Archive for October, 2011

Wheelchair Tuning Part XXVII

Saturday, October 29th, 2011

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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 construction corner :-)

Tuesday, October 25th, 2011

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I already mentioned several times that I should rest my broken leg despite orthosis in an elevated position as much as possible.

To rest the leg elevated sitting in my own wheelchair under my desk on a small flower stool turns out to be a little inconvenient, especially when you permanently need something, or the arm is not long enough again…
I refuse the tank wheelchair in my flat (see blogpost below).

The latest “technical aids construct” appears a little clumsy at first sight, but is well thought on and almost ready for series production.

With a Swedish drawer box, the book “Our Wonderful Planet” and a blue pillow of a German coffee roaster a rolling board for flower pots from my stairwell which I coaxed as permanent loan from my neighbour was pimped to the exact positioning height of my leg.

Rolling board

I now put my leg coolly on my rolling board-drawer box and drive comfortably with my wheelchair under the desk.

With a special adaption on the wheelchair my rolling board should also be outdoor suitable. A medical device number has been applied for, and a motorization is currently in the planning phase!

Translator BL

Technical Aids Tips and Tricks XLV

Sunday, October 23rd, 2011

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I am coming back again to my favourite subject,

Handicap Parking

(See older blogposts).

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

Chock Part XII

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011

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Today only moaning!!!

After 3 weeks of permanent lying in a hospital bed I was glad to be home again.
I knew that the whole situation with broken leg and orthosis would be a little inconvenient in everyday life, and usually I see everything quite sportingly, but the quantity of small and big fouls can hardly be compensated even with larger amounts of pills.
It’s hard to believe how a broken leg which is anyway “standing” useless on the footrest or stool can bother you.

Thus I haven’t written a new blogpost for a couple of days due to lack of time.
Although I have a customized car with hand throttle I can’t use it because the broken leg has to be constantly rested in an elevated position so that it won’t swell, great…
Outside trips are not possible with the tank wheelchair (see last blogpost). Well, now the weather is quite crappy anyway.
If you have finally reached the desk with the leg on the flower stool to do something useful the printer paper is empty, or you can’t reach the correspondence in the filing basket any more.

Because I “may” lie in my bed frequently and early and my finger function is quite crappy anyway I thought the acquisition of a tablet PC with touch screen instead of a laptop with internet connection via WLAN for the bedroom would be quite smart. For everybody who suffers from chronic boredom I recommend an Acer 500 with Android operating system. This thing is comparable to an iPad.

Synchronization with my Windows PC is possible, but you “just” have to look for suitable apps out of perceived 2 million in the internet first and install them. New job profile: Certified App Finder, this would be something nice. Then feed this multimedia device with some data, connect to the router, and lying about in the bedroom is possible with world connection as well.

My home network router might bring WiFi connection through the complete Gobi desert, but in a reasonable reinforced concrete building with iron door cases in which I live it ends from office to bedroom after 9 meters. Great…

A second router is quickly organized, but about the installation of it as WLAN repeater I will write a scientific essay some time and submit it to Stockholm.

I was momentarily willing to return my certificate as electronic technician to the chamber of commerce. Is that possible???

With all the wire mess I had managed in the meantime that a cable got entangled in the spokes of my wheelchair so that it was not possible to move neither back nor forth any more.

So, enough moaning, now I will dedicate myself to the chaos caused in the office, it can be only a matter of days…

Translator BL

 

Addendum 2 Chock X

Monday, October 10th, 2011

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As mentioned, even the white orthosis was at some stage finalized, and I left the hospital.
The great thing with this kind of orthosis is that you can bend your leg. Therefore you are quite mobile in the flat because you can sit in your own wheelchair. The leg should be rested in an elevated position as much as possible, which I realize with two flower stools and a cushion. The transfer to bed, shower… is ok.
With the rented

“Tank Wheelchair”,

in which you are supposed to drive with outstretched leg, independent navigation even in the flat is not possible for me.
This thing makes no headway, and it doesn’t have hand rim coats either.
Furthermore with this size I would need a new set of furniture after two weeks. A transfer to the bed is very critical, even with a second person.
A trip outside with pusher can’t be expected from anyone. At the

White Orthosis

the finetuning was still missing. Now it fits ;-)

Translator BL

Technical Aids Tips und Tricks XLIV

Wednesday, October 5th, 2011

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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

Who doesn’t ask remains unknowing!!!

Monday, October 3rd, 2011

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Today’s question for you:

Between these X-rays lies a period of 3,5 weeks.
I can see a little change and I don’t currently mind if my right leg is standing 2 mm shorter on the footrest of my wheelchair. But don’t you think as well that it is “going” a bit too slow???

Post a comment!!!

As Game Knuckle (from an African Oryx antelope)

I know the bone structure quite well.

Translator BL

Addendum Chock X

Monday, October 3rd, 2011

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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