Every morning starts with the spirited bite into the screw cap.

As long as the tube is still full you can manage to get something out most of the time, even without finger function. However, at some point you don’t need coffee anymore for breakfast because proportional to the decreasing amount of toothpaste left in the tube the blood pressure rises.

You all know those plastic clips for sealing bags (see older post).a>

Mit dem Klip kann ich die Tuben jetzt recht gut festhalten

Now with this clip I can get a pretty good grip of the tube.

After removing the screw cap from the tube place it on the sink and squeeze it with one hand.

No need to empty the tube at once .

Translator BW

Hilfsmittel- Qual-ität aus deutschen Landen

Öfter mal was neues…

Es ist kaum zu glauben, aber am Montag hatte ich nach dem Duschen bei meinem Duschrolli am Vorderreifen einen Platten.

Ich bekam den Duschrolli als neues Hilfsmittel als ich seinerzeit im Herbst 2008 nach dem Unfall das Krankenhaus verließ. Die gelbe Gelauflage hatte ich mir nach langer Suche, privat angeschafft.

Es scheint sich bei dem Duschrolli um ein Sondermodell zu handeln, denn seit ich ihn habe, wird dieser im Vergleich zum Benutzer kontinuierlich leichter.

Die Rahmenrohre rosten von innen und ständig brechen Teile, oder fallen ab.
Diverse Plastikabdeckungen, Federn, Schrauben und Muttern… Da geht/sitzt mehr kaputt als der Stuhl Teile hat. ^^

Dieses mal flüchtete die Lauffläche des rechten Vollgummireifens.

Die großen Hinterräder, die man eigentlich abmachen könnte, sind Mithilfe von Rost und Kalk mit dem Stuhl in Symbiose gegangen. Diese halten vorbildlich und sind wie festgeschweißt.

Es handelt sich selbstverständlich nicht um Konstruktionsfehler, oder minderwertige Materialien!

Ich bin schuld, ich benutze ihn deffinitiv zu oft. Kein Duschtoirolli ist für eine tagtägliche Benutzung konzipiert, oder…???

Bei einer täglichen Strecke von 15 Metern vom Schlafzimmer, ins Bad und auch wieder zurück, waren das in den letzten sechs Jahren mindestens 60 km die ich als “Rollender Nudist” zurück legte.

Das hält selbst der “Beste Duschrolli” nicht aus…!!!

Ich sollte mir langsam über die Anschaffung von einer 5 kg-Dose “Rokokopuder” Gedanken machen.

Hier geht’s,…ääh..fährt man zur

Bathtubs are only used rarely by us wheelers.
Here some Spanish mechanics really have bricked up the former bath tub and made a storage rack out of it. I like!

My wife as a pedestrian felt discriminated.

Taking a closer examination, it could also be a

Sacrophagus of a tomb

You better don’t ask the question if there is still anybody lying in it.

Translator BL

At that time, I criticised among other things that nobody had unwound the emergency cord.

It is rather bad when you are lying on the floor after a wheelchair-floor-transfer while trying to transfer from wheelchair to toilet and then your are not able to reach the alarm.

In case of emergency you can’t open the door from the inside either because wisely the door lock is mounted at 1,50 m. Probably designer model “Dirk Nowitzki”.

I am not so experienced about industry standards in the area of accessible building, but I would be surprised if such a high installation height of a door lock is allowed. Whereas… the thought is not so far off…!!!

Even wheelchair test person “Detective” had difficulties with the door lock!

I had pointed out the “trifle” with the emergency cord already several times, but it had not been unwound within 4 months anyway. I couldn’t reach the knot up there, otherwise I would have done it myself.

When I complained at a therapist – let’s call her “Work-out” – on 22.04.2013 again about the emergency cord with the Gordian knot she immediately took care of the problem and unknotted the cord. Thanks again from this side.

The appearance of the tetra pot belly had to be alienated out of proprietary reasons.

As you can see on the next picture, there are other disabled toilets in this hospital with door locks in Hobbit height.

Actually it’s my own fault… I am too small… If I really make an effort I might still grow a bit and can then reach the 1,50 m door lock…!!

Translator BL

When I saw this new disabled toilet in a hospital I started thinking a little and got my camera first of all.

This toilet is disabling!!!

I consider the equipment and construction, described in friendly words, as unfortunate solution and declare this disabled toilet to be the patient.

It all starts that hardly any wheelchair user can lock the sliding door from the inside because the lock is mounted quite high. This is also possible in a different way, see older blogpost.

The transfer from wheelchair to toilet would be quite painful if not dangerous because no second handle is mounted next to the toilet. I don’t know the official regulation, but I consider two handles in a hospital disabled toilet as a matter of course.

The toilet paper holder is currently out of work. The paper roll was probably thrown into the toilet or taken away for handicrafts by the last guest because not even a dustbin is at hand.

Considering the distance to the wall, the fishing for toilet is paper is a bit tricky anyway…!!!

Maybe with some physiotherapy the new toilet paper roll under the toilet might be reachable without involuntary floor transfer.

I don’t know if the fact of

anticipated grossly negligent non-assistance

exists, but this is the case here.

A not unwound emergency cord is not acceptable for me. I would have unwound it, but I definitely can’t do it with my motor functions…!!!

It is also possible in a different way. In the pool shower in the wheelchair hotel Mar y Sol in Tenerife (see older blogposts) several emergency buttons are ideally mounted on ground level.

My friend said, when I am not able to lock the door anyway it is not necessary either to reach the emergency cord when I am lying on the floor.

I would just need to crawl to the door and wait for the next patient.

Translator BL

The reconstruction of my narrow pedestrian bathroom to a

Wheelchair Spa

in the autumn of 2008 with the moving of a wall and the installation of an on grade shower was rather nerve-wracking.

Read the older blogposts “Bath Reconstruction Part 1-4″, and decide yourself if the tears come from laughing or crying

I was already home from hospital for a couple of days when finally the washing basin was mounted.
The reconstruction was virtually finalized after a few weeks already.

There was just one little thing. The new drain of washing basin and bath tub was ailing a little. The water drained off rather reasonably, but after 25 seconds the drain started to communicate in an unknown language with me.

Just like that:
Gurgle, gurgle, rattle, rattle, bubble, bubble and once again.
Sometimes it seemed to call names.

I had a creepy feeling, everybody knows the pipe ghost, the “Moaning Myrtle” from Harry Potter.

After various unsuccessful attempts to “muzzle” the drain pipe professionally by cleaning it with a spiral I decided to visit the pipe ghost with the help of a camera.

Such a film is quite special if you climb through your own drain pipe.
During the reconstruction work a hardly worth mentionable ca. 4 cm x 4 cm small accident happened to the guys, to say a stone got stuck in the drain pipe.

When the gas-water-heating-bath construction-video expert

told me that the stone can only be removed from my neighbours underneath I was a bit more relaxed.

Then at least they don’t pry open my brand-new bathroom because of the stupid stone.

I felt so sorry for my neighbours that I didn’t arrange the removal of the stone immediately.

Now, 3,5 years later my neighbours have moved out, and the stumbling rock was finally removed.

Currently I don’t miss the “gurgle conversations” in the morning yet. Should I miss them I have filmed a video with the last words of the stone just in case.

Translator BL

Jacuzzi Hoist!

Producer is Sunrise Medical (Sopur).

Could be difficult to integrate this thing in my bathroom.

If some day only the hip bones poke out of the bottom, the butt starts to “ouch” as if you were just driving with the car nonstop from Frankfurt to Rimini.

Cushions for wheelchairs are a science in itself. Starting with a simple piece of rubber foam for cheap 120 €, via shockingly expensive comb cushions which look like a beehive for 600 €, up to inflatable special cushions which looked upon from above remind of a box of chocolate marshmallows.

I am using a comb cushion myself which actually is rather good. I consider the price of 125 € for an adequate seat cover which in my case starts ripping at the corners after 6 months as such a cheek that I have my covers privately mended to avoid charging my health insurance with such exorbitant prices. Everything has its limit, currently my cover has leather on the corners!

As just explained there are endless types of wheelchair cushions…

Why shower commode chairs are only slightly cushioned if at all, is inexplicable for me. After long research I have found an approximately 1,5 cm thick

Gel rest for shower commode chairs

The investment of 143 € is worth each cent.
I am using it daily for meanwhile 6 months now and I am absolutely content.

This shower commode chair is a standard model: Apart from the fact that the brake springs were broken after 2 years and the rear tyres were seized up, the shower water accumulates on two slots on the front tyres. This can only be topped by the fact that water is accumulating in the inside of the frame and can’t drain off, because there is no exit for it.

They should have provided the information that the shower chair is not water resistant!

Translator BL

Specialist for ladders and treads

(Picture from 2004, I am the one on top!)

Due to these experiences in occupational safety I care very much about the safety and health of other wheelchair users.

It came to my ears that some wheelchair users buy series of old, discarded, unchecked bath lifts in Ebay and spread these everywhere in their houses and flats.

They are placed e.g. next to their beds and are diverted from their intended use as

dangerous rising aid

after they have executed a hopefully respectable wheelchair-floor-transfer.
(The photo does not show my bed.)

In the instruction manual* for

bath lifts

(Aquatec Beluga*)

it is explicitly pointed out not to do this because there is a high risk potential in it.

I can only warn everybody once again to divert bath lifts from their intended use.

A mobile phone around your neck should be the permanent companion, and 3 – 15 cordless telephones standing on the floor are only disturbing the cleaner.

*The AQUATEC BELUGA is solely intended for bathing of persons inside the bath tub. Any other use is not permitted. You must not use the AQUATEC BELUGA as helping aid for boarding or deboarding, rising or dismounting, as underlay, as workshop hoist or for similar purposes. (Source: Aquatec)

How can you call a bath lift Beluga or Orca?
Are we wheelchair users all fat like a whale?
Is there anybody thinking at all?
It’s a cheek!

Click on tag „shower commode chair“!

Translator BL

In my opinion, a height adjustable luxury basin is not necessary if the wheelchair user is not a child.

Basically you should be able to agree with your partner on the mounting height, as long as the partner is not Dirk Nowitzki!

The wheelchair has to fit even with passenger underneath the washing basin.

Better remind your plumber!

Stupidly most of the washing basins are not large enough so that you are standing with the feet against the wall, and you still have to bend forward over the very expensive special washing basin.
Great!!

I consider it as advantage if the washing basin has little “wings” on the right and left side, so that the storage space is substantially larger and better to reach.

Lots of bits and pieces fit in here.

A downward foldable wall mirror is not needed by anybody.
(see older blogpost).

The mounting height of the disabled toilet is according to my information at approx. 40 cm. This really has a reasonable cause.

Above 40 cm it is not possible to drive with a shower commode chair without reconstruction over the toilet. I would like to meet the plumber who knows that.

Even in designated wheelchair hotels the toilet height can be different in each room. Everybody does what he wants.

What is interesting is that some health insurances cover either the costs for a shower commode chair, or for holding bars next to the toilet.
Thus relatively fit wheelers use the shower chair for the shower and are then obliged to use it for the daily “sitting” even though they could swing onto the toilet lid if they had the money for holding bars. The bars are shockingly expensive, I have some low priced producers in my data base.

If you need a rubber ring for the toilet seat, of course you have free choice for the mounting height.

By coincidence I got two holding bars out of stainless steel for 21 € in Ebay. The value of the material is already significantly higher. The bars don’t only look good, they are also doing well as towel rail.

An acquaintance of mine doesn’t care at all.
He is taking a shower with his “normal” wheelchair. His cushion never gets wet. He probably has one, but doesn’t sit on it even during the day.

To be continued.

Click on tag “Bath Reconstruction” to read the other blogposts of the series.

Translator BL

In the end I found a company in which the son of the boss is sitting in a wheelchair as well so they knew what a fresh wheelchair driver needs in his bathroom.

I am regularly on rehabilitation fairs and know quite some technical aids for the bathroom, but my ergonomically formed

Designer toilet lid

is quite special and actually belongs into the museum of modern art.

The company Hewi builds undoubtedly high quality bathroom equipment.

A price of 46 € for a bath tub handhold is quite heavy while it is in the meantime even mounted to my balcony wall as fly-net holder.

A price of 441,00 € excl. VAT for a

shower holder with hand rail,

for which you need a mounting kit of 25 € I consider a little bit exaggerated because it is not even working automatically. I just mean the white bar!

With my 1,38 m size in the wheelchair I can use the 2 m high shower holder now as gym bar.

To be continued!

Click on tag “Bath Reconstruction” to read the other blogposts of the series.

Translator BL