is, after engaging them ensure that they are doing their job, then slowly push forward up the slope followed by gently releasing your grip to ensure they are holding before taking another stroke of the push rims. If they are adjusted to be closer to the wheels, when engaged, they will wear down your tread and cause a lot of resistance for forward momentum. All the more reason they are best used only when climbing a slope, not for general wheeling.<br />
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They have certainly got me out of some sticky situations where there were no other people around to lend a hand and they got me safely into my van on a very cold and snowy day.<br />
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<b>Source:</b> Most ultralight wheelchair dealers and online. Installation was very easy and something easily done by someone capable of adjusting regular wheel locks.<br />
<br />Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14186869322975478054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014095331084768626.post-12194206995491772392015-03-09T07:00:00.000-06:002015-03-09T07:00:07.691-06:00Touch Lamp<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Everybody needs a grope light. You know, that light that's easy to find and smack the switch when you need light in the middle of the night. Certainly there are plenty of lamps available with a nice easy rocker switch that serve this purpose but nothing is quite as easy for someone with paralyzed fingers than a touch lamp. Unfortunately, they are becoming a little bit harder to find and new bulb technology is causing them to function differently than they used to 10 years ago.<br />
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My favorite touch lamp, pictured above, still uses incandescent bulbs. Just a nice, small, 60 W chandelier bulb. The lamp is what controls the dim, medium and bright levels. Built into it is a relay that allows only so much wattage through at each of the three levels. Many touch lamps actually require special bulbs which contain three separate filaments and that is how the three levels of brightness is controlled. I understand that this is necessary for lamps of a higher maximum wattage but thankfully smaller bedside lamps do not need the special bulbs.<br />
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In most lamps like this CFL bulbs simply don't work. They only work with lamps that have on and off, not multiple levels of brightness. The bulbs that can either cause a malfunction or cause the lamp to no longer have three levels of brightness are LED bulbs. If you notice when you shop for either CFL or LED bulbs they give their ratings in two measurements, actual wattage and equivalent wattage. Eventually we will become accustomed to the amount of light put out by a 10 W LED bulb but for now most of us need to know that that is typically equivalent to the 60 W incandescent bulb that we all grew up with.<br />
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In the case of the touch lamp, where the settings are 20 W output for low, 40 W output for medium and 60 W for high, even on the low setting you have already exceeded the LED bulb's maximum draw. So, using that bulb in this lamp would give me high, high, high and off. There would be no low or medium settings. There is no danger in this case because the bulb will not draw more than it needs. The lamp is not going to try to push an extra 50 W of power through the bulb on what would normally be the brightest setting. However, some lamps that function differently have warnings about not using LED bulbs in them and some LED bulbs on IKEA's website indicate that they are not well-suited for all touch lamps. I used IKEA as an example because that is about the most affordable place to purchase LED bulbs.<br />
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I don't believe touch lamps are going to disappear forever but they have been becoming more difficult to find. It may simply be a matter of searching hard to find the right one and, before long, we may not enjoy the ease of waking up to a low or medium setting if on or off are our only options.<br />
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<b>Source:</b> Lamp – department stores and online.<br />
Bulbs – most department stores but I have found the best deals at IKEA and dx.com.<br />
<br />Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14186869322975478054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014095331084768626.post-56428184759463879182015-02-09T16:29:00.000-06:002015-04-08T10:15:18.576-06:00Lanyards and Mobile Phones<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
I'm fortunate to have enough dexterity to seldom need assistance using my mobile phone. As <a href="http://challenging-reality.blogspot.ca/2013/12/touch-screens-and-styluses.html">mentioned before</a>, I have chosen cases that have features giving me a greater ability to securely hold the device. A phone from October of 2004, that I still have and is sitting right next to me on the desk as I write this, was one of the earlier phones with a built-in modem, very minimal Internet access and texting capabilities. I had it set up on a free phone plan provided by SaskTel to any member of the Canadian Paraplegic Association. I had to purchase the phone out right, which certainly brings to light how expensive cell phones are when you don't get them at a discount rate because of a contract. Since it has served me 11 years I think I got my money's worth.</div>
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That said, this was a flip phone before any type of Internet connectivity or advanced communication was available in a mobile device for your average consumer. It is a really nice compact, streamlined unit that fits in just about any pocket. Unfortunately, because of the smooth, round lines and perfectly fitting halves, it was pretty difficult for me to reliably hold on to or flip open when receiving a call. Unless I had somewhat long fingernails I had a difficult time prying open the phone to use it. At the time of its primary use, it was simply for emergency purposes so I seldom needed to get at it in a hurry.</div>
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Adding a lanyard to the built in bar, as seen in the photo below, made it easier to keep it nearby for immediate access, as well as one additional place to hold on to the phone while prying it open for use. For my purposes I found the lanyard to remove the streamlined nature of the phone and make it more difficult to put in or remove from a pocket when it was not around my neck. Because of this the lanyard did not stay attached to the quick connector for very long. It was nice to be able to leave a quick connector attached for the times I did want the lanyard on it.</div>
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Not everyone has the benefit of the dexterity that I enjoy while others have more dexterity. New phones tend not to have a place intended for a lanyard as the flip phone pictured above does. Not so long ago I saw a brilliant improvisation on Brenda's phone (she happens to work at the CPA) and on Delynne's phone (who also works at the CPA and brought the idea for last week's post regarding the <a href="http://challenging-reality.blogspot.com/2015/02/adapted-makeup-brush.html">adapted makeup brush</a>). Their adaptation was simply to feed the lanyard around their case, looped from the headphone opening to the camera's opening. Ingenious and universal for just about any smart phone out there.<br />
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<span style="text-align: center;">If you choose the right lanyard, with a very tough but thin cord as the one used on both of these phones (it's the same lanyard, switched from one phone to the next for demonstration purposes), it won't affect the fit of the phone in the case. One of the two that I saw even fit well with the legendary Otterbox case for an iPhone. By legendary I mean that they fit incredibly precisely, better than some of the knockoff cases I have seen and used.</span><br />
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I love simple, inexpensive solutions to make it easier to enjoy technology everyone else is enjoying, without a complicated custom-made adaptation. This lanyard came with a terrible a.m. radio in the shape of a Saskatchewan Roughriders helmet, attached as a prize to a bottle of Wiser's Deluxe. Wouldn't want to lose my radio while listening to a Rider game and drinking my whiskey.<br />
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<b>Source:</b> Discount stores and eBay are the best places to find a lanyard that best meets your needs.<br />
<br />Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14186869322975478054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014095331084768626.post-56625620748026736702015-02-02T07:00:00.000-06:002015-02-02T07:00:10.524-06:00Adapted Makeup Brush<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The photo in this post is a re-creation of a makeup brush, extended by a tongue depressor, held on with white cloth medical tape, that my friend, Delynne, used to use. For whatever reason, she no longer needs this simple but effective adaptation that allows her to independently perform an important part of her grooming.<br />
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A lot of people with a disability have perfect grooming lower on the list of priorities, following those list items necessary to live life in a healthy way. Somehow, Delynne has managed to do both and always looks great when you see her. I respect that.<br />
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It was good to have a subject to photograph and include that is outside the realm of understanding to a guy like me. She has given me additional subjects to shoot, one of which involves a large space outside, an air compressor, coffee creamer, lasers and a bit of trial and error. You'll know it when you see it this summer.<br />
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<b>Source:</b> Doctor's office or order a pack online.<br />
<br />Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14186869322975478054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014095331084768626.post-59760861148778809652014-12-01T11:38:00.002-06:002014-12-01T11:38:41.282-06:00All About FocusI do not have a regular photo post for you this week but this morning I stumbled upon a webpage with 20 excellent quotes regarding disability. So many things well said and so accurate, regardless of the generation that they were said in. Ponder it, quit admiring or looking up to individuals with a disability because of that disability, and let your mind think on these for a time.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Disability is not a brave struggle or ‘courage in the face of adversity.’ Disability is an art. It’s an ingenious way to live."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Concentrate on things your disability doesn't prevent you doing well, and don't regret the things it interferes with. Don't be disabled in spirit as well as physically.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">- Stephen Hawking</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Disability is a matter of perception. If you can do just one thing well, you're needed by someone.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">- Martina Navratilova</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Each handicap is like a hurdle in a steeplechase, and when you ride up to it, if you throw your heart over, the horse will go along, too."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">- Lawrence Bixby</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Let’s stop "tolerating" or "accepting" difference, as if we’re so much better for not being different in the first place. Instead, let’s celebrate difference, because in this world it takes a lot of guts to be different."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">- Kate Bornstein</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“No disability or dictionary out there, is capable of clearly defining who we are as a person.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">- Robert M Hensel</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Society's accumulated myths and fears about disability and disease are as handicapping as are the physical limitations that flow from actual impairment.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">- William J. Brennan, Jr.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm not an advocate for disability issues. Human issues are what interest me. You can't possibly speak for a diverse group of people.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">- Aimee Mullins</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“I haven't met anyone yet who isn't handicapped in some way. So what's the big deal? Don't hide your deformity. Wear it like a Purple Heart."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">- Georgiann Baldino</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Try not to associate bodily defect with mental, my good friend, except for a solid reason”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">- Charles Dickens, David Copperfield</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“I am conscious of a soul-sense that lifts me above the narrow, cramping circumstances of my life. My physical limitations are forgotten- my world lies upward, the length and the breadth and the sweep of the heavens are mine!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">- Helen Keller</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“I choose not to place "DIS", in my ability."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">- Robert M. Hensel</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have roses."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">- Alphonse Karr</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“The only disability in life is a bad attitude.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">- Scott Hamilton</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“A troubled life beats having no life at all”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">- Richard M. Cohen</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“When you focus on someone's disability you'll overlook their abilities, beauty and uniqueness. Once you learn to accept and love them for who they are, you subconsciously learn to love yourself unconditionally.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">- Yvonne Pierre</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“The world has a fast-growing problematic disability, which forges bonds in families, causes people to communicate in direct and clear ways, cuts down meaningless social interaction, pushes people to the limit with learning about themselves, whilst making them work together to make a better world. It’s called Autism – and I can’t see anything wrong with it, can you? Boy I’m glad I also have this disability!”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">- Patrick Jasper Lee</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Chances are, disabled or not, you don’t grow all of your food. Chances are, you didn’t build the car, bike, wheelchair, subway, shoes, or bus that transports you. Chances are you didn’t construct your home. Chances are you didn’t sew your clothing (or make the fabric and thread used to sew it). The difference between the needs that many disabled people have and the needs of people who are not labelled as disabled is that non-disabled people have had their dependencies normalized.”</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">- AJ Withers</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"When you have a disability, knowing that you are not defined by it is the sweetest feeling."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">- Anne Wafula Strike</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If disabled people were truly heard, an explosion of knowledge of the human body and psyche would take place."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> - Susan Wendell</span><br />
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The authenticity of these has not been verified, whether the attributed speaker is accurate or not, these are still worth considering.<br />
<br />Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14186869322975478054noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014095331084768626.post-16969465858242336252014-11-25T07:00:00.000-06:002015-01-15T13:42:43.722-06:00Lift - Residential Exterior Residential - Electric Winch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0XzHGXTHdo0/VHJSo5OrYAI/AAAAAAAADSM/6OEYrBaEWNw/s1600/Lift%2B-%2BHome%2BExterior%2B-%2BElectric%2BWinch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0XzHGXTHdo0/VHJSo5OrYAI/AAAAAAAADSM/6OEYrBaEWNw/s1600/Lift%2B-%2BHome%2BExterior%2B-%2BElectric%2BWinch.jpg" /></a></div>
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The beauty of a winter wonderland. That is, until you are stuck outside waiting for a lift to raise you to the level you need to get into the warm house or lower you to the ground to get into a pre-warmed vehicle. Obviously, this issue is not exclusive to quadriplegics but we certainly are some of the most temperature-sensitive individuals.<br />
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The lift pictured above was purchased and installed after the slow-moving bureaucratic red tape was slashed through. Until then the <a href="http://challenging-reality.blogspot.com/2014/11/lifts-abilities-council-relic.html">relic my dad had purchased from the Abilities Council</a> was in place as a solution until this modern lift was installed. It was then that the relic was moved out to their cabin. This lift, installed in 1998, has been a very reliable and trouble-free system for me. It's not without its imperfections but it has never let me down.<br />
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The vertical tracks, that the lift supports raise and lower between, have whiskers that keep a lot of debris out of that vertical tower which probably contributes to it functioning so well for so long. Above the controls is a stainless steel flap on hinges installed by my dad to keep the elements away from those buttons and the on/off key. Once he installed the flap we were replacing the protective plastic covers on the buttons far less frequently. The automatic stopping position for both the top and bottom have been nice, as opposed to the estimating and soft stopping point of the old Abilities Council lift. And, though it does not need to travel too far, it is not painfully slow.<br />
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My biggest complaint would be that, because of the pressure switch beneath the lift, designed to prevent anyone or anything from being crushed beneath it just like the <a href="http://challenging-reality.blogspot.com/2014/11/lift-house-interior-battery-hydraulic.html">lift inside this house</a>, this lift does not go as flat to the ground as I would like. Because of this the ramp, though short, is quite steep. On this driveway there is adequate room to take a good run at it but that bump when you hit the ramp is not ideal when you have a something on your lap. Conversely, coming down is a pretty good bump. You will want to lean back to prevent any loss of balance or digging in of the front tires. This steep ramp could be remedied by having it descend from its protective position onto an additional small platform and ramp which would make the entire thing more gradual. However, I have an issue with the idea of mixing ramps and lifts. There is no good reason to it other than why would you want to have to fool around with both? Either build a proper ramp or have a proper lift.<br />
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<b>Source:</b> Home adaptation and modification businesses. Unlike the very complicated internal home lift installation, this could probably be done by someone with a degree of mechanical competence.<br />
<br />Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14186869322975478054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014095331084768626.post-87289905420887866122014-11-12T07:00:00.000-06:002014-11-12T07:00:09.893-06:00Lift - House Interior - Battery Hydraulic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TsuCi4g6AXg/VFb-uF0vMaI/AAAAAAAADRE/MkNQ4H3-gXk/s1600/Lift%2B-%2BHouse%2BInterior.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TsuCi4g6AXg/VFb-uF0vMaI/AAAAAAAADRE/MkNQ4H3-gXk/s1600/Lift%2B-%2BHouse%2BInterior.jpg" /></a></div>
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The lift in my parents' home is the first that was installed on my behalf. It has been a reliable, safety certified, overpriced solution to allow me access to the basement. It is a very slow moving hydraulic, DC powered, mechanism that provides the lift or descent. The DC power comes from a battery that is constantly being charged by AC and is supposed to be the backup to a power outage. I've never needed to test the backup but I'm doubtful that a seventeen year old battery would have the capacity to complete a cycle, if necessary.<br />
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The door locks shut as soon as the lift is activated, but that won't happen until the tediously slow gas shock lets the door creep closed. Once you reach your destination that shock makes a very inconvenient resistance when opening the door. Add to that the significant lip the user needs to descend or climb when exiting or entering while the lift is in the basement and it's not exactly smooth to use. The lip would be non-existent if the lift descended into a recess, which would make room for the pressure-sensitive plate which prevents the crushing of anything that might be underneath. Safety first, I suppose, though I've come crashing out of there on an angle when the door caught my chair because of the <i>safety</i> of the gas shock. Not much hope of carrying anything on my lap with that thing. My current lift has no such safeties. We'll look at it in the near future.<br />
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You can likely determine from my tone that I'm not fond of this lift. Safety is important, but almost everything takes longer in our disabled lives. Does getting downstairs have to take the 78 seconds I've timed it at? My current lift is plenty safe and takes me 17 seconds. These times include time taken to enter the lift. My biggest complaint comes not from inconvenience, but from well being. Not a safety concern but a sanity concern. That and the difficulty of transporting anything in addition to the user.<br />
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As the thin metal panels that enclose the wall-mounted tracks and the carriage expand or contract with the temperature change in the house between every furnace or air conditioner cycle they snap, crackle and pop, loudly, right above my wife's and my head, as we try to sleep. This drives us nuts.<br />
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I do not know what other safety certified lift options are available but I recommend seeking them out. If a lift of this style is your only option have it installed in a closet or away from places you need quiet.<br />
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<b>Source:</b> Home adaptation and modification businesses.<br />
<br />Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14186869322975478054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014095331084768626.post-60929629183254004262014-11-03T07:00:00.000-06:002014-11-24T21:24:27.479-06:00Lifts - Abilities Council Relic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7w2Ose8fo5I/VFaQsxflrtI/AAAAAAAADQ0/jQS_6cFTeII/s1600/Lift%2B-%2BCabin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7w2Ose8fo5I/VFaQsxflrtI/AAAAAAAADQ0/jQS_6cFTeII/s1600/Lift%2B-%2BCabin.jpg" /></a></div>
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My work here hasn't ended and my ideas have certainly not dried up. We've just been so happily enthralled with our wonderfully changed life and rapidly growing daughter. Now that we have some routine and rhythm back in our lives, and the busyness of the summer has passed for another year, I'm ready to resume work on Challenging Reality. If you are still with me, still checking for regular updates, thank you! If that's you please spread the word to anyone else you know has been visiting that I will be back with new photos, technology and updates. It may not be the 7 AM Monday morning every week posting that it was before but I won't leave you hanging as long as I did this last phase.<br />
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This was the first lift I ever owned. While waiting for the tedious bureaucratic process of planning and approval of renovations to make a home barrier free, in this case my parents' house which I returned to after my stay in rehab, my father decided he wasn't going to wait any longer. Seeing the lift pictured above for sale he purchased it to be temporarily installed at the front door of their home until a proper, modern lift would be approved and installed by insurance. Once that was done this one was handed down to make my access to their cabin virtually effortless.<br />
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So, why highlight such an archaic lift that you probably would have trouble finding today? Simply to prove the point that these lifts, which were so abundantly distributed by the Saskatchewan Abilities Council to anyone needing a lift to access their home due to a disability, may not be the most attractive but they are rocksolid reliable. They have their downfalls including having a significant portion of them made from plywood that will rot over time, not having the greatest weather sealing which means the cables inside may need replacing, they are very slow moving and they do not have a set stopping point.<br />
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Their operation is a bit finicky including that the lever to activate the lift moves in two directions, one moving the lift up and the other moving the lift down but if you should release the lever and switch to the other direction before the lift comes to a dead stop the platform will continue moving the same direction it was going. This may be a built-in safeguard to prevent any jerking or unnecessary pressure on the cables should the lift be accidentally jammed into the wrong direction. Not having a set stopping point, it's easy enough to determine when to let go of the lever once you have reached the ground but when being elevated to your higher destination the user has to make the decision when to release the lever, taking into account that it will continue to coast for an additional few centimeters, or so.<br />
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The safeguards to prevent a user from falling off are entirely manual. The hinged ramp folds up and hooks onto an eyebolt to prevent the user from rolling off. Of course, this is entirely optional and I don't know if I have used it more than a dozen times in 17 years. The lift move slow enough as it is I'm not willing to spend the additional time necessary to lift that gate. I've never fallen off. Ironically, right in front of the bench in the photo is where I fell out of my chair one time due to it being a wheelchair I was not accustomed to and a dip in the ground. It had nothing to do with the lift as it was at the front of the cabin at that time. I used the opportunity to play in the grass with my dog for awhile before getting help to get back into my chair.<br />
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So simple and reliable are the mechanisms for this lift that I have seen one converted to transport a user from the main floor of the house to the basement and back up. It required its own support system, much larger than the triangular vertical support that the lift was designed with, but the motors, gears and cables worked very well to safely get a person between floors without concern.<br />
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I understand the closed operating system of modern lifts and how the safety is not a bad thing. Sometimes, though, it's nice for someone who is skilled at adapting or modifying things to be able to take a solid piece of technology, like this lift, and tweak it to be well suited to function in a way or location other than originally intended.<br />
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If there is anything that Challenging Reality has shown, and this man has learned, it's that often the best solutions are not something you can find mass-produced.<br />
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<b>Source:</b> No longer made. Available used from adaptive equipment sellers' classifieds sources such as abilities council or Canadian Paraplegic Association. I would recommend a new lift for intended purposes or one made from scratch for custom purposes.Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14186869322975478054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014095331084768626.post-24077436845454699732014-09-09T20:45:00.000-06:002014-09-09T20:45:01.039-06:00Nursing Pillow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RNTklGHoo9c/VA4Qt50ljqI/AAAAAAAADM4/-AHzZzhor2E/s1600/Nursing%2BPillow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RNTklGHoo9c/VA4Qt50ljqI/AAAAAAAADM4/-AHzZzhor2E/s1600/Nursing%2BPillow.jpg" /></a></div>
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My apologies for the length of time between posts. As you can see, I've been a little busy. :)<br />
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I've always had a hesitation to hold babies. There are a few factors such as shyness, inexperience, uncertainty and fear of not holding them safely or securely. Most of those still exist for me but my experience and confidence are growing, shyness is gone because it's our child and securely holding them is greatly improved thanks to the nursing pillow pictured above.<br />
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Many nursing pillows, like the one I use to hold our baby, are U-shaped so that it wraps around my waist. A form of that shape helps it stay in place and allows me an arm or two free if I need to maneuver a bit. The biggest improvement I learned about from the ever problem solving <a href="http://hkuttai.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Heather</a>. She told me of how she modified her pillow to tie in the back so that she could feel safe about having her baby on her lap while completing the tasks necessary to keep her family running well.<br />
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I don't feel the need for those ties and am fortunate that my time with our daughter is for enjoyment. I never need to hold her and try to complete the essential tasks at the same time. Though I do find my available time to do what I need to do, and what I want to do, quite stretched thin and I don't have the work load my wife does. More quality sleep would help in getting things done more easily, and I truly don't need to be told it will get better. We know it will, but that doesn't help on the days following a bad night.<br />
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Until she's climbing all over me I will appreciate this pillow that allows me to hold our bundle closer.<br />
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<b>Source:</b> Most baby supply stores and some department stores.Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14186869322975478054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014095331084768626.post-24004468918977239462014-08-18T07:00:00.000-06:002014-08-18T08:44:12.785-06:00The Root of All Our Troubles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k5o9irE74tA/U--LLo-W6rI/AAAAAAAADKI/I3pV8CVPqqM/s1600/Neck%2BHardware-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k5o9irE74tA/U--LLo-W6rI/AAAAAAAADKI/I3pV8CVPqqM/s1600/Neck%2BHardware-1.jpg" /></a></div>
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Spinal cord injuries can be caused by trauma, disease, infection, a tumor or a number of other things. They can be complete or incomplete injuries, incomplete injuries leaving varying degrees of sensation or even movement below the level of the injury. My injury was incomplete, but the residual below-level function is limited to barely perceptible sensation in my kneecaps and soles of my feet, along with the tiniest flicker of inutile movement in my right ring finger.<br />
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Most traumatic injuries, where broken bones were the cause of the injury, requires surgical repair. Mine was performed after a week of traction that was increased to 55 pounds over that period of time. The crushing motion of my injury required the traction to stretch my neck out so the vertebrae would realign in preparation to be fused with the assistance of harvested bone fragments, two titanium plates, seven screws and about three feet of wire.<br />
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One of the worst parts of the recovery was the first few days after the surgery. The neck muscle spasms were fighting the realigned spine. Not so different than the discomfort faced by a person with bad posture sitting or walking straight after a long time of living the way that caused the poor posture, initially. Surprisingly, neither the surgical pain nor the installation of a halo in my skull without anesthetic were not as painful as those spasms. Those first days after surgery are one of the few memories I retain from my stay in neurology. It must have been intense.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Fyy3N7Q6EqQ/U--KAcze-PI/AAAAAAAADJ4/S3DHd-f8DUg/s1600/Neck%2BHardware-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Fyy3N7Q6EqQ/U--KAcze-PI/AAAAAAAADJ4/S3DHd-f8DUg/s1600/Neck%2BHardware-2.jpg" /></a>Without question, it was not pleasant. However, to preserve my remaining function, and restore strength to my neck, it was a necessary surgery and a critical early step in my recovery.<br />
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One last note, from a photography perspective, out of focus x-rays can only have so much made out of them. Making a photo out of a two dimensional image was not the easiest thing I've done and wish I would've had a better creative spark for these but at least you got a glimpse of the inside of many of our necks.
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FaivtHGebpk/U-RNZmJ7T1I/AAAAAAAADJk/x76o1_adKbM/s1600/Deadly+Curb+Cut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FaivtHGebpk/U-RNZmJ7T1I/AAAAAAAADJk/x76o1_adKbM/s1600/Deadly+Curb+Cut.jpg" /></a></div>
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In the past we have looked at what a proper, well-maintained, <a href="http://challenging-reality.blogspot.com/2014/02/curb-cuts.html">curb cut</a> looks like and how it can make crossing the street simple and uneventful. However, there are exceptions to the rules that are beyond ridiculous. Last week we looked at the consequences of using a combined <a href="http://challenging-reality.blogspot.com/2014/08/sidewalk-construction-material.html">variety of construction materials</a>, such as concrete, asphalt and paving stones, to build a sidewalk and what one winter in our climate can do to the usefulness of those sidewalks.<br />
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This week we look at the consequences of some of the extreme, but far too common, examples of when those materials shift over a few winters.<br />
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I know that scale is often difficult to perceive in a photograph so let me give you a hard number. The lip you see in the photo above is located just down the street from our house and is nearly 10 cm or 4 inches tall. This is dangerous on its own to come down off the road to a drop that significant but it's more than that. You're coming down into a gutter that immediately begins sloping upward, making the perfect grove for the front wheels of a wheelchair to dig in and jolt the user with more than enough force to compromise balance which could easily send them out of their chair, or tip the chair over.<br />
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Traveling the opposite direction, you're coming down a rutted slope (I understand the importance of those ruts for the visually impaired) which introduces vibrations to begin with just before slamming into a solid wall of asphalt. The perfect example of this is downtown by Citizen Café. Descending the concrete sidewalk, the roadway has crumbled with numerous holes in the asphalt at the bottom of a very steep curb cut. Seeing what I was about to run into, I was able to stop my chair, after a bit of uncontrolled sliding down the steep curb cut, and climb back up. Thankfully the driveway to an automotive shop was close by and the street was quiet enough that I did not feel in danger jaywalking to get across to the café. This was downtown, just a few blocks away from the ideal curb cut shown in the post linked to above.<br />
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Under ideal circumstances I could, as a C5-C6 quadriplegic, very slowly navigate this lip to descend with a degree of safety but to climb up that lip would be a challenge because of the difficulty of popping a wheelie while rolling down a hill. Because of that it would need to be done by climbing it from a nearly stopped position, eliminating the much needed momentum to make the climb doable. In this instance I had not only a camera bag but some lighting equipment with me in order to make the photo. I had to find far less dangerous transitions to safely get to the location, make the photo and get home safely.<br />
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Rounded curbs with reasonable gutters would be safer than these curb cuts with terrible transitions. What I cannot understand is why the annual pothole repair crews cannot be instructed to either fill in these transitions with asphalt or cold mix when they are in the area or to smooth them out out with the equipment they have for preparing potholes for repair. I understand that either option has its problems but how can this not be a priority?<br />
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The problem with filling it in is that it could affect drainage and curb cuts like these are already notorious for filling up with sand and debris, carried to them by rain and other water draining as it should in the gutters of the street. The problem with shaving down the asphalt is that the integrity of the road in those places may be compromised. My argument to that is if it is an annual task appropriate small repairs should be able to be made easily, regularly, and without long-term damage to the road.<br />
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I know that it's difficult to predict how land will settle over time, and the soil in our neighborhood is very sandy, but when this happens it simply should be the city's duty to fix these shiftings. I would expect the amount of taxes we pay in these new areas of the city to at least provide us a safe place to go for a stroll.<br />
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I still insist that the CPA wheelchair relay take place outside in places like this. Get our Mayor and other "celebrities" wheeling across this, falling face first in the concrete and maybe that would bring a little bit of action in our city's accessibility instead of just the lip service we receive every year from them.<br />
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<b>Solution:</b> I'm thinking that we should be reporting these as potholes but I do not feel we are a large enough proportion of the population to garner any action from those who have the power and the money.Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14186869322975478054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014095331084768626.post-65321913296718430952014-08-04T07:00:00.000-06:002014-08-15T19:05:55.731-06:00Sidewalk Construction Material Transitions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CNIeZgdbFCk/U96k5jqDzCI/AAAAAAAADJA/9zw9g4w2_O0/s1600/Paving+Stones+and+Concrete-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CNIeZgdbFCk/U96k5jqDzCI/AAAAAAAADJA/9zw9g4w2_O0/s1600/Paving+Stones+and+Concrete-1.jpg" /></a></div>
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In approximately 1990 the city of Swift Current replaced their concrete sidewalks downtown with paving stones. Before the end of one short winter those paving stones had shifted, heaved and cracked. This resulted in difficulty shoveling, tripping hazards, weed growth, and years of regular maintenance to maintain sidewalks that were about as safe as the cobblestone streets of old Montréal.<br />
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Moving forward in time there are numerous examples of mixed construction materials being placed side-by-side in designs planned by someone who obviously has no idea what our climate does to surfaces each yearly cycle of the weather. Above you can see an example of paving stone mixed with concrete at the Preston Crossing Shopping Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.<br />
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Yes, there is just enough room for my model to wheel on the concrete between the paving stones but those paving stones do cross the entire sidewalk in places with 4-6 cm ridges which require a slow crossing or to pop a wheelie over top as you roll, if you are physically capable of doing so. Should you be traveling beside someone, why should we always be expected to switch sides or interrupt our flow because of poor design? What if I want to wheel on the road side of the sidewalk to protect my wife, who is on my right, from oncoming traffic in a most chivalrous manner? The inward slope to the grating containing a tree, weeds, and sand is not too much of a problem now. However, when this centre was built those grates were hollow below the metal and wide enough to swallow a wheel from a wheelchair or a cart. This is dangerous and, as always my common argument is applicable, here as well, what about someone pushing a stroller?<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qiCoIodoEPs/U96k5Vhf2NI/AAAAAAAADI8/VktNhF8-plU/s1600/Paving+Stones+and+Concrete-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qiCoIodoEPs/U96k5Vhf2NI/AAAAAAAADI8/VktNhF8-plU/s1600/Paving+Stones+and+Concrete-2.jpg" /></a></div>
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This is an example of poor design that is mostly an inconvenience. It can be seen anywhere that concrete, paving stones or asphalt meet. The gaps, heaves and ridges after one or two winters take away most of the smooth function of surface transitions like these. All of the aesthetic qualities are removed, if not worse than if one material were used, and I question how many shovels, plow blades or snowblowers have been damaged trying to clear the snow on the above sidewalks.<br />
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Next week we will look at something that is outright dangerous. I've shared about the helpfulness of properly made, maintained and implemented curb cuts. This time we will look at a failed design and failed maintenance that exceeds the inconvenience shown in this post and moves to an <a href="http://challenging-reality.blogspot.com/2014/08/deadly-curb-cuts.html">unexpected hazard</a>.<br />
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<b>Solution:</b> Those organizations charged with the duty of informing designer and planners need to get the information in the right hands, including city officials who can prevent exclusionary designs like this from ever being made in the first place. Stamped concrete is a more costly material but has much greater longevity than paving stones, if aesthetics are insisted upon.Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14186869322975478054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014095331084768626.post-62826272738312806232014-07-28T07:00:00.000-06:002014-11-24T20:53:32.418-06:00Ramps - Erindale Pond<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1L1_7K-sE18/U9RP9XDmEKI/AAAAAAAADIs/btUgfT2JYp8/s1600/Ramp+-+Erindale+Pond+and+Van.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1L1_7K-sE18/U9RP9XDmEKI/AAAAAAAADIs/btUgfT2JYp8/s1600/Ramp+-+Erindale+Pond+and+Van.jpg" /></a></div>
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Continuing the series on ramps, we will take a look at one of the urban ramps I have encountered multiple times. The one pictured above leads up from the Erindale pond in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The path around the pond is quality asphalt, reasonably level with only a few instances of lips where the <a href="http://challenging-reality.blogspot.com/2014/08/sidewalk-construction-material.html">building materials transition</a> between concrete, paving stones or asphalt. The tricky part comes when you need to climb up from the shoreline to get back to your vehicle or where you came from.<br />
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Often a photo does not accurately represent the grade of a ramp and I fear that this photo is one of those, despite my best efforts. This ramp is reasonably steep for an urban setting but it is very long and without any level portions where a rest might be appropriate. Other techniques, such as allowing a wheel to back into the landscape tie at the side of the ramp, can work when a rest is needed, however, often there are no options like this and the only alternative is to turn your wheelchair sideways to lessen the effort needed to prevent rolling back down the ramp. The biggest problem with this sideways parking technique is the energy it takes to get straightened out and resume climbing.<br />
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I mention that this ramp is a reasonable grade for an urban setting. Far too often when new strip malls or other buildings have their parking lots paved the grade of the slope leading to either a concrete curb cut or the ramp leading into the building is ridiculously steep. For whatever reason, our home builder told us that they legally could not build my ramp in the garage because it would be a grade of 1:10, 1:12 being legal for a public building. This was our own private dwelling. The number of parking lots I see with ridiculously steep slopes before you actually reach the curb cut, sidewalk, or ramp to the building's front door are ridiculous. Situations like this display thoughtless guideline compliance without any common sense.<br />
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Thankfully, regardless of a slope's grade, devices such as hill climber brakes exist and can be used to grab your wheels so you cannot roll backwards. Those will be examined in the future.<br />
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We are thankful that these ramps exist, as opposed to simply being stairs, but improper implementation makes them less effective in building a barrier free community.<br />
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<b>Source:</b> Urban settings and do not be afraid to contact your city counselor if there are blatant problems with a local ramp, be it the condition of the building materials, the grade or transitions from level ground to the ramp or the ramp to the surface at the top.Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14186869322975478054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014095331084768626.post-19404805958113621362014-07-16T07:00:00.000-06:002014-07-16T07:00:02.744-06:00Ramps - Switchback<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yFdiOKYRuww/U8CtMGjQAcI/AAAAAAAADGc/Kcdd0r7M9a8/s1600/Ramp+-+UoS+Underground.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yFdiOKYRuww/U8CtMGjQAcI/AAAAAAAADGc/Kcdd0r7M9a8/s1600/Ramp+-+UoS+Underground.jpg" /></a></div>
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Through the winding tunnels under the University of Saskatchewan, which connect the buildings that vary in age, elevation and repair, a person will encounter many ramps of multiple different characteristics. Some are steep enough that I would not feel safe climbing or descending them independently in a manual or power wheelchair. Others are properly and reasonably gradual, with many ramps falling between those two extremes.<br />
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The ramp pictured above is one of the better ramps in the tunnel system underground. The switchback halfway up gives a person an opportunity to rest, regain strength for the next climb, and can be a place to wait for a clear path to the next plateau. This ramp would be one example of one that is too narrow for multiple people at once and when the masses are moving through here it can become intrusive to be the guy in a wheelchair blocking everyone else's way.<br />
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Unfortunately, depending on the time of day and year, some of the access points in these tunnels are often closed or locked which necessitates venturing outside to find a suitable detour. Often choosing to take the tunnels is a longer distance than going outside but it can save exposing oneself to the elements. When you hit one of these dead ends, only to have to go outside to find a detour, it results in much wasted time and energy in backtracking. Far from a perfect system when time between classes is short, transportation arrival and departure times have short windows, and when accessible washrooms are less frequent than they should be.<br />
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<b>Thoughts:</b> If attendance at a post secondary education institution is in your future minimize those first stressful days by having a good explore to determine the best routes for yourself. Don't be afraid to mention to the appropriate counselor the problem areas that need addressing. It may not be fixed by the time you have completed your stay but, hopefully, you will be making it better for the next person who needs proper access.<br />
<br />Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14186869322975478054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014095331084768626.post-15473534023985566662014-07-14T13:07:00.000-06:002014-07-14T13:07:20.000-06:00Slowing Things DownMy apologies that today's post did not get put up at the usual time and as expected. It is a work in progress and I'm happy that the reason it is not up is not due to illness or other problems but due to the fact that I was making a photo. The photo was an experiment that failed. Well, I suppose no experiment that teaches you something is a failure, but the results were not what I expected. Mainly it was due to the fact that garden flowers do not have the luminescence under UV light that I expected and that the moonrise calculator I used online was off by an hour because Saskatchewan and Mexico City are the only smart places in North America who do not participate in daylight savings time.<br />
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Summer is a great time for making photos, not as great for processing and writing posts because the winter will come too soon and too harsh to waste any opportunity to be outside enjoying the weather and photographing. The second reason that posting may slow down in this space is because I'm running very low on material ready to share. That doesn't mean I don't have ideas and photos brewing in the back of my mind but the images that are ready to go are growing fewer by the week. The third, and most significant, reason is that we are growing closer to the arrival of our baby which involves preparations and will involve a pleasant shifting of priorities in the next while.<br />
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I still welcome your visits, contributions and sharing my work with those you feel would benefit from, or appreciate, it. There may simply be occasional gaps in upcoming posts. By no means is this work complete or forgotten about. I may simply be even more aware and prudent about making the most of every opportunity available to me to create a new photo.<br />
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I expect to share this week's post with in the next two days and will try to have more work prepared ahead of time in case we have an early arrival of our family's addition.Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14186869322975478054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014095331084768626.post-26988743698495211462014-07-07T07:00:00.000-06:002014-07-07T09:34:56.976-06:00Ramps - My Van<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U4g_dNUn-UM/U7jLp_vtCtI/AAAAAAAADCs/QLPJoxkTWJ4/s1600/Van+HDR+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U4g_dNUn-UM/U7jLp_vtCtI/AAAAAAAADCs/QLPJoxkTWJ4/s1600/Van+HDR+1.jpg" /></a></div>
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After a fairly worry free ownership of a Dodge Grand Caravan, modified to have pneumatic suspension by Van Action, it was good to upgrade to a mass produced product that is the Braun Rampvan. Because they manufacture tens of thousands of these each year, with dealership and repair support in most major centers, it gave me much greater confidence in the ability to have a problem diagnosed and fixed quickly, should one arise. When the pneumatic suspension system on my Grand Caravan developed a leak finding it was incredibly difficult and when it was thought to be found and repaired it was not long before the problem resurfaced.<br />
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It was an excessive source of anxiety for me because that van could not be driven without that pneumatic suspension. It functioned by inflating the suspension every time the van was to be used. If the compressor that inflated the suspension were to fail it would be mere minutes before the van would be unsafe to drive. I was never stranded anywhere but with the compressor cutting in every 60 seconds my concerns over it having excessive wear or overheating and failing completely were not without merit. With a Braun Rampvan the rear suspension is compressed each time the user wants to enter or exit the van. If this system were to fail the ramp may be a bit steep but the vehicle would be perfectly drivable.<br />
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The ramp on these vans can vary in steepness from a grade of 1:7 to a grade of 1:9, when parked on a flat surface. This depends on the distance the floor is dropped and the style of ramp. In the case of mine, a Toyota Sienna, the floor had to be dropped 12 inches, which resulted in a slightly more gradual incline than in my friend Paul's Honda Odessy which has a 10 inch drop floor, but a different style ramp that is steeper for the first third, then more gradual for the top two thirds. One good push will get you over the steeper bottom half of his ramp then the rest of your climb is easy. The ramp on my van has only a slightly steeper bottom half and requires just a little more than one full push to get over that hump. You cannot always count on being able to, but when the opportunity to park next to a curb or sidewalk comes, take it. Your ramp will be virtually flat.<br />
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These differences between vehicles and ramps can be difficult to determine which will work the best based on your physical ability. An authorized dealer should be able to provide you with demonstration models to try. Other technology, such as hill climber brakes, are available to assist in the process. They will be covered in the future and I hope to complete compiling a video we recorded the raw footage for to demonstrate the difficulty of climbing each ramp on each van by two quadriplegics of slightly different levels of neurological function.<br />
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If there's one thing I have learned about vehicles it is that necessity truly is the mother of invention. When I had a ramp I needed to be able to climb my determination made it possible in a short amount of time. The same could be said for difficult transfers and many other physical things I needed to be able to accomplish independently. Determination and practice go a long way.<br />
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Other adaptations to the vehicle will be covered in future posts.<br />
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<b>Source:</b> Authorized adapted vehicle reseller and modifiers.<br />
<br />Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14186869322975478054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014095331084768626.post-73942892958569966832014-06-30T07:00:00.000-06:002014-06-30T07:00:07.728-06:00Ramps - Our Deck<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SOHx9x4HpHg/U63D1hwYyVI/AAAAAAAADCA/ymjSz0xIblo/s1600/Ramp+-+Deck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SOHx9x4HpHg/U63D1hwYyVI/AAAAAAAADCA/ymjSz0xIblo/s1600/Ramp+-+Deck.jpg" /></a></div>
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The time has come to begin my series on elevated access. By that I mean ramps and lifts that enable us to access those places not on ground level. I say that the time has come because until now I have focused on subjects whose consequences have the greatest impact upon quadriplegics. Ramps and lifts affect such a broad range of disabilities it would be difficult to list them all.<br />
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This ramp is the one in our backyard that allows me access down to our patio, flower boxes and lawn. Our deck supports are made of treated lumber but the surface materials are made from Trex composite material that does not require staining or care of any kind. That, combined with the aluminum railings, was undoubtedly more costly initially but over the life of the deck the savings in stain and labor to maintain it will easily pay for the additional cost. At some point I will discuss the invisible costs of living with a disability. Paying for labor to do something as simple as stain a deck is one example of those less visible costs.<br />
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Though it does not look very steep because of my choice of ultra-wide-angle lens, the ramp is the building code standard of 1:12, which I find a very easy climb, unless my <a href="http://challenging-reality.blogspot.com/2013/11/push-rims.html">push rims</a> happen to be wet from watering flowers or chasing the dog with the hose. Times like those I am grateful for my hill-climbers which, when engaged, prevent me from rolling backwards. On occasion the flat landing halfway up the ramp has been a great benefit to either have a different view of our backyard or to be a place to turn around and chase the dog back down.<br />
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One final note for anyone looking to build or modify a home to be barrier free: Be aware of your space limitations on each side of the house. On one side we have crushed rock, which I cannot access nor cross. On the other side, by the patio as pictured above, is a sidewalk that leads to her front gate with the inconvenient exception that the air conditioner blocks my path. Had we known, or had our home builder being more mindful of the situation, we would have either relocated the air conditioner or had it installed higher up so that getting past my wheelchair, or with the lawnmower, would be possible.<br />
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<b>Source:</b> Custom-built by our home builder to suit the size we wanted and the space available.<br />
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<br />Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14186869322975478054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014095331084768626.post-32023460807822643992014-06-23T07:00:00.000-06:002014-06-29T21:15:25.128-06:00Zip Ties, Split Rings, and Paracord<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When it comes to dexterity few things are as challenging as zippers. Tiny little tabs designed to be pulled with a pinch between the index finger and thumb. Not quadriplegic friendly.<br />
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My simple solution for a lot of years was split rings. I think every keychain in my parents' home was scavenged for this purpose. The fact that my dad had a small collection of keychains help my inventory of split rings to grow quickly. It's remarkable how many zippers there are to benefit from a permanent ring on them. Zippers are everywhere.<br />
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The one place that I most wanted my adaptation to be less visible was on the fly of my pants. For that location I chose to use a small black zip tie, as barely visible on the pair of jeans in the photo above. Zip ties like that do wear out in time and a few did break on me, leaving me with a bit of a struggle to do up my pants until it could be replaced with a new zip tie. Thankfully that zipper does not need to be started like on a full-length jacket zipper. I have no secret method to assist in starting a zipper on a jacket. That is simply a matter of trial, error and patience.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TDVMvbqUOGg/U55wzGvPNpI/AAAAAAAADAs/7uNQOgqDK24/s1600/Paracord+Zipper+Pulls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TDVMvbqUOGg/U55wzGvPNpI/AAAAAAAADAs/7uNQOgqDK24/s1600/Paracord+Zipper+Pulls.jpg" /></a></div>
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Though I still use split rings for a lot of purposes, I have transitioned to using paracord for most of my zipper pulls. There are a myriad of colours to choose from and their flexibility can provide minor advantages over split rings in certain circumstances. I have even begun transitioning away from bungee cord and toward paracord for my <a href="http://challenging-reality.blogspot.com/2013/09/pant-hooks.html">pant hooks</a>. The snaps that connect two ends of paracord together to make a pullable tab and loop, like those attached to the yellow and black paracord in the photo above, are cheap and abundant on places like eBay. However, I found the ones I chose to not hold nearly as well as they should. I made certain to make my selection based on the size of paracord I was using, prepare the ends by cutting and melting them and made certain the snap was applied properly, but often it would let go at inopportune times.<br />
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The alternative is to simply thread your length of paracord through the zipper eyelet then tie the two lengths in a half hitch, as I have done for the zipper laying immediately to the left of the pouch, the second one to the right of the pink lanyard. A more interesting alternative is to tie an <a href="http://www.animatedknots.com/lanyard/index.php?LogoImage=LogoG" target="_blank">interesting knot</a> in the end and use it as a lanyard, essentially a simplified version of the lanyard I tied to be my <a href="http://challenging-reality.blogspot.com/2014/06/lanyard.html">keychain</a>. As frequently as we are forced to compromise form for the purposes of function, this is one of those simple places that I appreciate the more decorative look of a diamond knot lanyard over a simple half hitch. I decided to get extra fancy and do a double diamond knot for the longer zipper pull on my camera bag.<br />
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Hit me in the comments with your zipper adaptations, if you have any unique methods.<br />
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<b>Source:</b> paracord and snaps – eBay. Split rings – dollar store or craft supply store.Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14186869322975478054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014095331084768626.post-8047079165357746202014-06-16T07:00:00.000-06:002014-06-16T07:00:01.826-06:00Nail Clippers and Nail Files<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H0vEmwXZylU/U5u-yS9_IKI/AAAAAAAAC_k/5gVgCoujIZI/s1600/Nail+Clippers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H0vEmwXZylU/U5u-yS9_IKI/AAAAAAAAC_k/5gVgCoujIZI/s1600/Nail+Clippers.jpg" /></a></div>
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Ingrown nails are unpleasant for anyone but an undetected ingrown toenail can be a source of <a href="http://challenging-reality.blogspot.com/2014/03/autonomic-dysreflexia-and-sweat-towel.html">Autonomic Dysreflexia</a> and, if untreated, infection for those of us without sensation in our toes or fingers. Healing in the feet and legs of we quadriplegics is reduced because of our diminished circulation so preventative care is much better and easier than treating a problem after it begins. Standard nail clippers usually take care of the majority of the work, that is, when a person is able to effectively use them. I cannot.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FDBRpgW24Hk/U5u-yfBZ16I/AAAAAAAAC_o/L5GL_KMjWQs/s1600/Nail+File.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FDBRpgW24Hk/U5u-yfBZ16I/AAAAAAAAC_o/L5GL_KMjWQs/s1600/Nail+File.jpg" /></a></div>
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For years post injury I would chew my fingernails off when they needed it. This had all sorts of implications from damage to the nail, peeling back further than it should at the edges, as well as sanitary concerns. As well as I could wash my hands, sometimes the underside of the nails just didn't come as clean they could. Thankfully, I found a solution.<br />
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The 15 cm x 2 cm nail file pictured above is my simple solution. When tucked in between the palm of my hand and <a href="http://challenging-reality.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-gloves.html">my gloves</a> it is sturdy enough for me to effectively file down my fingernails. I have to get creative with pinning down the finger containing the nail being filed, but that is another challenge solved by finding the right surface or technique to hold the digit steady. I have been fortunate to have someone care for my toenails but I do feel confident in my ability to file them while in bed, should the need arise. I have learned to do my nail filing before laundry day because the pile of dust produced by it inevitably gets on my clothing and skin. Often the irritation it causes on my face makes me itchy for a period of time unless I really scrub it clean.<br />
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Before I found the nail files I use now, I used to use a smaller crystal nail file secured to a butter knife with hockey tape. The knife simply served as a longer handle to make it easier to hold in my gloves. These larger files have eliminated that need.<br />
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<b>Source:</b> Department stores, drugstores, eBay.<br />
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<br />Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14186869322975478054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014095331084768626.post-89956767885880980192014-06-09T07:00:00.000-06:002014-06-12T22:02:09.549-06:00Tongs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dU2laqincB8/U4ZD1KgrdiI/AAAAAAAAC2k/o_OKdIAqXaM/s1600/Tongs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dU2laqincB8/U4ZD1KgrdiI/AAAAAAAAC2k/o_OKdIAqXaM/s1600/Tongs.jpg" /></a></div>
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When a squeezing action is required to operate a tool such as scissors or, in this case, tongs it requires we quadriplegics to use two hands if we hope to have any type of strength or efficiency with a tool of that nature. When much of your actions at the table or <a href="http://challenging-reality.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-island.html">preparation surface</a> require an elbow or arm to be down for balance, and two hands are required to operate tool like this, I feel more like an excavator with a very limited pivotal range for my scoop. It's not that it can't be done, it's just that there are often better tools for the job for us.<br />
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In the case of a bowl of salad I find a nice large serving spoon to be more effective for both tossing and serving than tongs could ever be. Still, when that sizzling steak on the barbecue is ready to be flipped I feel bad about giving it a gentle stab with <a href="http://challenging-reality.blogspot.com/2014/05/barbecue-tools.html">my fork</a>, potentially releasing a few juices, rather than a gentle turning with a pair of tongs.<br />
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UPDATE: It was brought to my attention, by dear Heather, that these tongs can be the difference between reaching something or being unable to get at it. Of course, her being a paraplegic, her hands are able to use tongs with the ease of anyone, and that's why she has four pairs. Thank you for informing us, Heather!<br />
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<b>Source:</b> Really, finding the right substitute for you most likely available at a department or kitchen store.<br />
<br />Jayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14186869322975478054noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8014095331084768626.post-79237011733851452442014-06-02T07:00:00.000-06:002014-06-29T21:11:30.469-06:00Lanyard<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S8rSU3JTNto/U4uZWZO0c8I/AAAAAAAAC20/4B4MpJMY6oM/s1600/Lanyard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S8rSU3JTNto/U4uZWZO0c8I/AAAAAAAAC20/4B4MpJMY6oM/s1600/Lanyard.jpg" /></a></div>
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You've already seen this lanyard in my post regarding <a href="http://challenging-reality.blogspot.com/2013/12/door-bumpers.html">door bumpers</a> to assist in pressing remote buttons. These little well tied loops of rope or cord can be so helpful in so many other ways. Keeping keys attached to something easy to grab a hold of, and easy on the teeth for those times you need to hold on to them with your mouth, is a big deal because the alternative is dropping them. For many quadriplegics, or any wheelchair users for that matter, picking things off the floor can be very difficult. Especially if you already have something on your lap or are in the middle of a snow-covered parking lot.<br />
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A lanyard can be homemade, bought cheaply from any discount store, and be almost any length you need to fit your intended purpose. As attractive as the Solomon bar weave is on the upper part of this lanyard, it is the <a href="http://www.animatedknots.com/lanyard/index.php?LogoImage=LogoG" target="_blank">diamond knot</a> that I am most grateful to be able to tie successfully. That knot makes for not just a loop to hold onto but a nicely sized ball of cord to incorporate into a zipper pull, making the challenge of operating a zipper a little bit easier. Here are my <a href="http://challenging-reality.blogspot.com/2014/06/zip-ties-split-rings-and-paracord.html">thoughts on zippers</a>. While the white part of the cord is illuminated by a camera flash, the green part is because of the glow-in-the-dark material used to make this lanyard. It's a little more expensive than standard paracord but for those times I wanted to be able to find my keys in the dark I'm glad I chose it for this keychain.<br />
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The reason I like paracord so much is that when used to secure keys, as shown in the door bumpers post linked to above, is that it is quite easy to detach the keys for those times when you need to separate your vehicle keys from your house keys, such as when leaving a vehicle for service. I prefer this over the quick clasp lanyards that you can purchase in stores because often those clasps are spring-loaded and pivot which makes operating them very difficult, and a danger to a person's lip should you choose to use your teeth and have the clasp snap shut.<br />
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In the future we will take a look at other lanyards of the smaller size used to keep smooth and difficult cell phones closer to us and less likely to be dropped on the floor if they slip out of our hands. Because I did not want to be tied down by a lanyard hanging off my phone I chose a very rubbery case and the larger design of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 for my current phone, which I talk about in the post regarding <a href="http://challenging-reality.blogspot.com/2013/12/touch-screens-and-styluses.html">touch screens and styluses</a>.<br />
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<b>Source: Webbed lanyards</b> - Department or DollarStores<br />
<b>Paracord and Premade Paracord Lanyards</b> - EBay and EtsyJayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14186869322975478054noreply@blogger.com0