Sorry, this entry is only available in Deutsch.
Archive for the ‘General’ Category
Christmas Party 2010
Friday, December 17th, 2010Eigude Shame Part X
Saturday, December 11th, 2010
Frontpage 
As wheelchair user you are happy about each lowered curb which is not blocked by a parking car.
The city of Frankfurt/Main has its own ideas about the construction of this curb lowering.
At the riverside with the museums the street and pavement were re-built quite costly.
The rain channel of the street now consists of three rows of cobble stone.
Looks nice, but nothing more. I usually call such spots
“Wheeler’s death”.
You descend the anyway rather high lowered curb, the front tyres get stuck in the joints of the cobble stones, and you empty yourself like a pushcart onto the street.
Thank you Frankfurt!
Translator BL
Eigude Shame Part XI
Thursday, December 9th, 2010Frontpage
The perspective is a bit misleading, but this is a lowered curb with wheelchair catching device.
This new
gully cover
has probably been sponsored by the shoemaker who has his shop in 20 meters distance. The 30 broken heels per day will help him easily through the economic crisis.
(Mörfelder Landstraße / Stresemannallee Frankfurt a.M.)
Now in the winter when the gully cover is covered with snow the profit doubles.
Translator BL
Eigude Shame Part XII
Wednesday, December 8th, 2010Frontpage
This extremely steep
“lowered curb “
is representatively next to the main entrance of the youth hostel. It has 600 beds and a special wheelchair apartment.
It makes immediately a great impression on each wheelchair using tourist if you need help already at the first curb when you are heading to town. The other side of the street is equally “wheelchair friendly”.
Thank you Frankfurt!
Translator BL
Bath Reconstruction Neverending Story Part 2
Saturday, December 4th, 2010
Frontpage
The new bathroom was planned so that an accessible, on grade shower basin should be embedded on the window side.
A size of 120 cm x 120 cm is standard (top left).
Due to the wall breakthrough a new bathtub could be set on the right side, virtually in the home office. Then a little bit washing basin, connection for the washing machine, disabled toilet, and the bathroom was actually almost done.
OK, a new wall had to be built on the right, plaster, some tiles, colour and a sliding door were necessary due to the broadening of the door case.
Sounds rather simple, so let’s take a start!
In TV shows accessible bathrooms are built in 45 minutes broadcasting time…
It’s not “going” that fast!
Usually bathrooms suitable for disabled are on the ground floor, which basically makes sense because stairs are natural obstacles for us wheelchair users.
Additionally the siphon of the accessible shower can be banished with a breakthrough to the basement ceiling, where nobody would bother except for a couple of rats.
In the first floor the shower drain thing is a bit more difficult.
I don’t have any more problems, but there it was, the challenge!
Because I have neighbours living underneath, a colourful siphon on their bathroom ceiling was out of question.
Even with the most even drain you need at least
12 cm casing depth for the on grade shower basin.
The concrete underlay was removed until the bottom plate. My bathroom floor didn’t give more than 8 cm depth for the installation of the shower basin.
The floor had to be lifted, but then it wouldn’t be on the same level as the corridor any more.
What now:
A stair at the door to enter the “accessible bathroom” was a serious suggestion, but not for me.
To pump the waste water upwards because of the missing 4 cm I thought would be too complex.
In the end my new bathroom floor is sloping!
The floor slightly ascends by 4 cm from door to shower which has the funny effect that I am rolling away with my wheelchair in my own bathroom.
A pedestrian doesn’t note the difference.
As long as I don’t splatter too much with the water while showering it won’t run into the corridor!
I should have explicitly mention that to my friend who stayed overnight before he went into the bathroom. 
To be continued!
Click on tag “Bath Reconstruction” to read the other blogposts of the series.
Translator BL
Bath Reconstruction Neverending Story Part 1
Friday, December 3rd, 2010Frontpage
After more than 2 years I have calmed down a little bit and I am writing about my legendary
Bath Reconstruction!
People with high blood pressure should save themselves to rebuild a small bathroom into a wash plant suitable for wheelchair drivers and build a new house instead.
This is “going” faster.
Already at the time when I was still in hospital I was taken home by the transport service, then heaved to the first floor to surprisingly find out at a living space inspection that my bathroom was not suitable for someone in a wheelchair.
This fact didn’t remain concealed even to me, in spite of considerable medication abuse upfront.
Now it was official, my bathroom was too small!
My wife took pictures and filled various questionnaires about the number of stairs in front of the house, the width of doors in the flat, etc. etc. etc….
This information was filed somewhere unregarded. Oh well…
Because addresses of construction companies and suitable plumbers in Germany apparently are subject to the highest level of secrecy obligation everything was left with me again.
An acquaintance who is architect had the idea to “push” the wall on the right 1,20 meter to the side, then everything should fit in…
Therefore the inflatable guest bed in the home office had to give way.
Thanks again from this side.
After more than 2 years I am still waiting for promised offers from plumbers. They don’t want to make money, others therefore more.
I like quotations like that:
Reconstruction bathroom mere 17.000 € with the details:
Demounting of bathroom furniture 60 €.
This was a 50 cm wall cupboard.
All extra work will be invoiced separately.
A picture was hanging on the wall.
When I tried to call our property management regarding the move of the wall on extension 59 I heard the voice mail text that due to absence I should call the colleague on extension 67 for the next two and a half weeks. There I heard the voice mail text that I should consult his substitute under extension 59 for the next two weeks.
If it was a load-bearing wall or not which we intended to move probably would have to be eventually clarified by the Federal Constitutional Court.
The non-working employee in charge of the property management (extension 59) insisted that no wall might be torn down without his assessment.
He didn’t make in within 3 months to walk the 250 meters from his office to my bathroom, not to mention an on-site inspection of the property within a year.
Because I wanted to leave the hospital one time I decided by agreement with the advisory board, wall down, H-beam in, regardless of costs.
To be continued!
Click on tag “Bath Reconstruction” to read the other blogposts of the series.
Translator BL
(Deutsch) Werbung Part I
Tuesday, November 30th, 2010Sorry, this entry is only available in Deutsch.
Fax to my general practitioner!
Tuesday, November 30th, 2010
Technical Aids for Quadriplegics
Thursday, November 11th, 2010Frontpage
With my buckled Tetra fingers I can’t open cans any more.
I think that I might succeed some day with this
plastic bow
.
The can is standing on a non-slip mat (see older blogpost).
The leverage is considerable.
The opener is distributed by the Company Brix Denmark.
The company produces other openers as well.
With this part it should be possible to open an
Eintracht- Frankfurt Adlerschoppe
.
It is incomprehensible to me why the plastic bow is called J-Popper.
Let’s think about it…
Translator BL
Wheelchair Tuning Part XIX Competitor
Monday, November 8th, 2010Frontpage
In the land of opportunity I have discovered it.
The chain-drive
Off-Road Wheelchair, Type: Renegade.
Whether on sand, snow, dirt road or creek bed, with this hell of a chair you get through almost every terrain.
Unbelievable, but true, watch the VIDEOS.
The wheelchair has a 7 gear hub in the driving wheels.
It has winter accessories, with
snow chains, blades
and a
snow shovel,
to clear the gateway from snow. The
fishing rod holder
is rather funny I think, but the
gun holder
beats almost everything I have seen so far.
The price is fair, the basic model is available as of 4500$.
One time with this thing through the city of Frankfurt!!!
If the gun has a medical device number?
Source: Renegade USA
Translator BL
Simply great! Part III
Saturday, November 6th, 2010Frontpage
In an older blogpost I have bashed a little on this wheelchair, I would like to apologize for that.
The special wheelchair with cross tyres was standing in India.
It is one of worldwide
530.000 Low-Budget Wheelchairs
(April 2012 already 639.000)
in 77 countries which have been especially developed by the organization
and donated to people in need.
The target of the project is to provide 20 million wheelchairs worldwide for free.
Each wheelchair costs only 59,20 USD including delivery.
Have you ever considered the donation of a wheelchair?
Just “go“ to the website of FWM and have a look.
Link: Free Wheelchair Mission
Unbelievable but true, a tool kit is inside the footrest.
Source: Free Wheelchair Mission
Translator BL
Technical Aids Tips und Tricks XXI
Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010Frontpage
Almost all wheelchair users are using bicycle gloves which they buy every now and then at the discounter.
My needs for these quality products were plentiful, the more expensive ones weren’t any better for wheelchair driving either.
I got the tip to switch to sailing gloves because they are more robust and additionally reinforced at the forefinger to let the ropes run through for sailing without burning the fingers.
Furthermore the glove fixes very well around the wrist which is very important for me as quadriplegic for braking to not loose the gloves. The velcro tapes are fixing well, and the leather is out of one piece. The gloves are available in Antara leather or Neoprene.
Sailing Gloves
The price starts at 10,00 €.
Source of supply can be enquired.
Contact: rollinator@eigude.de
Now I am just missing a sailing boat.
Translator BL
Tenerife Part V
Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010
Frontpage
I already mentioned the accessibility of Los Cristianos. They have equipped a special area for us wheelchair and scooter users on the beach over there.
You can drive in your wheelchair on wooden planks almost into the water.
If you really would like to go into the sea there are two wheelchair lifeguards who lift you with a hoist into a
Beach Wheelchair
and move you across the sand into the sea.
The guys have pushed me across the beach at a run. I was shocked that Spaniards can move that fast, respect.
Swimming in the sea for the first time after 3,5 years, what a feeling!
I was hardly in the water, and the big fish die-off began.
Translator BL
Wheelchair Tuning Part XVII (Competitor)
Saturday, October 30th, 2010Frontpage
A real rarity:
Bought by a German in the USA and photo taken by me in Spain, an
Israeli Foldable Scooter.
This scooter is completely foldable. With its two batteries it has coverage of around 15 kilometers. Basic but functional.
The grey colour reminds somehow of the military!
Translator BL
Technical Aids Tips and Tricks XX
Friday, October 29th, 2010Frontpage
Los Cristianos in the south of Tenerife is exceedingly accessible, but quite hilly and only to cope for fit wheelchair users or with extreme pusher.
Wheelchairs, rollators, crutches and rented scooters or electric wheelchairs belong to the townscape.
An alternative to electric wheelchair or scooter is an approximately 60 kg heavy, little tractive.
Minitrac or Swisstrac
I call this thing a mobile cider crate.
With some practice the docking is quite easy. The tractive power is remarkable. I didn’t have any difficulties with gradients, provided that the floor plates were not too slippery.
Curbs are no hurdles at all. The docking bar in the mid of the wheelchair can be de-installed easily, even with a foldable wheelchair.
The some year old Minitrac has passed my 10 day test quite well. Although it was mounted to my wheelchair in a little unconventional-creative-spanish way, it was technically absolutely alright.
The Minitrac a German and the Swisstrac a Swiss product are quite similar. I only heard good things about the Swisstrac, but haven’t tested it yet. I have seen the new Swisstrac on a fair, the new docking station is easy to handle for quadriplegics.
I like these small things, and they fit into any trunk, if a well-trained pedestrian is found to lift it.
The colour was disgusting: pinkish red with glitter effect! Ugh…
There is one comment worth to be translated from the chief engineer of Swisstrac
