I'm in a wheelchair now, I don't know if it's permanent or no just yet- find that out soon. But, it is so annoying! I used to play sports all the time, go to the gym all the time, and I can't do that now. I haven't been in the wheelchair for very long, but it actually drives me crazy. If it is permanent, then I'll have to do a complete redo of our house.

Not to mention, my nephew thinks it's the coolest toy ever and steals it all the time. I'm glad it cheers him up, poor kid has a lot on his mind, but it makes getting around the house pretty difficult. He also taken to wanting to decorate the wheelchair

Just drives me nuts, I'm a guy who LOVES athletics and I'm stuck lazing about on the sofa watching TV and movies all day. At least I got a laptop.

[mandazzle]

((((vince))))
It happens, just try to stay optimistic, and don't do anything bad that will prolong your time in a wheelchair.

[SeptemberMorn]

Ledgewood, I've been in a wheelchair for some years now. My grandkids think it's a great toy and always want to sit on my lap and drive it or for me to take them for spins. It's an electric power chair, you see. I'm very thankful for it because it allows to me go almost anywhere I want to be.

What I've had to do in my house is to put metal stripping along the hall walls and metal up and down the corners because they were pretty thrashed from me hitting them accidentally.

If this turns out to be permanent for you, there are people that still play sports and work out at gyms. You don't have to lay around like a couch potato. No doubt, there is some physical therapy that you can take to strengthen the body parts that need it so that you can continue to live as full a life as possible.

Don't let your illness have you! Push it back as far as it will allow you and then some! You can do it! If I can, and I'm an old lady, I know YOU can! Go for it!

[splitimage]

Ledgewood,

I'm sorry that must be frustrating. But as someone else has already said, that if it is permanent it doesn't mean you have to give up sports entirely. 'there are wheelchair basketball leagues after all. Heck you could have a great future ahead of you in the paraolympics.

I'm not trying to make light of your situation - just trying to get you to think of some of the positives.

Hang in there.

Splitimage

[Christina86]

Hey ((((((((ledgewood)))))))))))

Kids seem to really like wheelchairs. Apparently according to people who I've gotten to try them out for a while have had difficulty with them... me, since I've been in a (manual) wheelchair since birth... its the same old, same old.

Why are you in a wheelchair now? I hope you get your mobility back. In the mean time, if people upset you, you can run over their toes. And you can be a heckuva lot faster than most people in a wheelchair (once you get the hang of it anyways)

Depending on your level of mobility... i'd suggest free weights at the gym, or the cardio machines where you sit and exercise your upper body... wheeling can take a lot out of you if you're new to it.... wheeling around can really be a pain the *** (or arms, back, neck, shoulders...) Swimming, can you still do that? Good luck, if you need any tips for physical fitness or whatnot, send me a PM!

ledge,
i am so sorry for everything that you are going through. I am so thankful that you are still here and i want you to know that i really enjoy talking to you and you are an important person. Stay strong i know you can get through this

[runningfromchaos]

((((Vince))))

You'll make it, your stronger than you think you are...good thing for lap tops huh.

Thanks everyone. Just found out the paralysis in my leg is permanent too Thank you for the kind words everyone.

[wisewoman]

I am so sorry, what caused the paralysis? I quess I missed that. Please keep telling us how you are doing.

I'm sorry Vince, I know that everything will be okay though.
((((((vince)))))))

[(JD)]

Is this a manual wheelchair of which you speak? Or a motorized one?

I hope it's motorized; they've found that manual ones really tear up the rotator cuffs.

This has to be a real shock and upset for you. (((hugs)))) It has to feel unbelievable at times, and other times the reality must overwhelm you too.

I was in a wheelchair (long before motorized ones) for a short time during my twenties. Of course, I didn't know it wasn't permanent, and neither did the doctors. Now, for a different reason, I do use a motorized one for big activities, as I can't walk far without increasing my pain substantially.

Give yourself time to grasp this. There are great resources to help you find what you can do, and what new paths you wish to take now. Life goes on...it changes all the time, and can change again for you...even for the better.

Paralysis was caused by a injury, don't really want to get into the details of it in a thread.

It's a manual one, once my shoulder is healed I may be able to use a crutch because it's only one of my legs, but my shoulder may never fully heal so I don't know

I'll talk to my doc about a motorized one for sure, thanks Sky.

[(JD)]

(((ledge))) Yeah, I don't discuss my injury much either. Have they offered one of those electronic gadgets that move your leg for you, to walk? Maybe in the future, as you or the technology improve.

Oh you do know you simply must push through the pain and get that shoulder healed. I know of many ppl who didn't and the shoulder froze.

After 21 years, I'm still in PT 3x a week...and I see a pain/stress mgmt doctor also 3x a week... gotta do what works.

Ooo, never heard of those, but I don't want to wind up looking like The Terminator and scaring my kids

[mandazzle]

(((((vince)))))
Tell me all about riding in the mud in your wheelchair lol.

Lol- I think I may have to hold off on that, but we'll see Maybe best not to muck my leg up more then it already is.

[wisewoman]

Have you ever seen the wheel chair on tracks that climb stairs and go out into woods and fields and stuff? Now THAT is independence. Cool inventions. I hope you heal well and keep on trucking. I too am in PT 3x per week. EEKS!

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wisewoman said:
Have you ever seen the wheel chair on tracks that climb stairs and go out into woods and fields and stuff? Now THAT is independence. Cool inventions. I hope you heal well and keep on trucking. I too am in PT 3x per week. EEKS!

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You may be talking about the Ibot::



he iBOT is a variety of powered wheelchair, developed by Dean Kamen in a partnership between DEKA and Johnson and Johnson's Independence Technology division. It is a medical technology, made to help people with severe mobility problems.

My goodness, that's quite the wheelchair!

Its more like a robot you sit on if you ask me

Ledge, things will work out in the end. A wheelchair just makes you differently abled, not disabled. I hate the word disabled in most cases(unless I am applying for disability of course) and prefer to have a positive outlook on things.

Think of all the things you still have - wife(or is it girlfriend, I cant remember), kids, family.. friends here.. none of that will change because something in you has physically changed.

Your pretty darn cool and I think you will do just fine. Let yourself have an adjustment period though if you need it - What i mean is if you need to feel upset about it for some time, let that happen. Those feelings are totally reasonable and ok, and rather than deny them it is better to just let them happen - but don't let them own you, do you know what i mean by that?

Thanks (yes, it's girlfriend, not married yet )

Yep, I understand... I always like a bit of time to wallow in my self-pity and complain for a little, but I don't want to let it 'beat' me. I've dealt with physical injuries before (but nothing this bad) and a lot of 'defeating' a physical injury is psych and how you feel about it.

Plus this is has opportunity of a cheesy sports pep talk written all over it... and no one loves those as much as me

Hi Vince. Like SeptemberMorn said...you can still be active in sports. I hope you can find somebody to inspire you in this new adventure that has come your way. I have always believed that the strongest people in this world are teh ones who get the most challenges. You are not strong because you face the challenges...you get these challenges on you because you are already strong.

It does seem very unfair at times that some people seem to get nothing but challenges all throughout life, while others seem to have a great life. The only person you need to conquer in this next challenge is yourself. I hope you can inspire yourself as much as You inspire me.

Thanks everyone

Woke up this morning to find my nephew had decided my wheelchair needed decorating and decided to cover it in Pokémon stickers... people weren't kidding when they said kids love wheelchairs.

Shoulder hurts too still, so I don't know if I'll be allowed crutches for quite some time.

[mandazzle]

Pokmemon! Lol that is so adorable.

[wisewoman]

my kids used to love to play with foster daughters wheel chair and other equipment. Banged into all the walls and each other. One of the funniest things I remember is that FD has a wedge with velcro straps for positioning her on her belly. The kids used to strap it on each other and and fall around all over. They said they were playing turtle. Cracked me up. They also used it to ride down the stairs with. I used to have lots of equipment here with my work with older and disabled people and they would create great games and such from all of it. Wheel chair trains I remember well. Such sillys. Take care of that shoulder. When Sky mentioned rotator cuff problems I swear my shoulder started hurting worse. Power of suggestion.