It’s quite impressive when I announce sitting in my wheelchair that I don’t have time because I have to go the sports university

… no, I am not training explicitly for the next Paralympics…

I am there in a project group for

Stochastic Resonance Therapy (STR-Therapy)

This therapy, co-developed by the institute of sports sciences in Frankfurt/Main, transmits low-frequency (6-12 Hz), randomized vibrations by two plates independent of each other. *

The effect is quite complex.
In simple words, the feet are fixed onto 2 aluminium plates, or as pedestrian you stand on the plates.

These plates move/rattle heavily and simulate walking to the body. The nerves are stimulated and suppose walking to the brain.

The success especially for people with walking disabilities is remarkable.

More information on Stochastic Resonance Therapy and experience reports and equipment (in German): click here and click here.

Except for the STR equipment there is normal workout equipment as well. A sports therapist is always available for us.

The training with other handicapped people is fun, and of course there is an intense exchange of experiences.

I wouldn’t have thought that I ever would visit a gym voluntarily. There are still places available in the project.

In the video you can see Jens Maspfuhl, reigning 6-times German champion in Wheelchair Golf. He is chairman of the private incorporated society “German accident and disaster relief”

DUK-Deutsche Unfall und Katastrophenhilfe e.V.

This society is sponsor of the project and is funding it by donations and sustaining memberships.

The society also supports successfully a vocational school for disabled people of the “Father Ray Foundation” in Thailand, many of them wheelchair users.

Because of the flooding the price for rice has increased dramatically, and therefore the Foundation needs support to feed more than 800 people per day.

Additionally, the fundless highly quadriplegic young Thai woman Nuch is supported.

There are still some donation receipts and sustaining memberships left. Donate quickly before everything is gone…

Every donation is well received in the projects, I am sustaining member myself and have donated several times!!!

Somewhere I can be seen with Jens on one of the cross-fading pictures on the DUK homepage, 16 pictures after the German minister of finance Schäuble

* Source C.Ebert

For questions as usual: rollinator@eigude.de

Translator BL

“standing wheelchair”

paid by their health insurance. This would be so great, you could be standing again in your favourite pub at the bar to have a drink, and you would be able to get a coffee mug from above out of the cupboard without problems.

All this might be correct, but the question is, did the “standing wheelchair” get a medical device number for this ?

Everybody should be clear that coffee mug transportation from the cupboard and “standing elimination” of draught beer in general don’t belong to primary health care, therefore the public health insurance would cover the costs only in exceptional cases.
Furthermore the insurance would have paid already for an everyday wheelchair for sure with which you can also get drunk. So why a second…

I am outing myself, I have such a chair, and it is medically reasonable!!!
But officially it is not a standing wheelchair, but a

Standing chair or Standing exercise device

I repeat again, why should the insurance pay for two wheelchairs…

Everybody knows it, you were lying in bed with the flu for 3 days, and when getting up you see little stars first because you feel dizzy.
After my accident I have looked at the ceiling in hospital for 9 weeks and claim since then that I knew all shades of white.
During 8 months I was buckled up each day for 1 hour on a tilt table and tilted upwards as on a torture rack to permanently stabilise my circulation without additional medication.
Furthermore the standing chair helps to prevent muscle wasting and pressure sores.

After I was home also my tilt table was gone. My circulation was not happy at all with that. Although we para- and quadriplegics are famous for our low blood pressure… with a blood pressure of 42/35 I could still count the drops of my medicine… this was hard. I got a prescription especially for a standing chair, because my blood pressure refused another standing device comparable to a speaker’s desk.
It is incomprehensible, but when using these “standing desks” I felt close to fainting after seconds.

After testing of another device and longer correspondence with my insurance, roundabout a year, which was very fast, I got a

Standing exercise device

l

(ca. 7000€) approved.

Read my blogpost about a handrail (back at the wall) as transfer aid (see older blogpost), from everyday wheelchair to standing chair.

At this point I would like to personally thank all these blithering idiots because of whom the approval of these upscale medical device at the health insurance is understandably so difficult.
If you absolutely want to “stand” at your pub’s bar, buy your standing wheelchair by yourself!!!

Small tip, even if you are not so educated in using a language. In case of non-approval of a medical device by the health insurance consider correct wording and spelling in your objection. Otherwise the correspondence can drag on for years…

I know a case in which the insurance wanted to place an electrical standing wheelchair in re-use which is 10 km/h fast into the living room of a patient in the 1st floor.
This is somehow unusual, but medically absolutely justifiable.

Translator BL

Mud packs, acupuncture, massages of all kind, stimulation current therapy, etc. etc. etc…

There is a shockingly expensive machine called Galileo which is basically just a vibrating plate on which you can regulate different frequencies.

On Saturday night we went to the group vibration therapy, similar to Galileo, to the “Festhalle” in Frankfurt (big event hall).

The English therapists are known since 1975 under the name

Iron Maiden

and achieve with their years of experience and permanent frequency changes best possible therapy successes by full body vibration.

Muscle build-up by clapping and CPAP lung exercise by singing along!

By slight shock-values generated by the stage design additionally the circulation is stimulated.
Several thousand patients were treated at the same time.

An additional positive effect is that you can still hear slightly the sound of the ocean days later which causes a holiday feeling.
Incomprehensibly the health insurance does not cover the costs of this since 36 years proven and tested alternative therapy.

Read my older blogpost Football ticket on prescription.

Translator Teo

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

Once upon a time there was a little wheelchair driver, I call him “me”,
who was snoring like a giant, so he had to go to sleep laboratory.

Although the hospital is located in the same part of the town where I live, I should/had to stay on a normal ward after the tests in the sleep laboratory at night to doze and wait.

After 3 years with daily required assistance with the morning toilet I thought it wouldn’t be the worst idea to enquire one week in advance if I had to consider anything.
Except that the rooms were accessible (I was rejected to look into the bathroom), I was told by a long-time sister nurse with white bonnet only that I had to bring a shower commode chair myself if I needed one, and that she didn’t have time for me now. (see older blogpost).

She was reproaching later that I only had requests from the start. That’s right, “information”, what a cheek, how could I dare to ask questions about this ward?

One week later I went together with my shower commode chair to the hospital. I had released my girls from the daily home care service.

First night in the sleep laboratory.

Endless cables, ECG, EEG, breath measurement, microphone, camera tracking…

I am not sure if my update was completed successfully.

At 5:30 h to ward, get into bed.
A nurse came around 8:00 h, and a nurse trainee buttered my bread rolls, yummy breakfast.
(I thanked her for that).

Along the way I was told by the inpatient care that I had to stay another night.
I gave way to my senile roommate (he was drinking with preference out my glass and was glued to TV without sound) to go to the bathroom first with the nurse trainee.
My stay in the bathroom always takes a little longer even with assistance, what I also told to the nurse. She replied she would be coming when she had time. Well, I had to have time.

Bonnet, you know who I mean, claimed on the next day that I had sent away the nurse to have some peace in the bathroom. Of course you can interpret it like this if you let your roommate go to the bathroom first.
Around 11:45 h nurse and trainee came, helped me on my shower commode chair and assisted me for around 5 minutes in the bathroom, then they left me alone standing in front of the washing basin.
When I asked about taking a shower I got basically the comment:
You are not dirty, so you don’t need one, and both left the bathroom.

I washed myself as far as it was possible with my motor skills.
The bad thing was that due to pipeline damage I could decide between cold and ice cold water. Retrospectively I didn’t want to take a shower any more.
Somebody could have said something, it was known since a week.

After half an hour I rang the bell.
I was hoping to get assistance for further washing, transfer into bed and putting on the clothes.
How fatal!!!
Bonnet came to the bathroom extremely stressed, asked what I was wanting, she was dishing out the lunch, and she didn’t have gloves. Ehhh… I was just a little late.
Short assistance in the bathroom and got my clothes together by myself. I just made it into bed with her help. Everything very relaxed!
Along the way she told me that once there was another wheelchair user there, and he had brought his own nurse. And I had released my home care girls!
Why have I been there a week before???

I was perplexed, stressed and did without any further help.
I don’t know why I didn’t tell anything to the ward physician who was just in the room.
During the attempt to put on my clothes myself a small older cut opened up and my bed sheet was dotted red.
At 12:00 h a nurse from the sleep laboratory came, my neighbour just got his lunch, she helped me to put on my clothes.
Then I had two examinations, later a sleeping mask was fitted for me, and I was explained in a kind of support group the function and maintenance of a “sleep respirator”. Until then I didn’t see a physician in charge, not that I mind…

15:00 h escape to home, I skipped my lunch which was still standing around.
20:00 h back to the lion’s den.
Before I had just managed that one of my girls would come to the hospital the next morning. Whew…

For inexplicable reasons there was a label with the name of my senile roommate on my pill box. My dope is good. He had diabetes of high degree. Luckily he hadn’t taken any of my pills yet. I locked them up in my closet.

I now had to use my from whomsoever prescribed sleeping mask in the sleep laboratory.

The sleeping mask, model: “I am your father”,

was not my cup of tea.

The alternative variant

type Dumbo

(nasal pillow)

brought me peaceful dreams without snoring. Thanks to nurse Christine for the unbureaucratic help.
This system is very recommendable, I will write a separate blogpost about it.

Around 07:30 h it came between bonnet and me (she came to the room because of my roommate) to a debate regarding the “care” of the previous day.
The bed with the blood spots had never been made either.
My blood pressure is very low and rarely rises above 100.
Bonnet managed within two minutes to bring my blood pressure to around 140 even without any coffee, new record.
I had to hear several times that even handicapped people should say thanks and please!
This to me…, do I have to jump for joy when I may leave the bed at 11:00 h?
Two minutes after the small dispute my home care girl arrived. She told me that she had a suspicion from the start that I would have fun in the hospital.
She was working in this hospital before and knew bonnet with her kindness.
The shower works if you want it, and there was even warm water. Thanks to Vesna. Mysteriously even my bed sheets had been changed after my stay in the bathroom. Now absolutely useless!

It was clear to me that I would leave this building as soon as possible. I visited the physician’s room and had an appointment half an hour later.

12:30 h departure with shower commode chair and anti-snoring device.

Now personally for bonnet:
Thank you that I could leave this ward!!!

The whole stress for 2 examinations and 2 interviews between 12:00 h and 15:00 h on day 1 and one follow-up talk on day 2.

Bonnet reminded me strongly of the “penguin” from the movie “Blues Brothers”.

Translator BL

wheeler yoga in bed

are showing the first results. Additionally a bit

leg training,

Swimming Pool,

Hand cycle,

Physio therapy (see older blogpost)

and I am ready for the next

Paralympics.

I am not sure about the discipline, any ideas?
I only get tired quickly!

Translator BL

Tanzstange

für meine vier Wänden anzuschaffen,
sofern klassisches Ballett nicht zu meinen bevorzugten Tanzstilen gehörte.
Jetzt als Passivtänzer habe ich mir ein

Edelstahl- Tanzgestänge

anfertigen und an der Wand montieren lassen.
Der Verwendungszweck dieser Stange ist allerdings ein anderer.
Ich stelle mich mit meinen

Rennrolli

neben mein

Stehübungsgerät
(dies ist kein Rollstuhl)

und stütze mich mit meiner Tanzstange und Rutschbrett unter Mithilfe von ungenannten Freiwilligen Helfern hinüber.
Jetzt wird festgeschnallt und ich

„Stehe wieder im Leben“.

Wie gut, dass ich nicht auf dem Bild bin, da sieht man meine Blautze wenigstens nicht. 

„Loge der Roten Kapuzenträger“

angehören.
Diese Geheimloge wurde bereits im Mittelalter gegründet.
Die Mitglieder haben damals schon erfolgreich die Schwarze Heilkunst in dunklen Kellerverliesen ausgeübt.
Heute sind die “Therapieräume” hell erleuchtet und wirken freundlich.
Die Geräte erscheinen modern, erfüllen jedoch den gleichen Zweck wie bereits vor 500 Jahren.
Die Therapeuten/innen besitzen heute noch das Geheimwissen, sich gegenseitig Botschaften über den Körper der Patienten zu übermitteln.
Wie wäre es ansonsten möglich, dass bei verschiedenen Physiotherapeuten/innen, aus den unterschiedlichsten Bundesländern sofort, z.B. am Rücken die schmerzhaftesten Stellen nur durch Handauflegen gefunden werden.
Dies ist meiner Erfahrung nach, nur durch peinlichst genaue Markierung möglich, die uns Laien verborgen bleibt.
Die Behauptung, Physiotherapeuten/innen frönen nur ihrer “Sadistischen Ader” ist haltlos.

Sollten bei den „Therapiesitzungen“ tatsächlich einmal Verletzungen auftreten, kommt sofort der:

Schweizer Notfallkoffer

zum Einsatz.

Dessen Inhalt bleibt uns auf ewig ein Räsel.