Sorry, this entry is only available in Deutsch.
Archive for the ‘Technical Aids’ Category
(Deutsch) Nachtrag zum Eigude Pranger X
Tuesday, November 29th, 2011Eigude Shame Part XIX
Friday, November 25th, 2011
Frontpage
To protect my – caused by the paralysis – non-existent sexy butt after the accident I have got a prescription 2008 from the health insurance for my home for a special mattress and a vertically adjustable electric frame for my double bed to facilitate the transfer in and out of the wheelchair.
This mattress to prevent pressure sores consists mainly of around 5 cm x 5 cm small rubber foam cubes which relieve the pressure on the body by bending. It is quite good.
If you are like me supplied by 3 different medical supply stores at once you shouldn’t get upset if a 100 cm wide mattress is pressed into a 90 cm wide slatted frame of my double bed. That will do, better than lying on a blank frame. An exchange of the wrong mattress was arranged by medical supply store # I only after my request after 1 year when they needed a new prescription (see letter below, in German).
The screwing of the slatted frame on the bed was not considered necessary by medical supply store # II. My wife was lucky that she didn’t crash onto the floor on her side of the bed together with her slatted frame because this was not screwed tightly either because of the modification. The squeaking of the brand new electric frame could be heard by the whole neighborhood. But this could be resolved by a friend with a can of silicon spray within two hours only.
Within 2,5 years the second mattress, the third remote control on which within 6 weeks the labeling was not readable any more, and the complete electronics including power unit were exchanged at this bed.
Each year I am contacted by medical supply store # I that they need a follow-up prescription from my doctor for the continuous supply of the mattress. If it would be defect, 10 cm too wide or sagged it would possibly be exchanged.
(Letter asking for a new prescription and to get in touch with the medical supply store under the mentioned telephone number to make an appointment.)
Since a couple of weeks the prescription is lying about on my desk. I am definitely interested to make an appointment, see letter. Nobody is answering the phone, the waiting loop is yelling as if you are at boot camp, and nobody reacts on my e-mails either. At least they are thanking me in advance for my efforts.
Translator BL
I am freezing, let’s get going!!!
Friday, November 18th, 2011
Frontpage
I took the ad hoc decision to follow the established tradition as German retiree and drive around on the canary islands in the coming winter.
Because the journey with the boat would be “going” a little bit too slow (actually it wouldn’t matter, I would have time and could “sit” it out easily) I decided anyhow in favour of flying.
Because I have already gone through a couple of flight miles with a wheelchair and experienced some weird things here are some tips.
Flight trips with wheelchair made easy!
When booking at your travel agency specify already any required medical devices with indication of size and weight, and if required additional assistance at the airport. Medical devices will be transported free of charge anywhere.
It came to my attention that if you need to take along any hard drugs, especially at the entry of the United States, a medical certificate and a lot of time is required.
At the check-in, approach an airport employee and get to the check-in counter with him from the side without any bad conscience, independent of the length of the queue.
Alternatively there is a “handicapped meeting point” in the terminals with an assistance button, after pressing of which a professional wheelchair pusher is coming who will manage everything.
In Frankfurt it is allowed to sit in your own wheelchair until you reach the door of the aircraft. Usually you are the first passenger on the flight. Then you are carried by two “volunteers” in a small plane wheelchair which reminds a bit of a sack truck to your seat, and then the “dwarf tossing” to the window seat begins.
Now it is advisable to pray.
Will your own wheelchair find its way into the cargo bay of the same aircraft?
Will your wheelchair be available and navigable at the destination airport?
In order to avoid that your wheelchair will be treated like ordinary luggage at the destination airport, but hopefully will be brought to the exit of the plane instead there is a label:
Delivery at Aircraft.
This means for the luggage guys at the plane as much as: Please be so kind not to load the object adherent to the label on the luggage cart and leave it here!!!
Keep the labels, don’t throw them away, you might need them for the return flight.
Sometimes there are no more labels available, which might end up extremely annoying when you are still sitting in the plane, and the wheelchair is already lying on the bulky luggage belt in the terminal.
The airport employees around the world are trained so well, they even manage to fold a wheelchair with a rigid-welded frame.
Although I have a foldable wheelchair it has a cross bar to attach an electric wheelchair-tractive type Minitrac. What I have experienced with that, see older blog post.
When the luggage loaders tried to fold my wheelchair it ended with little crashes several times already. Meanwhile I have a reversible, bilingual label on the seat:
Wheelchair not foldable.
It helped the last two times.
I have another label to offer:
Handle with care!
It probably doesn’t help, but brightens the wheelchair up with its red and blue design.
You shouldn’t forget to remind a flight attendant approximately 30 minutes before landing that you are a wheelchair user.
The pilot then hopefully won’t forget the notification at the destination airport, and the probability to leave the aircraft in a reasonable time increases dramatically.
Have fun with your next flight trip!!!
When I think about it, maybe I should better take the boat after all!
Translator BL
Wheelchair Tuning Part XXVII
Saturday, October 29th, 2011Frontpage
The instruction of my chief physician to rest my injured leg in an elevated position meanwhile causes sleepless nights for me.
Because the special
rented tank wheelchair
with foldaway footrests is innavigable for me and far too big I am already thinking since the time in hospital how I could realize to mount something on my wheelchair so that I can permanently rest my leg elevated, but also bend it.
I got the tip several times to put a wooden board below my cushion. Everybody who was ever sitting on a rocker knows where that ends.
Yesterday morning I woke up after a leg-elevation nightmare and miraculously I had a foldaway, removable footrest from my tank wheelchair on my everyday wheelchair. Strange things happen…???
I was very much delighted, a miracle, it must have something to do with Halloween.
First active wheelchair oft he world with fixed and foldaway foot rests
I would never dare to drill holes into my medcial supply store wheelchair. 
Translator BL
Technical Aids Tips and Tricks XLV
Sunday, October 23rd, 2011Frontpage
I am coming back again to my favourite subject,
Handicap Parking
I have already experienced the “Worst Case” several times, that somebody parked his car in that way next to mine so that I wasn’t able to open the driver’s door completely any more, what is a “must” for me and my wheelchair.
To draw the attention of the other road users to it I have fixed a sign 15 cm x 15 cm with the text: „Please keep distance“ at the inside of the door, which is however still “not seen” by some people.
The CBF (Club of handicapped and their friends, Darmstadt), sells for little money a
yellow sign, “Please keep distance!”,
which one can fix to the window of the driver’s door, like the flags from the football world cup. This sign can’t really be overlooked any more.
I think this is great and ordered it immediately. Due to my broken leg with hospital stay a long time test could not be executed yet.
Source of Supply:
CBF Darmstadt e.V.
Link: www.cbf-da.de
There you can also order the handicap toilet key (see older blogpost).
Who still parks his car too close to mine then, I declare handicapped as well, i.e. blind, chronic off road dementia, or an incurable psychic disease.
Addendum:
A guarantee can’t be provided, teehee…read Robo’s comment 
Translator BL
Technical Aids Tips und Tricks XLIV
Wednesday, October 5th, 2011Frontpage
With all my replacement parts in and on my body I have to apply for a passport as “Borg” soon if it is “going” on like this. But without all this high tech there wouldn’t be much going on with me.
It always makes me a little sad when healthy adults call each other a “spaz”.
I only think: If you haven’t got a clue simply shut up!
Click here on the picture!
Spasticity occurs due to neural damages. The reasons are various, e.g. genetic defect, stroke or as in my case an injury of the spinal cord.
My damaged nerve endings got bored in a way six month after the accident, and they decided to give my body, especially my legs, tremors.
There were such powers that I could unintentionally do a backbend where only heels and shoulders were touching the bed.
In that time the spasticity increased daily. Some day one has reached the end of the medication dose that can be delivered with pills.
There is an ingenious solution, an
Implanted Medication Pump.
This pump is “embedded” surgically under the skin in the abdomen. From there a tube (catheter) is going to the spine. There is a needle which delivers the medication into the intrathecal space where fluid flows around the spinal cord. Because the medication is delivered directly to where it’s needed instead of tablets going through stomach, intestine, blood…, only small amounts of medication are needed.
The pump is programmable from the outside. To refill it the skin and a small silicone membrane in the pump are pierced with a needle.
Such a refilling with the amount of three-quarter of a champagne glass is enough for around 6 months for me.
After 7 years the batteries of the pump are empty and I have to go under the knife again. But I don’t mind…!!!
Just in time for my last birthday the pump got additionally filled with morphine against the pain. What a trip, I’d rather be boozed!!! 
Translator BL
Addendum Chock X
Monday, October 3rd, 2011Frontpage
Master Gepetto from the orthopedic craft shop actually managed to finalize the orthosis on Thursday afternoon so that nothing stands in the way of being released from the hospital. However I have to correct the naming of the orthosis. The name snow lionpard is invalid.
At closer examination it is clearly the model known from Star Wars:
Imperial Clone Trooper
After three wins in a row I have hung up the Eintracht Frankfurt pennant above my bed at home as well.
Translator BL
Wheelchair Tuning Part XXVI
Monday, September 5th, 2011Frontpage
Especially with the current rainy weather conditions the maintenance of the wheelchair shouldn’t be neglected.
The driving wheels get wet, and the axes could rust. According to my opinion the driving wheels should be removed from the wheelchair latest every 4 weeks. Clean the axes with a piece of cloth and lubricate with grease or machine oil. If this is not done regularly the axes can run dry. When these are free of grease
surface rust
![](http://www.eigude.de/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/IMG_2856c.jpg "Away with the \"brown stuff"!!!")
could be generated on the axes, which could be stuck to such an extent that the wheels might not be separated from the wheelchair any more.
If this dark brown film is already on the axes it shouldbe removed from the axes, otherwise it could bring the greatest difficulties the next time when the wheels should be put on or pulled off the wheelchair.
The dark brown film can be removed with a knife, steel brush or best with emery paper.
When the axes are blank again, oil or grease them anew, and the wheelchair is fit again.
As you can see from the picture this happened to me as well!
Translator BL
Hand cycle boot camp Part I
Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011Frontpage
I got persuaded to travel to the “near abroad” last week for a hand cycle boot camp
Oberstdorf im Allgäu (Bavaria).
I have been to many countries already and was able to communicate with the respective inhabitants in English or French quite well.
Apart from the language barrier, the weather has disturbed my whole training schedule.
My since months proven and tested training schedule with several rides in the rain per day was ruined totally by one week of everlasting sunshine. In London (Paralympics 2012) it rains the whole year, as everybody knows, so you have to be prepared.
My equipment had to be converted rapidly from high speed rain jacket to strongly braking cooling cap and vest.
Due to the beautiful sunsets every day the coaches got so melancholic that there was nothing to do with them any more. They were occupied with writing post cards and painting by numbers.
The signage of the race track must have been the result of
Fools at work.
signs in both directions meaning: all trails
Meanwhile I had completely lost my way, so that I ended up on the
Nebelhorn
middle sign meaning: panorama trail – wheelchair and stroller accessible
and finally on the
Way of St James
(in German: Jakobsweg)
OK, this was driven back quickly .
Back in Frankfurt at last.
Last night I was finally able to exercise reasonably again with 16°C and 20 litres of rain/m²!
Translator BL
Addendum Technical Aids Tips and Tricks XIV
Friday, August 5th, 2011
Frontpage
Addendum to
Swedish laptop knee table Bräda (new name BYLLAN)
I have introduced this laptop table as rather cheap, useful wheelchair tray.
The writer and musician Robert Schneider volunteered courageously as Bräda tester.
He is known for his extravagant-hessian writing style (www.laufenverlernt.de.vu).
I mentioned one of his books in an older blogpost.
He took the knee tray Bräda through extra tough quality tests.
Despite of the little bit too soft surface board I was positively surprised.
Here during a transport test with additional tray, at speed of exactly 11 km/h with
3 liters hop blossom ice tea and 6 x 0,5 liter pints
Due to safety reasons, this test is mainly executed with dummies.
A typo has slipped in, it was at 0,11 km/h.
Translator BL
Technical Aids Tips and Tricks XLII
Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011Frontpage
I have extensively described my enthusiasm about a cooling vest (see older blogpost).
Yesterday evening I have tested a
cooling baseball cap from the company Cooline
www.e-cooline.de
Actually unbelievable, but you are sitting with a black cap in the sun at 28°C in the shade with your head being cooled.
“Only” water is put on this cap, like on the vest, about 0,3 liter. The fleece on the inside of the cap absorbs the water, and the cap virtually sweats and cools.
Ingenious!!!
Unfortunately my match was cancelled, I forgot my tennis shoes.
Translator BL
Technical Aids Tips und Tricks XLI
Tuesday, July 26th, 2011Frontpage
After a few months in the hospital you get on rather friendly terms with nurses and physicians.
Of course a little piece of humour belongs to it as well.
If one as quadriplegic (spinal injury in the cervical area) like me can’t use arms and hands in an efficient way any more, spaghetti are not the favourite type of pasta.
One day the nurse came with the lunch, it was spaghetti, put it on my bedside table and was waiting for my comment if he could cut the pasta for me.
He was waiting for the comment in vain. I tried to eat these long objects by myself, have to see it sportingly, luckily I was not hungry…
It was a perfect show!!!
At some time a physician came into the room and watched this scenario with the pasta and me slightly grinning, but didn’t propose to cut the pasta neither, and I wasn’t keen on asking her.
I said to her that next time when the food is spaghetti again I would be motorised. I would only need two tie wraps to fix a fork. But had the suspicion that my milk frother would be a little bit too fast. We both had some fun. She didn’t seriously believe the thing about motorisation.
I only thought: You don’t know me!!!
Have a look yourself, one week later the
9,5 Volt Spaghetti Tetra Fork
About risks and generated injuries please contact your physician, nurse or nearest do-it-yourself-store staff.
Addendum: Construction manual for spaghetti tetra bit by popular request.
Saw a standard fork off and forge it flat. Really flat.
Saw approx. 5 cm off an M6 Allen key and weld it lengthwise to the fork stump. Not to the tine, I know it can happen!!!
Polish the welding seam with a one hand angle grinder. If possible keep a little bit of the welding.
Balance the bit at low speed on a drill press with a rubber mallet like a car tyre. Placing additional weight is not absolutely necessary.
Buy a cordless electric screwdriver with very low rotation speed, otherwise the special fork can be used to whip cream.
Boil spaghetti, and it’s done.
Safety instruction: Don’t start screwdriver with fork brought into the mouth, otherwise only the dentist will be happy.
Have fun with dotting your flat red!
Translator BL
(Deutsch) Nachtrag zum Artikel vom 29.06.2011 ĂĽber eine KĂĽhlweste!
Tuesday, July 19th, 2011Sorry, this entry is only available in Deutsch.
Eigude Shame XVII
Wednesday, July 13th, 2011Frontpage
My suspicion is that construction engineers compress their planning to the most confined space not because building sites are so expensive, but only for that reason because they would otherwise need to print another piece of paper!
Everybody knows it, when you are writing a letter on the PC and the text doesn’t fit onto one page, you also try with smaller line spacing and font to squeeze everything onto one page.
In a building in the neighbourhood a new emergency stair case with new entrance area was built in the record-breaking time of two years.
They have taken much effort that the residents of the neighbouring houses will still remember the reconstructions years later.
I was positively surprised that on the side of the entrance a small
Outside lift for wheelchairs
was built. Great thing because in this building there are living also many old and frail people who may need a wheelchair in a couple of years.
We generously overlook the stair on the left with which the waste disposal is made a little difficult for us “travelling people”.
I am actually not concerned any more, but how can you construct such an extremely
Steep Stairway.
The stairs are very high and consist even out of polished granite. The lady on the picture had greatest difficulties to climb the entrance with her walking stick. There would have been more than enough space to front for the stairway construction, but as mentioned probably the paper was too small. The guy who is responsible for the construction of this stairway should be accused for attempted injury.
After the next winter the fresh wheelers due to a downfall from the stairs will probably queue in front of the outside lift!!
Translator BL
