Archive for the ‘Simply great’ Category

Chock Part IIX

Monday, July 25th, 2011

Frontpage

With a flat tyre on the wheelchair a

pit stop

is essential.

This wheeler was lucky to be on the road with Makin’Track .

Dave is “Makin Track” and comes from Wales. He has got a bus for 5 wheelers and accompanies them not only in England but in the whole of Europe to their holiday destination. He is driving ahead in his bus with the whole equipment, and the guest can travel with him or fly relaxed to the destination. There you are able to drink and drive with wheelchair and bus.

He repaired the tyre in Formula 1 manner in record-breaking time.

This was in Crete, his next assignment was not so far away, in Switzerland.

Translator BL

With a flat tyre on the wheelchair a

pit stop

is essential.

This wheeler was lucky to be on the road with Makin’Track .

Dave is “Makin Track” and comes from Wales. He has got a bus for 5 wheelers and accompanies them not only in England but in the whole of Europe to their holiday destination. He is driving ahead in his bus with the whole equipment, and the guest can travel with him or fly relaxed to the destination. There you are able to drink and drive with wheelchair and bus.

He repaired the tyre in Formula 1 manner in record-breaking time.

This was in Crete, his next assignment was not so far away, in Switzerland.

Translator BL

Recently in front of the supermarket with the big “L”

Thursday, July 21st, 2011

Frontpage

Legal traffic regulations are applied on this parking lot!!!

There are 4 designated disabled parking places at the entrance. 2 opposing on each side.

After the groceries, I was parking without bad conscience on one of these parking places, I was rather astonished.

Somebody managed to park with a “Smart” on the opposing 2 disabled parking places in such way that both places were blocked. This was a real effort, remarkable.

Unfortunately I was too slow, the creative parker just came out of the supermarket when I was still digging for my camera. Unfortunately I was already sitting in my car, what a shame, or luck for the lady!!!

My wife asked the lady why she was parking on disabled parking places?

These parking places would be for people who cannot “walk” and not for people who cannot “park”!!

She replied where this was “standing” that this would be a disabled parking place???

I just shouted from the car: You are “standing” on it!

She was standing with her feet on the

Wheelchair symbol!!!

I have to admit, the symbol is really a bit “scraped off”.

I have informed the company L. concerning this matter. They answered by phone and convincingly assured me to renew the symbol as soon as possible and improve the signage so that nobody would park again “by oversight” on a disabled parking place.

The company L. had already 2 years ago removed a curb and raised the walkway after I pointed that out to them.

Very customer oriented, a very commendable company in this regard.

By the way, visually impaired are entitled to park on disabled parking places, but they are usually not the driver.

Link: Old, but unbeatable!!!
Pedestrians are parking on a disabled parking place!!!
They get involuntary help in leaving the car by Theo West (RTL, German TV).

Translator BL

Football Women’s World Cup Part III

Monday, July 18th, 2011

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Final Japan-USA 5:3

Yesterday I had to go again to the stadium, this time fortunately to the final, the whole football world cup slowly gets tiresome.

So one would fancy a little drive with the wheelchair, and once again gets a parking place directly at the stadium entrance assigned.

I had taken out again another football shirt, I thought red to be suitable, the other fans were partially dressed up as if the match was in a carnival city!

So you are looking forward to a cozy 90-minute not too stressful women’s football match, and nothing like that. My beloved SLR camera gave up the ghost already before the match, but my “Little Conan” was in a good mood.

It already started excellently. Before the match 1000 colourfully dressed, slightly confused people were running around on the field, trampling down the lawn and calling it final ceremony.

A glass ball, so what…

There was even a little bit of music…

Afterwards the match finally started!

In front of me there was an unqualified foolish clatterer with a kind of castanets shaped as black-red-golden hands. She got on my nerves with her clattering that much that I almost sacrificed half a liter of cider to extinct her confusion!!!

My “parking position“ in the stadium wasn’t too great. From there you could see too well how the Americans constantly dropped the ball.

After 90 minutes it started to get rather cold. Although the stadium roof was closed the heating was probably out of order. This permanent delay of the game by the Japanese players slowly got on my nerves. I was feeling cold, and they permanently scored an equalizing goal. Couldn’t they simply let the Americans win, then I wouldn’t have a cold now and no flat butt either. In the 120th minute the Japanese collected a red card and even got the fairplay reward of the tournament for this…

During the penalty shoot-out my mood hit rock bottom. The Americans still have to practice the 11 meter distance. They almost managed to score the ball underneath the goal.

What flight attendants are doing at the award ceremony they probably don’t know themselves, they certainly have lost their way, the airport is nearby.

When the Japanese finally held the cup in their hands they made a real mess in the stadium. They threw golden emergency blankets cut into pieces from above onto our holy Frankfurt lawn.

My ears are still buzzing from the noise of the fireworks, and because of the closed roof I haven’t even seen anything.

When I finally got outside it started raining, and afterwards I stood with the car in a traffic jam. I won’t forget the final too soon.

Oh, the effect of my medication fades away. It was a great football match yesterday!!!

Translator BL

 

Final Japan-USA 5:3

Yesterday I had to go again to the stadium, this time fortunately to the final, the whole football world cup slowly gets tiresome.

So one would fancy a little drive with the wheelchair, and once again gets a parking place directly at the stadium entrance assigned.

I had taken out again another football shirt, I thought red to be suitable, the other fans were partially dressed up as if the match was in a carnival city!

So you are looking forward to a cozy 90-minute not too stressful women’s football match, and nothing like that. My beloved SLR camera gave up the ghost already before the match, but my “Little Conan” was in a good mood.

It already started excellently. Before the match 1000 colourfully dressed, slightly confused people were running around on the field, trampling down the lawn and calling it final ceremony.

A glass ball, so what…

There was even a little bit of music…

Afterwards the match finally started!

In front of me there was an unqualified foolish clatterer with a kind of castanets shaped as black-red-golden hands. She got on my nerves with her clattering that much that I almost sacrificed half a liter of cider to extinct her confusion!!!

My “parking position“ in the stadium wasn’t too great. From there you could see too well how the Americans constantly dropped the ball.

After 90 minutes it started to get rather cold. Although the stadium roof was closed the heating was probably out of order. This permanent delay of the game by the Japanese players slowly got on my nerves. I was feeling cold, and they permanently scored an equalizing goal. Couldn’t they simply let the Americans win, then I wouldn’t have a cold now and no flat butt either. In the 120th minute the Japanese collected a red card and even got the fairplay reward of the tournament for this…

During the penalty shoot-out my mood hit rock bottom. The Americans still have to practice the 11 meter distance. They almost managed to score the ball underneath the goal.

What flight attendants are doing at the award ceremony they probably don’t know themselves, they certainly have lost their way, the airport is nearby.

When the Japanese finally held the cup in their hands they made a real mess in the stadium. They threw golden emergency blankets cut into pieces from above onto our holy Frankfurt lawn.

My ears are still buzzing from the noise of the fireworks, and because of the closed roof I haven’t even seen anything.

When I finally got outside it started raining, and afterwards I stood with the car in a traffic jam. I won’t forget the final too soon.

Oh, the effect of my medication fades away. It was a great football match yesterday!!!

Translator BL

Football Women’s World Cup Part II

Thursday, July 14th, 2011

Frontpage

Semi final: Sweden – Japan 1:3

Yesterday it was raining only once. It started in the morning at 07:45. It was raining, raining, and in between it was raining as well.

Rainy weather and wheelchair, that doesn’t fit. When you are travelling alone with an umbrella, you are always driving around in circles ;-)

The only positive thing with rain is, it doesn’t hurt!!!

Unbelievable, but God is a football fan…
Just in time before the kick-off the pouring rain stopped, and all 46000 fans arrived with dry hair at the Frankfurt stadium to the semi final Sweden vs. Japan. The Wet T-Shirt Contest would have been omitted anyway as the stadium roof was closed to be on the safe side.
Because I am supporting the playing technique of the Swedes, the visual appearance of the ladies doesn’t interest me in no way, all contradictory claims would be a lie, I went to the stadium together with my wife in the best mood.
My yellow Eintracht Frankfurt Tetra-Pack football shirt from the 90s (see older blogpost), was virtually made for this event. About the match I remain silent.

Japan has deservedly won, will I be rolling to the final against the US?

Translator BL

 

Semi final: Sweden – Japan 1:3

Yesterday it was raining only once. It started in the morning at 07:45. It was raining, raining, and in between it was raining as well.

Rainy weather and wheelchair, that doesn’t fit. When you are travelling alone with an umbrella, you are always driving around in circles ;-)

The only positive thing with rain is, it doesn’t hurt!!!

Unbelievable, but God is a football fan…
Just in time before the kick-off the pouring rain stopped, and all 46000 fans arrived with dry hair at the Frankfurt stadium to the semi final Sweden vs. Japan. The Wet T-Shirt Contest would have been omitted anyway as the stadium roof was closed to be on the safe side.
Because I am supporting the playing technique of the Swedes, the visual appearance of the ladies doesn’t interest me in no way, all contradictory claims would be a lie, I went to the stadium together with my wife in the best mood.
My yellow Eintracht Frankfurt Tetra-Pack football shirt from the 90s (see older blogpost), was virtually made for this event. About the match I remain silent.

Japan has deservedly won, will I be rolling to the final against the US?

Translator BL

Football Women’s World Cup Part I

Tuesday, July 12th, 2011

Frontpage

Germany – Nigeria 1:0

I could actually get hold of one of the 100 wheelchair tickets for the stadium.

In total almost 50.000 people fit in the Frankfurt stadium. I consider the contingent of 100 wheelchair places as much too high. Thus you get the admission tickets quasi imposed so that not so many places remain vacant. Ho, ho, ho…

In the preparation I was yet surprised that I received together with the admission ticket a parking permit as well. Look at that:

I am standing with my car directly in front of the

main entrance of the stadium!!!

Ok, the actual match was, let’s call it “valuable”, didn’t have the highest standard in football terms, but the whole event was an experience.

I think I got somewhere some orange tickets lying around…

Translator BL

 

 

Addendum to the fairy tale from June 29th

Monday, July 11th, 2011

Frontpage

Where are the 70.000 workers at Frankfurt Airport???

I would keep you up to date about my correspondence with Fraport (operating company of Frankfurt Airport) (see older blog post).

I received a reply to my e-mail quickly that the background needs to be investigated first which is quite reasonable, but which could last for a while due to holiday season.

I had to smile a little, again nobody was there…, which actually was my challenge* after the landing in June.
Enough whinging!!!

Yesterday a very nice lady from Fraport called me.
I was very surprised how exactly she had investigated this incident.
She expressed extraordinary understanding for my situation at that time and explained to me plausibly that there have been conversations with the responsible staff, and such a thing should not happen again.

I repeatedly experience that one is able to move something if you take the effort and draw attention to a nuisance, or other little fouls.
With the internet you can find the correct contact person/ e-mail address within seconds, and an e-mail with photo is quickly written.

* There are no problems, there are just challenges and a big challenge is a project.

Translator BL

 

Technical Aids tips and tricks XL

Sunday, July 10th, 2011

 Frontpage

Look at this, a

Jacuzzi Hoist!

Producer is Sunrise Medical (Sopur).

Could be difficult to integrate this thing in my bathroom.

Technical Aids Testing Crete Part I

Wednesday, June 29th, 2011

Frontpage

Ingenious: A cooling vest which only needs water!

My spinal cord has decided in 2007 that sweating is stupid.
Since then my skin is quite dry :-(

This phenomenon is nothing unusual with para- or quadriplegia.

As a consequence my body temperature rises and rises when it is above 25° C and sun.

This can lead until fainting at approximately 40° C.

A water sprayer for flowers can work miracles (see older blog post), but is not the best solution either.

There are special cooling vests, with thermal packs or fans, well… I think it is too complicated, and you are depending on thermal packs and refrigerators. So I prefer hiding at home and waiting for the winter.

In May I met Sepp Jakober on a technical aids trade fair, the chief engineer of the wheelchair tractive Swisstrac who gave me tuning tips for my Minitrac.

He gave me a vest from the company E-Cooline and said that I would absolutely have to try it. He borrowed it from another booth.

The vest would cool you, you just have to put water on it, the water would not flow out, hard to believe!!!
The vest would absorb the water, virtually sweat and thus cool you.
It was invented for fire fighters.

The cooling vest was working!!!

A quantum leap for quality of live.

I underwent a two-week stress test with the cooling vest in Crete.

The E-Cooline vest is really cooling, ingenious!!!

It doesn’t get wet, the body feeling can be described as cooling-clammy, but it is not unpleasant.

Be careful with filling water in it as 4 liters fit inside, and then you would have to wait approximately 3 days until you are able to wear this “lead vest” again. There is no water dripping off. 0,5 liters are more than enough for approximately 4 hours at 30°C in the shade.

The Cooline vests are available in a simple design with velcro tape, see picture above, or two rows of snap fasteners and additional removable lower part.

From the same material there are scarfs and caps available which I would like to test as well.

I was able to stroll around at the beach promenade with my wife in the afternoons at 30° C in the shade without water sprayer or wet towel.
The cooling vest made a great holiday possible, and I have just ordered a black vest and cap.

The price of approximately 300 € is not low, but if you bear in mind what you have to pay for good winter clothing or trivial cotton jeans I consider the price justifiable for a vest out of such a high tech material.

This vest opens so many possibilities for me, I don’t have to hide any more in summer!!!

The only disadvantage is that the vest weighs around 4 kg after washing and you have to wait 3-4 days until it has dried again.

You can purchase these vests from E-Cooline
Unfortunately these vests don’t have a medical device number. With an adequate prescription and statement from the doctor some health insurances would bear the expenses.

For question as usual: rollinator@eigude.de

With all this verbiage Karl Lagerfeld would probably be proud of me!
PG-13 prohibits to show my “six-pack” stomach!

Translator BL

Technical Aids for Quadriplegics VIII

Tuesday, May 24th, 2011

Frontpage

There are really good technical aids available.

These technical aids are often developed by concerned people, produced in small batches and are in many cases not known by physicians and therapists.

We “Teddies“ (Quadri- or Tetraplegics) often have limited or not any finger function any more.

A companion had a great idea, worked it out until production readiness and distributes this individually adapted gripping aid under the name

Gripability

www.gripability.de

You have a let’s call it gripper adapted to the hand.
This is opened and closed pneumatically by pushing a button with the other arm.

Depending on the handicap there are various different grippers, hand adaptions, etc. etc. etc…

You are able to grip again.
This gripping aid facilitates again independent eating, drinking, writing… ingenious!!

When I was asked I immediately volunteered as test person for new developments. Maybe I can help a little bit.

Look at the homepage and make it known.
Not to be able to walk any more is one thing, but not to be able to grip properly any more is not really great.

Take away the tools from a technician, and he will get them back!!!
The key chain is from the German technical relief organization ;-)

Let’s wait and see if I recognize myself in the mirror after the next test series :-)

Translator BL

 

Simply Great Part V – PR Blog

Monday, January 31st, 2011

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At this stage I would like to thank Mr. Bock, the owner of a travel agency specialized on wheelchair travels. I had already booked various trips there. In December during our first personal conversion (it was about the details of a reservation) he had the idea to introduce my blog on the travel agency’s newsletter. There are some thousand people on his distribution list, so it should be possible to help effected people. He also employs a wheelchair user and knows about our challenges and projects. Such a PR would be nice!

Of course I am quite taken with such conversations, but unfortunately usually there are rarely results.

On Saturday I received the January newsletter!

There it was, the first Rollinator PR Blog, and the whole thing without any more discussions, great thing!

** client offers advice for free

Internet – Steffen L., wheelchair user and **client, writes in his Blog “Eigude” about odd experiences from everyday life and innovative ideas for wheelchair users:

“News from the Rollinator” – this title shines above the comprehensive Web-Blog of Steffen L. The hobby internet editor is in a wheelchair only since 2007, but in this short time he has collected already a considerable amount of information.

“When you, sitting in a wheelchair, have left the hospital or the rehab the drama begins. You are left on your own, and everybody has to re-invent the wheel to manage everyday life.”
“Therefore this blog with a lot of tips and tricks.”

Interested persons can find the website onwww.eigude.de
As expert for individual technical aids solutions the author offers advice for free!

** Contact details of the travel agency can be requested as usual on rollinator@eigude.de

More than 150 clicks in 24 hours, uff…

Translator BL

Mouseblog

Saturday, January 29th, 2011

Frontpage

“Die Maus”

(translator’s note: The Mouse, a popular character from German kids TV) escorts me since 2,5 years, already at the time when I was still in hospital, back on my rucksack, in my wheelchair life.

Meanwhile I also have the Mouse as figurehead and a Mouse-toolkit on my hand cycle.

Two people from the Aids foundation have pinned an Aids ribbon on it a couple of weeks ago.

My wife has even baked Mouse muffins and Mouse cakes for me.

The Mouse can witness everything what I have experienced.

It will be 40 years this year.

Because I am also facing the 40 and even Wiki couldn’t reveal to me who is older I went to the homepage and have asked the Mouse itself.

The editorial office has sent a very nice e-mail to me.

According to my opinion the exact age of the Mouse should not be concealed.

Extract from this e-mail:
Because the Mouse has entered the world already on March 7th 1971 while you have set foot on this planet as new arrival only 6 months later, the Mouse is clearly the older one.

Of course I had to report this to you.

I am asking to put the date in your calendars and wish the Mouse a happy birthday on March 7th.

Translator BL

Nothing but the truth…

Thursday, January 27th, 2011

Frontpage

As you can see from the tags (frontpage right site) the subject of handicap parking almost protrudes my blog meanwhile.
But I absolutely have to tell this story, I have witnesses:

On Monday I exceptionally took my own car to go to the hospital, I wanted to go to physiotherapy in their therapy pool. Usually I take the handicap taxi service for this.

Great thing with this taxi service, thanks to the city of Frankfurt from this side.
In half a year 96 taxi rides respectively 36 taxi rides when a car is owned are for us handicapped Frankfurt citizens within the town and surroundings free of charge. The city bears the costs.
This should be introduced in the whole of Germany.

Then it was time again for having some fun with parking at the hospital.

On one of the 6 disabled parking places a minivan taxi was standing, great…


When I arrived another wheelchair user just parked his car on the left side in the restricted parking (we are allowed to), but left enough space for not blocking the SUV which stood on one of the disabled parking places.

I parked my car into this space because the wheelchair driving SUV driver is a friend of mine with whom I am in the water together anyway.
When I looked around from my car out of the open door which kind fellow citizen might help me getting out of the car I could hardly believe my own eyes.

There was actually sitting a (female) driver in the minivan taxi!!!

I didn’t see her before, the blood pressure rises if you want or not.
I don’t mind if pedestrians are parking on a disabled parking place if they remain sitting in the car and drive their vehicle away when one of us would like to park there.
In this moment another wheelchair user arrived with his car and parked on the other side in the restricted parking.

Is the lady really that ignorant?

Just wait until I am out of the car!
I had the impression that she was watching me.

Hmmm, why not actually get out of the car with her help?

Then the lady gets at least out of her warm car in the fresh (cold) air, is doing something good, and an adequate comment will be placed by me at the end for free as well.

I beckoned to her, and to my surprise she actually approached me from her car.
My look was probably not the friendliest one.

Even before I could say anything she said meekly to me:

I know, I know… my car is not starting, I am waiting for the breakdown service!

Can I help?

Translator BL

Simply Great Part IV

Thursday, January 27th, 2011

Frontpage

What you need as wheelchair user is the patience of others, everything is “going” a little slower, and much space, always and everywhere.

Everybody who already stood in a changing room of a department store knows how “big” these rooms are.

Such a changing room in general is wheelchair friendly.
You can access it without barriers and it doesn’t have doors either.

Ok, you can’t turn around either, the coat hooks are mounted a little too high, stool or bench are standing in your way, but apart from that it’s quite cozy inside.

Although it is hardly possible to try on clothes inside, it is perfectly suitable for a little nap.

Actually somebody from a large green department store chain has given some thoughts and has built a

Wheelchair Changing Room

in Frankfurt. I don’t know if it is the only one.
The description

extra large

is not overstated.

Great thing!!!

The space in this room is so gigantic that you almost need a GPS to find the exit again.

Translator BL

Christmas Tree 2010 Part I

Saturday, December 18th, 2010

Sorry, this entry is only available in Deutsch.

(Deutsch) Werbung Part I

Tuesday, November 30th, 2010

Sorry, this entry is only available in Deutsch.