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Spin 2.0
Five things they don't tell you in rehab
 Writing, cooking, buttoning buttons and the always fun balloon toss - we learn and do a lot in rehab after a debilitating injury. They try to squeeze in as much as possible (which isn't easy with insurance cuts). And they try to think of everything as well, but this is a far-off dream - preparing us for every little thing is impossible.That's why I'm here, and you too. All of us who've gone through a severe injury have a ton of knowledge to
Finally disc golf with this new launcher
 Thanks to an inventor from Montana, throwing a disc far enough to be able to play with able-bodied players has finally been invented - the Folf Club. It's not available yet, but they need your support to make it happen.If you don't know what disc golf is btw, think of it has
Disability "perks" an oxymoron
 All this talk about families cutting in line at Disney has gotten me thinking. Families are either hiring a person who uses a wheelchair or milking a family member's pseudo-injury to the nth degree so they can go on twice as many rides in one day. Ok. Whatever. It's getting old having able-bodied people covet our so-called "perks."I don't care where I go, NYC, Texas, Seattle, LA, people all over tend to believe there are a few definite perks to our situations. While
NBC bringing back detective on wheels
 A detective in a wheelchair? You better believe it, and he's damn fine too. A NBC show from the '60s on this very cool subject is being brought back to life, with Blair Underwood is putting on the wheels of ol' Ironside.The show has an awesome premise; one that way ahead of its time too: To show it's possible to still get back to doing what you love doing despite a spinal cord injury. Detective Robert Ironside,
Nominate the best mom on wheels
 Do you know an amazing mom on wheels? If so, hurry up and nominate her for the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation's 3rd Annual Best
Students make Kinect wc-accessible
 Video games have long been a favorite of people with disabilities. They allow us to be as physical as we would love to be in real life. But when Microsoft's Kinect was released a few years ago, the disabled community was angry, and for good reason - it couldn't recognize wheelchair-users.You need to be able to stand up for the system to recognize you (this is because the camera for the system has to be mounted higher up on
It's prom season - did you go?
 Every Spring my happiness for the incoming warm weather is clouded by a reminder of something that never was - my high school prom. I was a wheelchair-user by the time 9th grade hit, just in time to be rejected by every guy at my school. I never got asked to go with anyone, so I never went (stupidest idea ever).But now days it seems wheelchair-users left and right are going to prom. They're getting asked to go and if they aren't getting asked,
Suing for accessibility...would you?
 A news item yesterday got me thinking about the world of accessibility and lawsuits. A woman I know with a spinal cord injury has made it her quest to reinforce the ADA by filing lawsuits against establishments in her city. She's targeting businesses that have clearly violated ADA stipulations left and right, and she's not collecting any money from these suits.The point, at the end of the day, is to make all of these places in the community (the casino, local bar, bakery, coffee
Give kite-chairing a whirl
 The wind is a mighty force, and it can be a crazy fun too. Some of the coolest wheelchair-users out there are using it to fulfill their fun-ratio...and how exactly? Why with kite-chairing, a low-impact adrenaline rush sport that's been around since 2005.Kite-chairing is when a wheelchair-use will attach a smaller parachute with very long ropes to their wheelchair, and let the parachute either pull them across a field, over the ocean or down a
Springtime hormones
 If you're single, this is the time of year to get your "I'm hot and I know it" visage on. Spring is in full force, people are acting a little bit outside themselves, meaning it's the perfect time to end your singledom.But if you're a bit shy because of your disability, meeting someone is not easy. So many of us are afraid of rejection that we just don't try anymore. And this is a terrible idea. I've talked to a lot of guys in wheelchairs who are rock stars with the
Book your accessible campsite now
 It's April 28th, wheeler friends. Have you booked your accessible campsite yet? Don't end up like me last year, scrambling to find an accessible site last minute only to find one site that was available, but on a Tuesday. Perfect. That'd be great if....you know, I didn't have a job. Oh man it's just so sucky. Every wheeler has to learn this lesson the hard way. For me it was when I tried seeing Aerosmith in college, but didn't even think about the only 30+ wheelchair seats
Finding a path that's still 'you'
 Sometimes there isn't going to be an adapted alternative for whatever you love doing, and you have to be okay with that. Adapted jogging, mmm weird. Adapted figure skating, I don't even think that exists. Adapted professions, now that's a biggie.What if the one thing you loved the most, or dreamed of doing (say getting into the NFL), was no longer possible because of your disability? How do you not let yourself feel cheated, and try to find something that still makes you
World's longest wheelie
 Wheelies don't come easy for all wheelers, but for those who can pull it off, it's a sweet trick to pull out at parties. But to ride a wheelie for hours on end? That would require one massive energy drink.If you went on YouTube right now and searched "longest wheelchair wheelie," you'd find
Embarrassing straw use and Oprah
 Love her or hate her, we have a lot of things to thank Oprah for - the freebie giveaway trend (you know it), crazy celebrity interviews aaaand Dr. Phil (cough). But there's one more thing I really love Oprah for - she made straws cool.You know how it is, whipping a straw out for the most inappropriate drink ever. You don't want to be that weirdo, but maybe you're like me and have no choice. With paralyzed hands, straws are the obvious answer to drinking
Body of War's vet final protest
 The disability community was first introduced to the fiesty Tomas Young, a C5-6 quad from Kansas City, Missouri in Body of War, a profound must-see documentary (no matter your views on the Iraq War) back in 2008. And boy has his life changed since we've last heard from him.If you haven't seen this film by the way, please do. The film was
Free vans for everyone
 No, this is not a reality. Just a dream I have if I ever became President. Just think - a free adapted van for every person who needs one. No more sad folks stuck at home wishing of a life that'll never be. With a van, jobs can finally start, parties can be attended, life can begin. A van truly is a dream-maker.You know, I've been writing articles for people with disabilities for years now and one of the most frequent questions I get is where can they get a free van.
Don't you hate it when...
 Wheelchair pet-peeves. We all have them, and they're inevitable. When you live life as a wheelchair-user you see some pretty crazy stuff. But that's our common bond. No one understands this life unless they've experienced it themselves.And there's humor amidst the craziness. Maybe you can't relate to each and every one of these, or maybe you're a curious able-bodied bloke, but whatever brings you to this list, go ahead - take a deep gander. Oh the
Two quests to push across America
 Pushing your chair long distance isn't a new idea. Rick Hansen, the famous Canadian paraplegic and founder of the Hansen Foundation, is one of the all-time wheelers to push his chair an incredibly long distance. In 1985, he pushed himself more than 40,000 kilometers through 34 countries (it took 26 months); all in the name of spinal cord injury research (you can bet he was tired after that). And now, two other wheelers in 2013 are aiming to do
The coolest custom adapted minivan ever?
 If you're in Aylett, Virginia and see the license plate "Cntwlk" cruise by, you should know you're in the presence of one of the coolest minivans on the planet. Some people may laugh at "cool" and "minivan" being used together, but wait till you see this bad boy.Justin Spurlock, a C5-7 quad, injured in 2002, and is the owner the
Free SCUBA for young disabled adults
 SCUBA, deep-sea diving - this amazing sport can be adapted and it's incredible, but it's certainly not easy on the pocketbook.It can cost $400 at some places just to get certified, and that doesn't include the equipment. And the costs of SCUBA is especially high if you're a young adult with a disability. Maybe you live at home or are in college. Chances are you don't have the money to try out deep-sea diving for yourself....
That's why Stay-Focused
Good friends are hard to find
 They say if you have just one good friend, you should call yourself lucky. This may not sound that good — having only one friend — but if you have life experience under your belt, you know how true this is. And almost everyone I know who uses a wheelchair has at some point struggled to make or keep friends. Why? Let's face it, humans suck.Like everybody, I've been through the "acquaintance" phase with friends. "Party friends," "bar friends," but no one I'd
Embracing your new community
 It ain't easy looking at yourself in the mirror and loving everything you see. "Hey, I look great!" isn't usually what comes to mind. And when you have a disability, all the stupid baggage that can come with this label (you know what I'm talking about - feelings of shame, worthlessness, embarrassment) is just so....hard. Conflicting. But if you ask me, associating yourself with the disability
Oof - the stresses of disabled life
 When AB people talk about being stressed, it takes all the mite I can muster to not laugh in their faces. They may know stress, but they don't know real stress until they've lived a life of a quadriplegic. When you're dependent on a powerchair for your legs, caregivers to get you out of bed (and into bed every day), as well as insurance that you must not lose, it's hard to sympathize with other people's stress-inducing problems. Does this sound bad? lol
Drive your wheelchair with your eyes
The latest buzz-worthy gadget that's aiming to change how we interact with our environment is straight from Google. It's called "Google Glass" and it's exactly what it sounds like - a pair of glasses that you wear. But these are much more than your average pair of glasses.
Google Glass has a built-in computer that lets you do all the things you'd do
Stop hatin' Lady Gaga's gold wheelchair
 Love her or hate her, Lady Gaga never does anything subtly. After undergoing surgery on her hip last month (she has synovitis, an inflammation of the joints that causes pain, swelling and reduced range of motion; sounds like HO!), she was told she had to use a wheelchair until it heals, perhaps as long as 4 months.So in true Gaga form, she went and commissioned the most pimped out wheelchair of all time from
Wheelchair jean designers, new & old
 Out of everything I've tried to wear in my wheelchair, jeans have always been one of the most disappointing things I've put on. They just never look right. Bulky, awkward, unflattering - jeans rarely look good when you're sitting. No joke, I stopped wearing jeans altogether until skinny jeans and jeggings came out.But there are dozens of companies making wheelchair jeans. It
Sex. Do you still enjoy it?
 When I was paralyzed, the last thing on my mind was whether or not I'd enjoy sex. Now it's 20 years later and it's a much different scenario. I'm 33, and yes, I have sex. Openly saying this however isn't always easy. People can be ridiculously prying. They all want to know the same thing - can you feel anything?How do you feel when you're asked this? Violated, perturbed....all of the above? If you use a wheelchair, you will be asked this sooner than later (it's only a
Getting a new wheelchair headache
 "Come on down! You've just won a wheelchair on the Price Is Right." If this were to happen, it would be the worst idea ever. Getting a new wheelchair is so not the equivalent to getting a new car. You can't just get in one and roll away (I wish it were that easy). It's a long and messy process.And if you've been through it, you know exactly what I'm talking about.
First, you have to choose the chair you want, or need rather, which can be two very
New 'lever chair' changing lives
 Levers. This new 'lever' propelling feature for wheelchairs isn't going anywhere anytime soon. We saw it first in the Wijit, and now it's becoming a godsend to people in wheelchairs all around the globe.The Leveraged Freedom Chair, a brand new inexpensively-designed wheelchair made for developing countries, is opening up the world to people with
Wheelchair detective in French TV show
 I am not French, nor can I understand the language, but that hasn't stopped me from wanting to know everything there is about Cain, a new TV series from France that features a wheelchair-user as its main protagonist.Bruno Debrandt, an able-bodied actor, plays Fred Cain, the paraplegic character who is the main star of this awesome show. Fred is a paraplegic who was injured 5 years prior in a
Get your butt back with FES?
Adapted surfers get dream invention
Brazil loves wheelchair fashion
"Cruise ship from Hell" inaccessible too
 If you've been paying attention to the news this week, maybe you read about that little foible that happened with Carnival Cruise Lines.One of their cruise ships, the 'Triumph,' stopped working in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico (leaving thousands stranded with dwindling supplies, including three hour lines for food and sewage sloshing up and down the hallways). A nightmare for Carnival Cruise Lines, but for people with disabilities who've been on this boat before? A sense of
Anti-cure protestors help or hurt?
 They say protesters are a sign that our legal system is healthy, but the latest batch of protesters - a group of spinal cord injured individuals in Minnesota, protesting a bill that would fund spinal cord injury research - are really starting to irk me.They first revealed they were against the bill (when it was introduced to the public) a few weeks ago. A few people in wheelchairs showed up outside the state capitol holding signs. But why protest a bill that could help them get
Amputee gets a Travel Channel show
 "If you think having no legs sucks, I'll prove you otherwise," is the awesome catchphrase of a brand new Travel Channel show starring Kevin Michael Connolly, a 27 year old from Montana, avid traveler and photographer, born
Your disability photos can make you $
 Why let your photos sit on your hard drive when they can make you money? A new photo site is aiming to do just that. PhotoAbility is a stock imagery site searching for the best in disability images, and there's no other site like it out there. It's founded by Deborah Davis (a really nice gal), an incomplete C7 quad from Florida.The concept behind how the site works is simple: Submit a photo (they're looking for all kinds of disability images), if it's approved, they'll add it to
Warming up tricks
 When it's bone-chilling cold out and you can't walk, warming back up again is no easy feat. What usually takes a half hour tops, takes three hours if you're sedentary. Yes, I have timed it, and it's hard not to when the wait is so long.When you're lying in bed, wondering why you can't fall asleep, only to reach down and feel your legs, realizing your legs are still freezing (hence the reason your body isn't
Bike shops coming to the rescue
 Use a manual wheelchair? Maybe you're the reason it's been a good year for bicycle shops in my town. These usual bi-wheel tinkerers are stepping out of their comfort zones (I think it's because they're typically young, liberal, open minded folk) and helping wheelchair-users in mechanical-related binds. Hey, wheelchair repair places aren't the only place you can turn to.I first heard about a bicycle shop
SCI research bill in MN gets a film
 Whether you're for it or against it, SCI research is here to stay. What do you think? Should the government fund spinal cord injury research, or do you think they should worry about care expenses (equipment, PCA wages)? With a proposed research bill in Minnesota this week, supporters and detractors have come out in full force (with some of the detractors being in chairs).There aren't many folks with SCI against
Wheelchair lacrosse teams to expand
Wheelchair rap song and more video finds
 Part of my job is to scour the Internet for information that piques the interest of wheelchair-users. One of the best ways to do this is? Going on YouTube every couple of days and seeing what's new (thousands of videos are uploaded daily to the site) of course.And it's popularity is a great thing because it means it's only a matter of time before new wheelchair-related videos pop up, and boy do
Best winter jacket ever for wheelers?
Look in the mirror and what have you got? Chances are - one of your most unflattering looks (unless
Would you (do you) have a gun permit?
 If you have a disability (especially if it's visible), the prevailing fear is that some may view us as an easy target. It takes a special kind of idiot to go after someone in a wheelchair, truly (and they deserve what's coming to them), but if it does happen, how do you plan on protecting yourself?For some folks, they decide to live more safely. If they avoid unlit parking lots, bad areas of the city at night, etc,
Fashion show integrates disabled models
 Modelle e Rotelle (translated to "Models and Wheels) is the only fashion event of its kind. People in the disability world have been trying to get disabled models integrated in the fashion world for years, and while there's been some hits, it's been a limping struggle. When was the last time you saw someone a wheelchair rolling down the catwalk? That's what I
Making people uncomfortable w/o trying
 Let's face it, people in wheelchairs live on the fringes of society. Many of us break our way in, whether through jobs, family or friends, but overall we're still considered "fringers." Society loves putting us there. It's not rocket science to understand why either. When you're not the same as everybody else in a human society, this happens. Religion and race can be hard enough for people to get over, asking them to look past a disability can be nearly
Injured hockey player starts foundation
 Life never ceases to amaze me, especially when it comes to "randomly" meeting people. A couple of weeks ago after dining on thinly crusted panko-crusted chicken breasts with my family for a holiday dinner at Kincaid's (a fancy restaurant in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota), I ran into Jack Jablonski - the 17 year old hockey player from Minneapolis who made nationwide news when he was injured one year ago after being hit from behind during a
Bill Murray plays FDR in new film
 I've always loved FDR. He made it cool to be in a wheelchair (even though he didn't want the world to know he was in one). OK, maybe "cool" isn't the operative term. "Badass”….yeah, that's more like it. FDR essentially turned the word “invalid” upside down. You know, "President" is such a high and mighty term, and then you attach it to "of the United States" and you have one of
Paralyzed BBC reporter treks to gorillas
 For all of you Americans reading this, you're about to learn about a very awesome person with a spinal cord injury making big waves in the UK. His name is Frank Gardner and he is a journalist for BBC News, currently working as a security correspondent for this world renowned network. Frank Gardner is like the British version of John Hockenberry, but his injury occurred while on the
Get on the ground with the Human Hoist
 Car mechanics with mobility disabilities are sure to love one of the most amazing inventions to come around in a long time: the Human Hoist, which has been getting eons of buzz since being shown on Invention USA last week (a show on the History channel).It is very aptly called the Human Hoist because of what is does and even though it was originally created with able-bodied mechanics in mind (who get
Disability hate crimes documentary
Its no secret hate crimes are a common occurrence among people with disabilities. Read the news in cities all over the world, and you’ll always find the same awful things - people in wheelchairs getting mugged, long-term abuse of people with disabilities by family members being revealed and sub-human things such as stealing a wheelchair right in front of the user.
Some of the worst stuff to happen however are disability hate crimes - people targeting you for the sole reason of having a disability. Yes, evil lurks.
A documentary in the works by Lancaster
Meet Team Hotwheelz, hip-hop dancers
 While wheelchair dancing has been a sport for over 20 years, wheelchair hip-hop dancing has never really gotten it's spotlight - until now. Chelsie Hill, one of the youngest stars from the reality show Push Girls, has founded her very own integrated (able-bodied and disabled) dance team, which she’s dubbed Team Hotwheelz.If you've been following Push Girls, then you know Chelsie was a dancer before her
Cheesy 'inspirational' images criticized
There's a new term I'm in love with: Inspiration porn. Confused? You know what I'm talking about…those drippy emotional posters of kids or adults with disabilities, doing simple things, like a running on prosthetics or going to school, with a quote next saying, "Your excuse is invalid." What is your gut reaction when seeing one of these images?
Do you say to yourself, "Awesome. It shows the world we live normal lives too. Can't hurt!" or do they make you want to puke up in your mouth? A sassy Australian blogger Stella Young for Ramp Up, part
Theft - are we too easy of a target?
 Sometimes I struggle with what to write about for my blog, but today, that is definitely not a problem. Nothing gives you more of an incentive to write then an emotional rise, and nothing fuels the emotions more than having someone steal from you. Today, for the third time in a year, I have caught a PCA stealing from me.I have to say, one of the worst things about my level of spinal cord injury is needing PCAs. I've had so/too many
Has your cell saved your life?
 Remember the days before cell phones? I had to fumble to get quarter in a public phone whenever I needed to call home (with paralyzed hands? not easy). Then 1998 came, and suddenly, everybody had a cell phone. I didn't realize it at that time, but this was one of the most important technologies to not only happen to me, but to all people with disabilities.I thought my first cell phone, a Sprint PCS
Accessible mini golf courses causing ire
You gotta love the ADA. It’s constantly pissing off a portion of the population at any given time. And the latest enhancement to the ADA that's getting flack? The regulation that all mini golf courses must be wheelchair accessible.
If you ask me, this is one of the greatest things to happen. I used to love playing mini golf when I could walk, but I haven't had a chance to play in 19 years. I never thought a mini golf course would ever become accessible, so I just gave up that hobby. But now? I feel like I can reclaim a part of my personality. The ADA is my
AMC’s latest - “Freakshow”
 Well, it finally happened. Instead of dressing up a reality show about little people or 800-pound women and calling it educational, AMC is finally being honest about the product they’re putting out (to the possible chagrin of people with disabilities), with their newest program - Freakshow.The show follows one of the most infamous freakshows in the country, the Venice
Alternative therapies to be covered?
 Massage therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic care - the three big alternative therapies. If Chanda Hinton Leichtle has anything to do with it, they will soon be covered by Medicaid. She's on a mission to change what Medicaid covers in regards to alternative therapy.The reason Chanda cares so much about alternative therapies is simple: They saved her life. As a C5-6 quadriplegic (injured when she was nine years old from a gunshot), she suffered from massive
Paraplegic character debuts on ‘90210’
 I may be too burnt out on the genre, but if you're a fan of gushy primetime soap operas, have a soft spot in your heart for 90210 AND are interested in characters with disabilities in the media (television and movies, etc), then Riley (played by Riley Smith of '24,' 'Motocrosser' and 'Freak & Geeks' fame) is a character you need to get hip to.He's only been on the newly revamped 90210
Custom adapted wind instruments
 Don’t give up on playing your flute, clarinet or trumpet just yet. Do you have missing fingers or limited muscle movement? Maarten Visser, an instrument maker from Amsterdam, has made it his life’s work to adapt wind instruments for people with disabilities.His business is called Flute Lab (love the name) and what he‘s doing is unprecedented. He’ll take your instrument and modify it to your specific needs. Maarten has adapted hundreds of wind instruments,
Temperature balancing blankets
For a lot of people with disabilities, uninterrupted sleep is next to impossible. Whether you have to wake up to turn or to catheterize, getting 8 hours in a row? Forget about it. I haven't got that in 1 ½ years, and the one time I did, oh man, I felt like I was on the best drug ever.
For me, the reason I can't sleep for 8 hours straight is because of my body's inability to adjust its temperature. When I first get in bed, I'm so cold I pile a feather duvet, a poly-filled blanket, a woven cotton blanket and a sheet. After going to sleep, I wake up an hour and a
Found: Powerchair with chrome bling
 Here, my fellow powerchair users, is the inspiration for my desire to want to look awesome…even in my wheelchair. It is a powerchair encased in chrome. Well not completely, but it covers about 25% of it, and on a wheelchair that usually looks like a wanna-be Tranformers, this makes for one heck of a makeover.A lucky paraplegic has the honor of owning this bad boy. He also happens to be a wheelchair mechanic at one of the biggest wheelchair dealers in our city. He’s
Surprised at the election results?
It's official. President Barack Obama has won reelection. To be honest, I wasn't too worried about him losing. I don't mean to be a cocky Democrat, but Mitt Romney wasn't the best candidate. But now that it's all said and over, I have a strange feeling, and it's not one of jubilation * like I felt 4 years ago. I think the word for it is "meh."
I'm not the only person to admit they weren’t too excited about voting this year. When Barack Obama won in 2008, I had so much hope. I got caught up in the excitement just like everybody else. We all know what a
Therapy or back to “real-life?”
 A lot has changed since I began my crip adventure in 1993. One of the biggest: The drive to get as much return back as possible (when you have a spinal cord injury). Now people will support you (instead of thinking you’re crazy). I went to rehab for 3 months, and then my insurance sent me packin' (my family was not one of those families who could afford sending me to an expensive rehab center).There was talk of me going to Craig hospital in Denver (the
Stubbornness, is it good or bad?
 Every disabled person falls into one of the following categories: 1) They accept help happily, usually. 2) Or they rarely, if ever, accept help happily (and I say "usually" because this is never a hard and fast rule).Since becoming disabled, I've found it fascinating the way people with disabilities perceive help. It's all across the board. absolutely love it. They think it's the best thing when someone realizes they have needs,
Meeting Chris Kluwe, NFLer with Heart
 I had an amazing opportunity two weeks ago. I was asked to be part of an evening filming for a documentary being made.The doc is on life after SCI in Minnesota and why we need to fund SCI research (the end goal of the documentary is to get a bill passed where drunk driving fines will go to research. Similar bills have been passed in Mass, NJ and Cali).
Quad wins $20000 for accessible backyard
 You may have never heard of the National Association of Realtors before, and you may have never heard of HouseLogic either, but all you need to know is that they're awesome. They awarded Allison and Aaron Smith (Aaron is a C6 quadriplegic) a $20,000 backyard makeover.HouseLogic is a cool offshoot of the
Time profiles wheelchair bodybuilding
 Maybe you heard about wheelchair bodybuilding after becoming disabled, and meh… never thought about it again. Or maybe you’ve never heard about it and could care less, because hey…wheelchair bodybuilding isn’t your thing.But when Time magazine does a photo essay on it, you know you’re gonna like it. In this photo essay by Lauren Fleischman, a
Support gimp-friendly Kickstarter ideas
 Did you know there are loads of gimp-friendly designs waiting to be made on Kickstarter that never see the light of day? It’s a travesty. So many brilliant, novel ideas, many with universal design elements and all which could have a significant impact on the lives (and future independence) of people with disabilities.My friend pointed me to
Candidates on wheels
 I came across a brilliant write-up the other day from one of my favorite new SCI organizations, BACKBONES. Did you know there are four candidates with spinal cord injuries running for some kind of political office this year?They've compiled a great list,
Is REX a better walking suit?
 It’s 2012 and exoskeletons are all the rage. And there are two main companies creating these miracle suits right now, if you have the money and a sense of Ironman adventure that is.First, there’s Esko Bionics, based out of Cali, a company that makes an exoskeleton based on H.E.R.C, an original military design. The company has been promoting their product a lot this year. It’s a truly amazing machine, but the
Sometimes you just need to be a zombie
 You have no idea how fun it is to dress up like She-Ra (’80s cartoon character, sister of He-Man).I’m usually known as “She-Ra in a wheelchair” (instead of just She-Ra) whenever I do it. It kinda pisses me off, but what do you do, the large glaring power chair cannot be ignored. I have never let it stop me though.
I’ve always loved dressing up in costumes. After
Pity me? No thanks
 Pity. Four letters that can piss people off, maybe more than other common four letter words (if you're on the receiving end that is). When you're disabled, pity is as common as doing laundry, but I've still never gotten used to it.Reason #1: I don’t like it: I am a girl who doesn’t mince words, so, to put it succinctly, pity pisses me off. I didn’t plan on being disabled
Taste-bud appreciation post
 God has a funny sense of humor. He created our bodies so that our spinal cords cannot repair themselves, and neither can our brains if they're damaged in certain ways. And amputations — you can't come back from that.But taste buds, those little bumps on your tongue that you rarely ever think about, God makes sure everybody has those no matter what. Of all the things in the body he could've made tough as nails, it's strange that taste buds were his choice.
The slow march of secondary conditions
First came scoliosis about two years after my injury, next came foot drop in my left foot two years after that. And at the ripe old age of 19, heterotopic ossification decided to pay a visit in my right hip and thigh, the lovely condition where you're muscles are turned to stone from a bizarre spurt of over-calcification doctors still don't understand.
Not being able to move your muscles or feel your body is bad enough when you have a spinal cord injury. Having to deal with all of the secondary conditions that come along with it simply makes me want to scream. And the
Touring accessible luminarium
 House parties, games, rides at fairs, let's face it, a lot of "fun" things aren't the most wheelchair friendly. So you can imagine how I felt when the most amazing inflatable maze, a "luminarium," created in England and touring world and was at my state's state fair, turned out to be completely wheelchair accessible.
Check this: First ever adapted snowboard
 We've all heard of adapted skiing - downhill and cross country - if there's two skis, they can be affixed underneath a seat and used by to people who can't walk and used until to kingdom come. But adapted snowboarding is something that has never been made truly accessible, simply too tricky, until
Why do some choose death, over life?
 I'm not one to question anyone's choices in life. Whether they want to live or die, their life is up to them. I do however wonder the series of events that lead people to choose death over life, especially when they have a disability.Life with a disability has it’s obvious challenges, yet I'm constantly intrigued by how some people can cope brillianly, and how others simply do not have the will to continue.
Really, wheelchair ultimate fighting?
 You've more than likely heard about wheelchair boxing, and that's usually about as extreme as it gets when it comes to an adapted sport that pits two people against. But that's not enough for some wheelers. Wheelchair ultimate fighting is the next hot sport for wheelers wanting to let off a little steam (and beat the crap
Thousands of SCI videos created
“A spinal cord injury affects the entire family.” Don’t I know it. Don’t we all know it. FacingDisability.com knows it too. Armed with a nice lump of cash, this site has created thousands of short videos all with the same interview-format, and all with the same purpose - to help everyone affected by a SCI, from the person with the injury to family and friends.
This site was created by Robert Hill and Thea Flaum, whose daughter Vicki was paralyzed as a teen. Thea had an awesome career in television and
My Gimpy Life. Did you watch?
 The first season of Teal Sherer's web-series, My Gimpy Life, has come to a close, and it was hysterically funny. It featured the lovely Miss Teal, who played a paraplegic actress trying to get work in HollywoodWhat did you think of this series (if you haven't watched all 5 episodes yet, you definitely
Waterslide quest ended by liability fear
 The most adept wheelchair-user knows there's always going to be limitations in life, but why does it always have to ruin the fun? My quest this summer to ride a big deal water park waterslide has ended in failure. And the reason? Liability and inaccessibility. Two words I hate most.I grew up absolutely loving water slides, and it's been 19 years since I've been on one. And since June, for some crazy reason I’ve been jonesing to feel the rush of a waterslide finally
Review of Push Girls Season 1
 When I first heard about Push Girls coming out, I was unsure. A reality show featuring four really pretty women in wheelchairs? Sure, sounded awesome, but only if it was produced right (and we all know how Hollywood producers are).But now that the first season is over (and it was renewed), I have to say I really liked the series. A lot, in fact! So much so that
God I hated high school
 Being crippled in high school wasn’t really my plan, but ug, accidents sure do happen. In an instant, my dreams of having the “Sweet Valley High” esque experience went out the window, and instead I was in store for 4 years of feeling like an alien, which is kinda inevitable when you‘re the only quadriplegic among a sea of homogenous 600+ white kids.I was hurt just before my freshmen year and was back in class after 3 months. I really shouldn’t have
Self-harming to win a gold medal?
 Of all the things we do to avoid one of the worst side-effects of a spinal cord injury, Autonomic Dysreflexia - checking our skin (and checking it twice), checking our bladder, bowels, checking the tightness of our clothes, making sure our toes are straight when we put on our shoes, why would anyone want to cause this nasty condition on purpose? Turns out, Paralympic athletes.It’s called
Brave enough for karaoke?
 When I could walk, I had no problem making a fool of myself in front of other people. Dancing at weddings to ridiculous songs, singing of top of my lungs at friends' birthday parties, but now that I use a wheelchair? I'm ashamed to say I don't have the same cajones.I hate how being in a wheelchair can make you super self-conscious. And despite all the confidence I've accumulated, learning how to be a strong woman in a wheelchair when it comes to performing in public? I
Are we too dangerous for the roads?
 Want to see something really sad? Register for a Google Alert to be sent to your e-mail inbox whenever the word "wheelchair" comes up in a news headline. What you'll see is not good: About 30 to 50% of the news headlines each day that have "wheelchair" in the title usually involve some kind of vehicle-wheelchair accident; a wheelchair-user dodges out into traffic without looking in the middle of the night,
‘Iconic’ project needs disabled models
 Have you ever wanted to try modeling and live in the UK (or can get there easily)? Then there is an upcoming photography project looking for you. They're searching for disabled models and absolutely no experience is necessary.Elizabeth Waight, an able-bodied photographer in London, is the creative mind behind this exciting project which
Paralympics merge with the Olympics?
 For years it has always been the Olympic Games and the Paralympics, and we've always accepted it as such. Two separate competitions, siblings of a higher cause, but there's a rumbling of change happening out there - a possible merger of the two that could be considered after 2020.To some, the idea of this even
Unjustly shot in Guatemala
 German Chub Choc is a young man who lives in Guatemala, paralyzed from a close range gunshot in 2009. The story of how he was paralyzed is a series of injustices that deserves to be heard.German was shot by
Zach Anner takes his show to the web
 I was worried Zack Anner's wheelchair travel show, that debuted last December on the OWN network, wouldn't get the ratings it needed, and it turns out I was right. Boo, hiss...you can't tell me Andrew Zimmern is anymore entertaining.As we see once again the public still isn't that interested in disability-related media to garner the big numbers, "I went from Oprah, to
Wheelchairs and amusement parks
 Is it possible for someone in a wheelchair to have a pleasant experience at an amusement park? I keep wondering, because it has yet to happen to me.I guess the problem I have is that there are so many rules and regulations at amusement parks. Part of them are for good measure; they're needed to keep us safe, but there are some rules that are a bit over the top.
For example, I was told that I
Garage sale accessibility available?
 My boyfriend's dad calls them "garbage sales," but if you ask me garage sales are one of the easiest ways to get some of the best deals around. I mean….why spend full price on drinking glasses when you can get them for 50¢ each?But there's only problem with the awesomeness that is garage sales (which I discovered last weekend while trying to go to several in one afternoon): You just
Testing a stand-up golf machine
 There are some definite perks to my job. One of the coolest is being able to try out some pretty sweet stuff and blog about it (hi).So, when renowned wheelchair golfer Anthony Netto (who spent a huge chunk of his own money to create one of the finest stand-up recreation machines made, the Paramobile) came to Minneapolis a couple of days ago to help with a fundraiser for a local boy who was
Ever had a disability-hating bully?
 I knew the way the world viewed me was going to be drastically different the moment I got on the school bus (from the back where the rickety ramp was at). The 'bad boys' who usually hung out here did not like me being there and really didn't like wheelchair-users, so they started to wail into me with a barrage of hurtful words the moment the bus driver buckled me in and left. This moment goes
So Cool: Online SCI fitness center
 To be fair, this place has been open for awhile now, but SCI Total Fitness just upgraded their site (it looks great, btw). Yup, they are an online fitness center that caters specifically to people with spinal cord injuries. How does it work? Read on, and you'll see what a great
Now THIS is a relationship
 The perfect relationship doesn't exist, and when you add a wheelchair to the mix perfection is even more difficult to achieve. That is why I love the Love Like This Life blog; a blog written by Dana Brown Ritter, an able-bodied woman and her husband Michael, a C5-6 quadriplegic. Their blog is a real, honest look at what it's like when an able-bodied person and a person with paralysis come together (a lot of issues come
How far will you robot-ify yourself?
 An unspoken division is slowly happening in the disability community right now and we have exoskeletons to blame. The question is simple: Would you or wouldn't you use an exoskeleton?The prospect of strapping on metal, computer chips and plastic parts to get up and start walking again isn't exactly the "miracle" cure most people have in mind when they think about getting cured (well it wasn't, until recently
Feeling left out this summer?
 Water-skiing, swimming off the end of a boat, exploring woods where there are no trails. These are things I miss every summer. When my family and friends (and boyfriend) get to partake in these activities, it takes a lot to not to get jealous. You'd think I'd be over this by now, but it still happens. How do you deal with this feeling that I know everyone of you out there must get from
Would you date another wheeler?
 I had a guy in a wheelchair write me the other day asking if I'd ever date another wheeler. He wasn't hitting on me. He just wanted to know my opinion (and for good reason too). He was on a disability message board and this question was being bantered about. Much to his surprise, most of the wheelers said they'd never date another person in a wheelchair. He was
Happy Bday USA (grateful to be here)
 It's the eve of our country's birthday. Instead of making potato salad, I decided to write a post about how awesome it is to live here (in case you forgot).We can get pretty complacent living here in the US. Just like the rich get used to having all the luxuries they have (a Mercedes as their third fun car, a vacation home in Hawaii), we too get used to having all of the
Wheelchair-accessible stroller made
 Pretty sure she's Swedish, or maybe she's Norwegian, but that's not important. What is important is what Cindy Sjoblom created for her university project: A stroller made for parents who use wheelchairs.Called the "Cursum," the stroller Cindy designed is specifically made for parents in wheelchairs, and it has
Name suggestions needed for law
It's pretty rare for the public to ever get the chance to name a law, let alone a portion of a law or even the terminology used in the description of it. All of that stuff is usually left to the judges and other Federal personnel in charge of the case, not us, the plebs.
If you have even a second to spare before this Saturday, you can make your voice heard with the terminology change that will soon be occurring with the Medicaid program's "State Plan Home and Community Based Services" 5-Year period waivers program, which is a fancy name for the Medicaid
Wheeler-team joins Mongol Rally 2012
 And you thought your road trip across the US was awesome.These three paralyzed adventurers from the UK (Jan, Pete and Rich) are upping the ante when it comes to people in wheelchairs doing badass things behind the wheel.
They've created the driving team
Let’s try not to overheat this summer, k
 I miss the good ol' days when I could lay out in the sun all day, full on bikini, sipping my pop, with no worry of overheating. Aah a lifetime and a perfect spinal cord ago. Time to live in the now, and hot damn, the 'now' is now June. Summer is here already? How the heck did that happen?Sometimes we all need a refresher course on what we should do in
Lean on me? Put your foot on me? No way
 A disgruntled woman wrote me the other day about one of the biggest pet peeves I think most people have when living the wheelchair life.People who have no qualms about using our wheelchairs as an end to a means for something they need to get accomplished. Have no idea what I'm talking about? Let me explain.
Just say no to wall-scuff guilt
 Wheelchairs and scuff marks. When they happen they always make you feel like the bad guy, especially when you're visiting someone. Great, now they'll really remember me.But I’m so happy now. Now, instead of silently worrying how I can make amends with the homeowner as I silently sit there feeling guilty as I sip my wine, I can now whip out my Magic Eraser tool, this crazy
Revisiting the past on Facebook
 Facebook provides an almost too easy way to pick the scab off old wounds. I want to believe people change, I really do, but if anything, Facebook has only revealed that most people don't change, and if anything morph into older, heightened versions of themselves (not a good thing if you don’t like them).In the past year I've had two people from my past who I've written off
Locomotor training a waste of time?
Let me preemptively say that locomotor training has a lot of great benefits (it's good for weight-bearing, making your muscles move, organ-hanging party time). It's a pretty intense therapy where they strap you into a
Take my legs, but my taste buds stay
And then, like so often in life, life happened, my injury happened, and my brain
Memories of a future-horrifying life
 Picturing yourself as a disabled person if you're not disabled, can be quite the scary proposition. And if you have the bad luck of becoming disabled mid-life through an accident or a health condition, imagining what your life will be like now that you're disabled can be one of the worst moments you may never have; unless you had the good luck of knowing a positive person with a disability before your injury, which lucky you, makes you a step ahead
Review of Push Girls Episode 1
SPOILERS AHEAD *** The first episode is titled "Everyone Stares,"
Know a great dad on wheels? Nominate him
 My earliest memory of my father involves my Big Wheel and a big a long stick (which he would use to push me along down the street). He would give me a push with the stick, and I'd
Ignorant medical personnel. Say what?
 You wouldn’t think nurses, nurse’s aids, even doctors, would say the things they do about people with disabilities, but there’s a big giant annoying handful of them out there, and there’s much more than there should be.When I go to my doctor’s office I want to feel peace of mind that I’m
Sticky grip…I think I love you
It was in SCI rehab when I decided there would be no sticky grip for me (I didn't want to use anything that made me look extra
Can they nerve-splice my legs too?
 "Move your hand, Tiffiny, move your hand." That's the internal dialogue that went through my head after my injury. Quickly realizing that wasn't going to work, I began agonizing process of coming to terms with the loss of moving my hands. That is why I was so excited
Bionic suit marathoner makes history
 In London last week, Claire Lomas, 32, a paraplegic since 2007 after breaking her back in a freak horse riding accident, made history after she became the first person to ever complete a marathon while wearing a bionic walking suit (the ReWalk walking suit to be exact), and it
Meet a wheelchair-using medium
 My latest guilty pleasure is TLC’s “Long Island Medium.” It’s kind of embarrassing to admit, but if you’ve watched the show its easy to see why I‘m hooked. She’s a really cool lady with some creepily accurate abilities (and hey, she gives people hope that there’s something more than just existing here in the physical world).I’ve
Disabled parents nearly lose custody
 I came across a news story from Canada today about parents, both with moderate (not severe) Cerebral Palsy (CP) who were almost denied their parenting rights because authorities were worried about their ability to take care of their son. Haven't we moved past such a day in age?When I think of all the people in this world who have been allowed to keep their children, drug addicts, physically abusive individuals, neglectful people who just don't
Lighted wheelchair bling
 Want people to stare for the right reason? The wUnderGlow Wheelchair Light is just what you need. This snazzy LED light is clipped underneath the seat of a wheelchair and flashes colored lights on the floor underneath, making for some very very cool ground effects.And the wUnderGlow is only $25 (is easily removeable w/ a clip too). Now, anyone can have their own wheelchair bling, and it won’t take a fundraiser or a rich uncle to get it. The wUnderGlow
Must watch: Power wheelchair for babies
 I’ve always felt a common bond with babies since my injury, being keenly aware of their default immobility (until they figure out how to get around by themselves). I always feel like saying to a crying baby in a car seat, “It’s ok. I got you,” knowing all they want to do is get out and run around (don’t we all).And they can’t help it. It’s human nature to want to explore, to be free and moving. And the sad thing is that a lot of babies
'Planat' best wheeler app yet?
 Accessibility apps aren’t exactly a new thing, but none, sadly, have yet to really take off. Planat.com, a new user-generated accessibility app (and site), from the Rick Hansen Foundation, might have the best chance yet at becoming that chock-full-of-accurate-info app we’ve been longing for.Anything produced by the Rick Hansen Foundation - Canada’s premier disability
Film, Afghanis and wheelchair basketball
 Oprah says if you’re female and live in the US, you have it better than 90% of the women in the world (when you look at equal rights and opportunities). But if you ask me, the real fortune lies with American disabled citizens. We have it good. Damn good.We have the ADA, access to health insurance, necessary medical
Awesome hands-free dog walking system
 Walking your dog while you’re sitting down just got a whole lot easier thanks to this bad boy, the Hound-a-bout, invented by C. John Stanchina, a crafty paralyzed guy with a love of dogs. Wheelchair-users can now embrace all the joys, and not so joyful joys, of active dog walking.I always wanted a French Bulldog and I’ve always wondered (if I ever got lucky enough to snag that dog), how I was going to “walk” the dog from my wheelchair. I’d obviously
My behind the wheel therapy
 When I’m behind the wheel of my vehicle, no one can tell I use a wheelchair (no disabled plate, only a placard). And I gotta say that feeling is pretty hard to beat.But the anonymity of being just another driver on the road is one of several reasons driving my has become the best form of therapy I‘ve ever run across.
When you’re disabled
Ultimate Italian-made accessible kitchen
 I've seen some gorgeous accessible kitchens in my day. Beautiful, custom kitchens to lust after with cut-outs under the counter tops for plenty of knee space, huge slabs of granite cut-out to fit the countertops perfectly, stainless steel appliances with bottom loading freezers and pull-out shelves to reach things
Must-see: London 2012 Paralympic website
 London is the site of the Summer 2012 Paralympics and for us with disabilities, that’s a mighty fine thing. The U.K., despite not being very wheelchair accessible because of the old architecture (the inner-city of London isn‘t that bad, and I‘m sure they‘re ramping it up now), is a country that’s one of the best in the world (next to the US), when it comes to promoting disability rights, providing equal-employment
You really want me?
 A couple of years ago I was asked out to dinner by a man I met online. Innocent enough, right? He was a bit older than me, but he seemed fun. He was into aromatherapy, Italian motorcycles and he was a massage therapist. Awesome. But…our blooming friendship didn’t have a very long lifespan. I knew I should’ve took that weird vibe I got from his pics seriously.As a woman in a wheelchair, like all women in wheelchairs, there are times
Are all disabled people OCD?
 OCD, otherwise known as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a psychological condition 1 in 50 Americans have. Technically an anxiety disorder, people with OCD uncontrollably do things, usually repetitively, to alleviate said anxiety and stress. And doctors say OCD - in all it’s controlling glory - is prevalent in the disability community. It can be great if all you want to do is clean your house, but for most, it’s an over-the-top nuisance
Ever hesitant to complain about access?
 A photo has gone viral after a mother posted an image of her son (who uses a wheelchair) on Facebook. The image (here) shows her son at his school choir concert parked on the far side of the choir stands, so far away from the able-bodied students that he could’ve been practicing a solo.Not
Enough of the “miracle recovery” stories
 "Man walks again despite all odds." Think you’ve seen this headline a few times or two? So have I. The media loves - no is completely obsessed - with miraculous recovery stories. Why do they love them so? It’s something that’s ingrained in every one of us. Every human wants to thrive, survive…to heal. It’s a gene we all have, like staring at a bonfire. You
Voice activation, it's time to convert
 Before I was converted a couple of weeks ago, I looked at anything that was voice activated, whether it was voice activation software for my PC or cell phone, as a guaranteed waste of my time. I had too many bad memories of the voice activation software from the ‘90s that came with my Mac laptop. I’m sorry Steve Jobs, but it was a joke. The software was about as affective
Tiny wheelchair to the rescue
 I’ve always felt little kids in wheelchairs - more than anyone else on this planet - have deserved better things in life. Since I was injured at 14, I’ve been keenly aware of these kiddos. I was hurt after my childhood ended and I was SO grateful it happened that way. Dance classes, bike rides, climbing trees, ice-skating on frozen ponds….all of that
Meet the bungee wheelchair girl
 There's a viral video right now of a "pretty blond woman in a wheelchair" who made news going bungee jumping off a bridge in her wheelchair. It's a little over 1 minute long and it'll completely blow your mind (watch here). What
Living large at a catheter study
 The other day I had the opportunity to take part in a communications study sponsored by a catheter manufacturer. I know, I'm living on the wild side, but for once my life I finally met all the qualifications for one of those studies that give you free money for just coming in and letting them pick your brain for a few hours. Hey, when a catheter company is in need, who am I to say no?
Finally, a good disability PSA
 When I watch my shows on my amaaaazing DVR machine (my favorite gadget in the house) the probability of me pausing to watch a commercial is rare. And the sad thing is - I actually miss out on a lot of really good, well-made commercials, and even sometimes on
Photo shoots to change minds
 Disabled Life Media is the latest coming together of awesome gimps, spearheaded by Andrew Angulo, in an attempt to show the world that sex appeal and disability can coexist. Andrew, who was paralyzed in a motorcycle accident in 2009 and is a father of three,
Irish singer not stopped by wheelchair
Fortunately, O’Farrell was lucky
Dreaming of a hot pink Trackchair
 Oh the places I’d go if I had a hot pink Trackchair. I’d go hunting with my sister and step-dad each Fall. Not because I liked killing animals, but just because I finally could get out there.I’d roll over logs, through streams, muscle through crazy mud pits in the
Say Yes To The Dress wheelchair bride
 Last night, the Southern version of the hot wedding dress reality show, Say Yes To The Dress: Atlanta, featured a bride in a wheelchair – a woman who was shot by a stray bullet only five months before.
Miss Colours Hungary crowned
 “The most beautiful woman in a wheelchair” in Hungary was crowned over the weekend at the first Miss Colours Hungary wheelchair beauty pageant, which I assume from the name (and the main image on their site) is sponsored by Colours Wheelchairs.And this was a pure beauty pageant folks, one that compared the physical looks of the ladies, from their hair and
Disabled Bolivian protesters make stand
The media loves it when big bad police officers get in our disabled faces; the weak/strong dynamic is great imagery. That being said, it’s no wonder the recent protests in Bolivia have been all over the news, and for good reason. I’d be pissed too if the increase in my annual income from the government (that was already not enough) never came. You can’t blame disabled Bolivians for causing a ruckus when you look at
Sexy wheelchair dance film to premiere
 What some people are calling Dirty Dancing on wheels, Musical Chairs is a romantic comedy set in the world of wheelchair ballroom dancing.Directed by Susan Seidelman (of Desperately Seeking Susan and a handful of Sex in the City episodes) the film follows the love story of Mia from the Upper East Side and her suitor, Armando, from the Bronx. They meet because of competitive dancing and when she becomes paralyzed,
A chance to drive really, really fast
 The phrase, “Hey, can you get a speeding ticket in that thing?“ can get pretty old from a wheelchair-user’s point-of-view. It’s usually some old guy saying it at the supermarket, usually directed towards powerchair-users (because we all know how powerful electric batteries are). Manual wheelchair-users, those lucky bastards, they’re exempt from this annoyance.
Hittin’ the casino from your wheelchair
 There are several things you’ll notice when you go to a casino in a wheelchair. For starters, when you pull up to the casino, you’ll find the seemingly endless amount of disability parking spots are always 80% full (even on a slow day). And once you enter you’ll see exactly why: There are old people everywhere and they'll also be permanently parked at the best slot machines the entire time you‘re there.Gambling with a bunch of seniors isn’t all
Is love all we really need?
 Today is Valentine’s Day. The day we celebrate everlasting love, lust and chocolate (not necessarily in that order), the day we tell that person in our life who we love the most that they mean everything to us and we shower them with adorations (and maybe a gift or two).Love is supposed to be one of the greatest things in life, but is it really? Are people only happy in pairs? Maybe all those generations before us had it right, maybe practicality and finding pleasure from
Video: Sh*t people say to the disabled
 When you use a wheelchair, one of the first things you’ll notice is how differently people treat you. The moment your wheel leaves your front door get ready, because people will inundate you with crazy questions everywhere you go. And the questions they ask range from offensive and laughably ridiculous to downright rude. It’s a crazy world out there when you use a wheelchair, and having thick skin to rebuff all these things is essential.
What would you tell your teenage self?
 I ran across a great blog the other day called Crip Confessions, written by a woman with Osteogenesis Imperfecta. Her name is Betheny and she’s a 31 year old lawyer (who in her off-time is a sexologist).It's a fascinating look into Betheny’s inner-thoughts. She’s articulate and her blog bares her soul like few blogs do. Her entry, What would I tell my teenage self about sexuality?, is an entry
“My Gimpy Life” web series a go
Teal Sherer is one of the most well-known actresses who uses a wheelchair in Hollywood right now. She has a reoccurring character in the popular web series The Guild and has been in loads of other stuff (as you can see on her imdb profile). And this past week Teal received some amazing news - her web series, My Gimpy Life, was just approved for 5 episodes. My Gimpy Life will follow the adventures of Teal as she tries to maneuver her way through Hollywood.
The Wheelchair Cush Life?
 People will sometimes tell me I look young for my age. And people will tell one of my friends who’s also a wheelchair-user, who’s 42 but looks about 28, she looks young for her age too. After years of only worrying about the health-related cons of using a wheelchair (bed sores, bladder cancer, pneumonia), had I finally come across a bonafide pro? My friend and I have jokingly dubbed it - The Wheelchair Cush Life.See,
Woman moves wheelchair car plant to US
 What Stacy Zoern, a lawyer, just pulled off down in Pflugerville, Texas should be on front page of The Wall Street Journal. Frustrated by the high price of modified vans, she ran across the car of her dreams online, a smart-car for wheelchair-users called the Kenguru (pronounced "kangaroo"), but the company was in Hungary and had
Meet forever rocker Jason Becker
 Rock stars typically have the badass attribute down like no one else. That’s their thing. So when Jason Becker, a rising metal guitarist who played for Cacophony and the David Lee Roth band in the late 1980’s, was diagnosed with ALS at the age of 20, no one was surprised when he made a point to rock as hard as possible no matter how hard his condition got. It’s now been twenty years since his diagnosis, and he’s been
When strangers offer free things
 My Dad always used to tell me that it takes “interesting” people to make the world go round. Don’t get annoyed or feel challenged, simply accept them. But that can be tricky when you use a wheelchair; when you’re confronted by the weirdest of weirdos and get crazy comments on an exponentially higher basis than able-bodied folks. What do you do when you find yourself in one of these situations makes all the difference, in both maintaining your
Reality TV: Is the world ready for us?
 Last week a historic precedent was set: The first reality show to feature the lives of female wheelchair-users (four women in LA trying to make it in showbiz) was green-lighted by the Sundance Channel. Women with spinal cord injuries have been on TLC’s “Paralyzed & Pregnant” before, but never like this, on a regular reality-show-format basis. Love or hate the idea, or reality shows in
Paralyzed Scottish songstress dies
 The U.K. version of American Idol, The X Factor, helped catapult Kerry McGregor, a paraplegic from a fall at age 13, into stardom. Her long blonde tresses, sexy husky voice and status of being a full-time Mom captivated the British public. In 2010, she was diagnosed with bladder cancer. Kerry sadly lost her battle last week. She was a force to be reckoned with and I’m writing
Badass Project highlights tough crips
 I hate being called inspirational for simply trying to stay on the same life path I would be on had my injury never occurred. You know, going to school, working, going out, living life, dating, all that jazz. Some people like to say its inspirational, but I call it being stubborn.As a very stubborn crip who refused from the very beginning to let her disability ruin her life, it’s no wonder I fell
30,000 miles around the world
 Brit Andy Campbell, paralyzed 8 years ago in a mountain climbing accident, is taking a cue from Rick Hansen’s epic 30,000 mile around-the-world journey. Hansen, a renowned Canadian paraplegic, circled the globe in 1985 using his upper-body strength alone to raise $24 million for spinal cord injury research. This June Campbell will begin an amped-up version of Hansen’s trek, replete
Disabled comic video-bombs North Korea
It‘s no secret the deep-seeded prejudices North Korea holds towards the disabled. The whole world has heard the horrific reports of infanticide and sub-human gulags. To be disabled in North Korea is a nightmare and everyone knows it. The entire capitol of Pyongyang was even purged of all it’s disabled citizens in the late 1980’s.
Over time, even regimes hate bad PR, which must explain their uncanny willingness to let two Danish comedians, both originally born in South Korea and one with Cerebral Palsy, to come to their country to “perform.“
“Beauty Through Damage” photo project
 I love anything that in one succinct moment can wipe away a stereotype like a smudge on a mirror, and the power behind a striking photo can do just that. That is why Beauty Through Damage, a work-in-progress photo project by Rei Bennett, is a collaboration after my own heart. Beauty Through Damage highlights the beauty that exists in women with bodily imperfections.Rei
The YouTube of SCI Videos
 It’s really no fair what newbies have access to these days. When I was injured, all I had were old VHS tapes from my rehab unit’s meager video collection, with titles like, “Yes, Satisfying Sex With a Spinal Cord Injury Is Still Possible” and “Get Out and Live!” If I had had SPINALpedia.com back when I was injured, a site with over two thousand videos on strictly related to spinal cord injury, let’s just say my brain would’ve been a tad more healthier.
Don’t break on me now, wheelchair
 Wheelchairs, like cars, always break down at the worst of times. My chair has broken down on the 4th of the July, Christmas, while I on vacation and if it breaks down on just an average day of the week, it will always be on a Friday, leaving me to wait until Monday until it gets fixed. I want to say I’m cursed, but I know it isn’t just me. We’ve all been there.But wheelchair breakdowns are much more than petty annoyances. They can be
Erasing stereotypes, with your job
 If there’s one thing that makes me happy, it’s discovering a person with a disability with a career, or doing a job, you totally wouldn’t expect.I feel like chastising myself for saying that a person with a disability working in a particular job is “unexpected," but I must confess it feeds my soul better than any bowl of my grandma’s chicken noodle
Getting help from strangers
 I always struggle with the right way to ask for help in public. Do you ever find yourself waiting for the right person to pass that looks the kindest? I sometimes let several people pass before I ask the right person. Why the hesitation? One time at Target I asked the wrong person, and I found out exactly why hesitating is necessary.She was older, and probably a bit unstable, or maybe she was just in a bad mood. I dropped a bottle of body wash in the middle of the aisle as she was
To walk again, perchance to dream
 We live in exciting times. The lame are walking again. People paralyzed like you on me, for years on end, are finally getting the chance to walk because of groundbreaking neurostim technologies, like ReWalk, Esko and other cool neurostim technology.As
The Laurent House - 1940’s Accessibility
 I first fell in love with Frank Lloyd Wright, the famous prairie architect, after seeing his work at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and touring a handful of his homes while road-tripping through Wisconsin eight years ago. His homes are considered
Ableism needs to be slayed
 Ableism is an annoyingly vague term. At face value it looks like it could refer to the discrimination of those who are able-bodied, but sadly it means the opposite.Ableism refers to thinking people with disabilities aren’t equal to people who are able-bodied and should therefore be treated an inferior. Clint Eastwood has been called an ableist for refusing to make his California restaurant and hotel complex accessible
Para ready for expedition to South Pole
 Some people chose to play it safe, and then you have people like Grant Korgan, who clearly don‘t. Korgan, who broke his back at the L1 level while snowmobiling March last year, is about to take off for the South Pole. He and his team are planning on skiing to the South Pole in a 10-day trek, dubbed
Second Life: Is pretending healthy?
 Second Life (SL) is a massive online game where you can create your own body tailored to your exact specifications, meet others and travel to different virtual worlds where you can do anything you‘ve ever dreamt of, from riding a whale bareback in Bali to dancing the tango at an Argentine dance club. The game is free and is played by millions. Sounds great, in theory, but is pretending to be someone else, especially an able-bodied someone, a smart thing if
Hip-hop group “Wheelchair Sports Camp”
 Oh man. I think I’m in love. I just discovered jazz-hop/"krip-hop" trio Wheelchair Sports Camp, fronted by Kalyn Heffernan, an amazing 24 year old woman with osteogenesis imperfecta, thanks to
TV finally warming up to disabilities?
 Maybe you’ve noticed the same trend I have recently: A noticeable surge of disabilities on TV (DOTV). I’m not here to complain about some show not getting it right (even though some are getting it wrong). I want to celebrate this awesome trend. not psychoanalyze it. From reality shows to hour long dramas, we’re popping up everywhere, and there are a few DOTV you should definitely know about.Rollin’ with Zach: As a
Disability friendly sex worker on film
 It’s no secret that when you have a severe disability, finding a willing sex partner can difficult. It breaks my heart how many close-minded people there are in the world, and how many sexually frustrated adult virgins exist as a result. But if you find yourself in this situation and happen to live in Australia, count yourself one of the luckier crips in the world. The Australian government pays for it’s disabled citizens to visit a sex worker and there’s even an agency that
Can we relate to ghosts?
 An acquired disability they say is one of the most difficult morph jobs a human can go through. Going from a perfectly working body to a permanently broken one takes an incredible amount of mental strength. You remember everything you used to be able to do - run, walk, feel things on your body. You remember how things “once were” and it’s painful. Is our suffering similar to that of ghosts?It may sound ridiculous, but stay with me here. If ghosts exist -
Let the kite fly you
 Why fly a kite when the kite can fly you? Hooking yourself up to a mini parachute while racing across the water, on a surfboard, and going speeds up to 75 mph pretty much sums up kitesurfing. If you're looking for the ultimate adrenaline rush, the adapted version of this sport is amazing. Instead of a surfboard, a seat fused to a snowboard is used, and Christophe Martin, a paraplegic from France, is the king of this adapted
Cannabis to cure paralysis?
Exciting SCI research calls it quits
 A cloud of sadness must have fallen over quite a few number of people with spinal cord injuries on Monday when Geron, the first bio-tech company to receive Federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, which was aimed at helping people with new spinal cord injuries, announced they're putting an immediate stop to their program. And the reason: They ran out of money. Sadly, this is what happens when your results aren’t as expected - investors start
Paralyzed in his sleep. Who's to blame?
 It can be a scary world…the world of sleep. Sleep can be full of monsters, long falls off tall buildings, and if you have really bad luck, an actual fall off your bed. That’s what happened to Fordham University sophomore Kei Usami, 20, last February, when he fell off his dorm’s loft-style bed as he slept, falling four feet and breaking his neck. He is now suing the school for negligence, saying they should’ve installed guardrails to prevent such a thing. But can he
Why I don’t need to skydive
 While some super energetic gimps are eager to do as many crazy things as possible, to either prove to themselves or to the world that they are “HELL NO” not defined by their disability, as for me and my near-death experience when I broke my neck, I think I’ve had enough excitement for a lifetime.No thanks, not interested in putting myself in a situation where death could occur because of the tiniest mistake (that means no, I will not bungee jump in my wheelchair
Does a “day in a wheelchair" work?
 While I love the fact that its become popular for companies and non-profits to organize “Day in a Wheelchair” events, that are designed to promote disability awareness among the able-bodied population, I’ve been starting to wonder if they do much good. A day is certainly not long enough to understand my plight (if that’s your end-goal). A “Month in a Wheelchair” is more like it. But who would want to do that?Other than Morgan Spurlock and a
Get her on your radar: Maggie Redden
 Think you know every mover and shaker with a disability there is to know about in this world? Think again. I thought I did, but the internet loves proving me wrong.I recently heard about Maggie Redden a few days ago, and as a disability writer who prides herself in knowing the disabled newsmakers of the world, I‘m a bit embarrassed. This dynamic woman, originally from India, has made a name for herself as an Paralympian and she even competed in the Miss
The wheelchair purse dilemma
 It takes some creative juices to meld someone who uses a wheelchair with the right purse. I’ve long shunned the notion that all we should use backpacks because, “Hey! You can just it strap on the back!” Do we really want to look like juvenile girls our entire lives? Every grown woman deserves a sexy purse, and if you use a wheelchair, wearing a purse can be done with flair, and here’s my how-to.There are billions of purse styles out there and about just
The go natural, less meds debate
 Oxybutynin for bladder spasms, Baclofen for muscle spasms, Docusate Sodium for the bowels, the list goes on and on. These are some of the meds typically prescribed to someone with a spinal cord injury. But just because they tell us to, should we take all of those meds? And are they good for us? Long-term? You have people arguing both sides fiercely, and as for me, 18 years into being paralyzed, I’m pretty sure that isn’t an option anymore.
Do ghosts discriminate?
 They say Halloween is the one time of year when the “wall” if you will, separating the living from the dead, is so thin, that spirits can roam freely; meaning they’re no longer trapped in a building or wherever else their soul is pinging around. Maybe you don’t believe in ghosts, and that’s ok, but if there were such a thing as ghosts, do you think ghosts hold on to the same stereotypes they believed in from when they were alive?Ghosts, spirits,
NASCAR fan delight
 Although I don’t quite understand NASCAR myself (yes, you can blame my northern sensibilities), NASCAR brings in a ton of money and has millions of fans, so there must be something to it. It has even become so popular that they sell wheelchair spoke guard covers embellished with the glory of NASCAR, so you can wear your fandom proudly. You gotta love customized wheelchair accessories that span every interest across this fine land.While I may not understand NASCAR’s
Check this out: Carbon Black Wheelchair
 Europeans appreciate aesthetics as much as function and the Carbon Black Wheelchair, a new all-carbon fiber wheelchair made by UK based Imagine Design, is possibly one of the sexiest wheelchairs ever made.The frame is not only made of carbon, a quarter the weight of steel making the wheelchair very light, the entire wheelchair is carbon (even the wheels).
The
Nerves perk-up after deep sea dives
 The human body, just like the jungles of the Amazon, is still a mystery despite the copious amounts research we‘ve put into it. And deep sea diving, the high-pressure of the water to be more specific, is proving how much we have to learn. After Cody Unser, a 24 year old paraplegic, reported a temporary improvement in sensation after diving, she had her foundation, The Cody Unser First Step Foundation, conduct a controlled experiment in May, and what they found is astounding.
Segregated disability communities ok?
 Its human nature to want to be around humans who are as similar to us as possible. It gives us a sense of belonging and more importantly, a sense of comfort, so we don’t feel the need to question ourselves or our reality (hey we’re human. It’s what we do). So it came as surprise when a group of Little People from China, sick of being shunned, decided to leave their homes and families and start their own
When the state makes you the bad guy
 PCAs are critical to the independence of many. And if you have a great group of them like I do, you want to shower them with appreciation whenever you can. So when the state cuts your PCA hours and lowers their wages because of spending cuts, how do you inform them of the bad news in the best way possible? I just had to go through this and I must say, I felt like the biggest jerk in the room.We all know PCA cuts are rampant right now across the US.
"Feeling again" with wires?
 It’s a very unnerving thing to exist in a body you cannot feel. I don’t recommend it (unless you want to feel like a ghost). Doctors cannot cure the spinal cord, so its something we‘re told we must get used to when we show up with a broken back. My sadness over this huge loss however now has a ray of hope thanks to a mechanical breakthrough that can simulate real sensations. Our brains can
More mainstream TV ads needed
 There’s a serious lack of cool, edgy mainstream TV ads for mobility products out there. Sure, you’ll cool print ads in New Mobility, but not on TV. In fact, the only ad for a mainstream mobility product I can think of are those awful commercials for Hoveround wheelchairs that air during daytime television. Every time one of these ads runs, another person’s negative disability stereotypes are cemented.Its no secret the target
First-person wheelchair video game
 I recently came across an interesting series of video games made by a Spanish software company. AccessAble Games has made something I’ve never seen before: Video games designed exclusively for people with disabilities. Their latest game - Slalom, The Video Game - lets wheelchair-users practice a game from real life: Wheelchair slalom. By being able to
Should wheelchairs drive the road too?
 There seems to be a growing trend among power wheelchair-users saying goodbye to using sidewalks, and hello to zooming on the street. They’ll drive alonside traffic right next to the lane, using bike lanes, and going near 10mph.While I am a baby and am not one of these individuals, there are several folks who prefer driving the streets over sidewalks with no fear. As a driver of an actual vehicle as well, I know all too well most drivers are simply way too
Winter shopping spree lessons
 Going to the mall is the adventure, bulking up your wardrobe in all the right places is the hard part.Today I did the very responsible activity of repairing my Winter wardrobe, and by repairing I mean filling in the what was missing - missing pant colors, a missing blazer, several long-sleeved tops.
I bought what I wished I had had last year whenever a -5 degree day hit but was too lazy
Introducing: The Foldable wheel
 Love your wheelchair, but hate transporting it? Your world is about to get easier thanks to Foldable Wheelchair Wheels. This invention transforms the rigid wheelchair wheel and turns it into a foldable piece of magic.How exactly the wheels are able to fold in, then retract (return to their original wheel shape), they don’t say specifically, but from the pictures that have so far
Meeting the parents
 Showing up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed to meet your significant other’s parents is a hard enough job when you’re perfectly able-bodied. All you want to do is impress, but when you show up in a wheelchair, you’re not exactly what they doctor ordered. They say freshly baked brownies can win anyone over, but in this scenario, they’d have to be carried by Martha Stewart herself.Meeting the in-laws when you have a disability is not
Let wheelchairs in drive-thrus?
 If you use a wheelchair, you know you’ve thought about it as you’ve zoomed by a fast food place both famished and in a rush, contemplating the easiest way possible to get your grub. The drive-through beckons like the third door in a maze; you know you shouldn’t go there, but the temptation is too great. After all, you’re on four wheels right? That’s almost car-ish. But surprise, surprise, many fast food joints do not agree.I’m not sure how
Rolling dirty
 The way you look at your wheelchair can make all the difference in how often it gets cleaned. If you look at it as extension of your body, you’re probably going to clean it everyday. But if you look at it as a vehicle, then it’ll be lucky to get cleaned every couple of months; a night and day difference that determines whether your persona appears sparkly clean, or more like a rolling version of “Pig-Pen” from Peanuts.
Access needed in motion-sensor gaming
 Move one way, and your character moves. Swing your arm this way, and your character shoots their gun. This is the basis of motion-sensor gaming and it’s growing in popularity every day. The Nintendo Wii started the trend and was then-touted as a great option for gamers with disabilities since it provided one helluva workout. But as technology advances, new systems debut and games get better, there’s a continued glaring trend that’s producing several unsatisfied disabled
Ice cream, yoga and lipstick
 Super melty rocky road, Spinal Twists and MAC lipstick in “Frecklespeck” - these are my go-to simple pleasures. I think everyone should have three simple things in their arsenal that can turn a crappy day, full of wheelchair horror story after horror story, into a day where you don’t feel like crawling into a hole to die. And they must be cheap. Your account balance shouldn’t have the final say on your happiness.Whether you go for a cold Budweiser while
We are the Phoenixes
 I tell people learning to adjust to a new disability is a lot like grieving over someone you’ve lost. You learn to live with it. I used to struggle with answering this question, feeling embarrassed most people thought my life was a living Hell.Its not easy trying to explain, no convince, that there is life after disability. Most people can’t imagine it. And when they do, they say they’d rather be dead. Really? You’d rather be worm food than alive?
I need a reacher for my reacher
 The human brain rules at figuring out workarounds. Maybe we haven’t found the secret to time travel, but we‘ve figured out some pretty badass stuff, from how to fly through space to curing deadly infections. So, when confronted by physical limitations, a veritable “dent” in the car we’re stuck in until we die so to speak, its only natural we work just as hard to find a workaround.I’m not talking about an explicit
Wanted: Power wheelchair bling
 I first got the idea of finding someone who sold sexy power wheelchair body work after seeing Professor X’s wheelchair in the X-Men movie. His sleek wheelchair was encased in this amazing body, making it look uber-streamlined. Most power wheelchairs, including mine, are so bulky, and for no good reason to boot.Wires, screws, more wires, awkward wheel wells, and arm rests are all high on
Is healing Batgirl wrong?
 Its not everyday a disabled character gets a huge role in a comic book. DC had the Joker shoot Batgirl in an infamous 1989 issue, leaving her a paraplegic and forcing her to create her "I may be paralyzed but I‘m a badass computer genius" persona - aka Oracle. With Oracle, disabled characters finally got the push they needed. But now, DC is rebooting her character, with her suddenly
The injury anniversary
 Is it morbid to celebrate a tragedy? Since when is it "sad" to miraculously survive an accident, even if you get permanently injured? Living to see another day is a gift my friends, and I don’t know about you, but life in any form is worth celebrating.I will admit, I was first put off by the notion of doing anything celebratory on my injury anniversary. The day of my accident for a very long time represented nothing but lost dreams and a
Pushing your physical limits too far?
 I have a tendency to always think I’m a wee bit lazy. You know how it is when you’re disabled; you always think there’s more you could - most likel -, but only if you pushed yourself (and when do we have the time to push ourselves?). I have these fantasies where I think I could probably transfer myself if I just dedicated myself to it for a year. Or like last night, when I though I could become a dynamo veggie chopper, only to wake up the next morning
The “Stephen Hawking” way to cope
 When the world makes no sense, your disability makes no sense, and not even your therapist can help you see the world in a brighter light, do what I do - and look to the geniuses of the world to set you straight. Sure, you can seek the advice of a handful of brilliant people, but for me, I choose Stephen Hawking. Severely paralyzed by ALS, forcing him to live mostly in his mind, Hawking’s advice on dealing with disability is
To dance or not dance in public
 I grew up in love with dance. It set me free. I still love to dance even now, despite my injury, using my newly acquired chair dance moves. But now when I dance anywhere in public, and I mean anywhere outside of my living room, the entire experience has soured. I’m now overwhelming pitied every time I go out dancing. To some, seeing someone in a wheelchair try to dance is like watching a short person reach for the top shelf.The good news is that not everyone feels this
Do you look good today?
 A brand new wheelchair fashion blog has hit the interwebz courtesy of Jamie, a 33 year old wheelchair-user from Florida. Her blog, “I Look Good Today,” is a fashion blog with heart, frequently updated, and as everything from photos of she’s wearing that day to fashion recommendations inspired by whatever’s going on in her life. She is passionate about all things beautiful, and her blog is no
Stem cell critic gets stem cells
Is it wrong to be annoyed when someone with clout, who makes a name for themselves vilifying stem cells, only goes to get a stem cell treatment when no ones looking? That’s what happened with Presidential candidate GOP hopeful, Governor Rick Perry of Texas (who has Multiple Sclerosis), when he had his own stem cells injected into his spine during a recent back surgery.
Before and after the surgery (to treat a reoccurring back injury), his people made sure his procedure was kept private, but like all things when you live a public life, the cat got out of the bag soon
Para featured on Sabado Gigante
 I have loved Sabado Gigante, the beautifully loud Spanish hour-long TV show, since my college days, trying in vain to perfect my Spanish skills. Broadcasted on Univision and hosted by the legendary Don Fransisco with his bevy of models, this show is watched by millions around the globe. Yesterday they had on Tamara Mena, a T2 paraplegic and gorgeous model to boot.Seeing
My life's greatest loss, turns you on?
 When you’re a woman in a wheelchair and you’re online, watch out. There’s a huge reason to be suspicious of who you talk to when meeting new people. There are thousands of wheelchair fetishists (also known as “devotees)” crawling the internet. And while what turns them on - atrophied legs, spasms, watching a cute woman transfer - may seem laughable, you need to be aware. They have been using the internet since it’s onset to lure lonely, naïve disabled
Don’t be sad for me, k?
 A funny thing happened at a party the other night. While a lot of crazy things happen to me, this one was blog-worthy. It all started innocent enough; met a drunk girl at a Bachelorette party who wanted to know how I got hurt. After giving her the “dove into a lake, broke my neck, have been paralyzed the last 18 years” run-down, all she had to say was one thing: “You make me so sad.” Then she started bawling.Oh man. There’s nothing like a sudden
Time to kiss your modesty goodbye
 Have a disability? Need help with daily living activities? Then you know all too well how modesty is a luxury you cannot afford. You can attempt to cling to it, cover yourself up whenever you can, keep a mysterious veil between you and the world, but if you need help with showering and dressing on a daily basis, you are destined to fail.I think my modesty lasted about two weeks after my injury. Not long at all. How many times can you let
OMG! Air conditioned clothes?
 Quads and paras unable to sweat have a new summertime savior thanks to a Japanese invention called Kuchofuko. Meaning “air conditioned clothing” in Japanese, it’s exactly what it says it is - shirts, jackets, beds and cushions, all with a built-in air-conditioning system. You may look like a Puffer fish while wearing them, but at least you’ll not die of a heat stroke.The company, Kuchofuko Ltd., has seen a
What’s your best DIY accessible fix?
 Facing hurdles is like breathing air when you’re disabled. Nearly every second of everyday you face them. Naturally, you get pretty deft at overcoming them. I’ll fantasize I’m a version of MacGyver as I figure out how to pick up cans using a grocery bag, or use a broom to get my reacher out from under my bed. Woo green beans success! Humans are built for finding solutions, which means yes,
Why does the news love paralyzed brides?
 As a wheelchair-user myself, I love it when women in wheelchairs get married. Seeing these ladies so happy is awesome. But here’s the deal: Is it really THAT big of a deal if they get married? Why does the news love these stories so much?We all know weddings make for great heart-warming fluff that the news knows sells. Fluff brings in more viewers, readers, hits. After all,
Wheelchair golfer plays historic course
 Think wheelchairs and golf don’t mix? Think again. Better yet, think of Mike Reeder, a Vietnam vet and double-leg amputee, who has become the first golfer in a wheelchair to ever play the Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland, the birthplace of golf and a course known for its treacherous
What do you do when you get stared at?
 While I don’t remember my first public outing as a wheelchair-user, I’m sure I was horrified by the stares. Annoyed and horrified. And the sideways glances, the quick-look-away stares that occur every time I go out, they still bug me, and its been 18 years since my injury.The thing is - no one likes to be stared at. In my world, a stare is a look that lasts longer than 5
Gaga debuts wheelchair mermaid alter ego
 We all know Lady Gaga has a penchat for the bizarre, and her latest persona, Yuyi the Mermaid, a wheelchair-using siren with a black tail donned in a black funeral shroud, has been causing some major controversy.Gaga debuted her at a recent concert in Sydney, Australia during her performance of "You and I," and
The wheelchair that you wear, like pants
This latest standing wheelchair, which blows the
Hands-free? Holy cow yes
 When you can’t move your hands, hands-free ANYTHING is alluring. I’m talking about hands-free inventions - an upgrade to tools and other things that (once) needed a working hand to use independently, but now - woop, woop - do not, thanks to the 21st century super awesome engineers. Add some sprockets, a dash of electricity, and bam,
Exploit yourself to pay the bills?
 If the carnivals of yore were the peddlers of freak shows, then TLC and the Discovery “Fit & Health” channel are the modern-day version of such peddlers, or so they have been accused. If a channel produces a show on a pregnant paraplegic with twins, and people pay cable to tune in to watch (gawk), how is that any different from paying $2 to view a pregnant snake lady behind a
Accidentally accessible fashion trends
 Gone are the belly-baring tops that were so trendy in the ‘90s and the heels-on-everything trend; two fashion trends that did nothing for wheelchair-users. After losing hope that a trend would ever come to pass that would work for us, then came the stretchy skirt.Unintentionally accessible fashion is one of my favorite things in this world, and there are these three
The wheelchair smart car has landed
 Tiny wheelchair smart cars made exclusively for wheelchair-users, intended to be driven from the wheelchair and topping around 30 mph, are nothing new in other parts of the world. They’re perfect for city driving and run on electricity or get superior gas mileage. With gas prices cutting a hole through many people’s wallets, its about time adapted smart cars, aka LSV (low speed vehicles), became available in the US.Wheelchair smart cars were first dreamt up by
Why kid inventors are the best inventors
A group of teens from Staten Island, NY have recently created the “dream” wheelchair for a high school engineering project. They are geeky, they have East coast accents, and they have put blood and sweat into this thoroughly impressive creation.
Whenever young, eager kids, un-jaded by the world get their hands on something that can change the world for the better, that’s when I get really excited; that is when amazing ideas come forth, and this omni-directional wheelchair is existing proof.
What really got me were some of the chair’s
Bridal shop discrimination?
 Stephanie Nash, a wheelchair-user from Kentwood, Michigan, and a bridesmaid in her friend's upcoming wedding, recently encountered a controversial sign while shopping for her friend's wedding dress: Attention Customers: Our store is not wheelchair accessible. She and her bridal party couldn‘t believe their eyes when they first read it, actually thinking it was a joke
Rolling Elephants wheelchair jeans
 There have been a slough of wheelchair jeans manufacturers since adapted fashion became popular over 15 years ago, with USA Jeans being one of the most well-known manufacturers of adapted jeans; jeans especially made to fit the form of a seated human, rather than a standing one.And Rolling Elephants is the latest wheelchair jeans manufacturer to hit the scene,
The hybrid minivan cometh
 Disgruntled drivers of adapted vans everywhere, the not-so-slick things we are forced to drive because hey, we drive from our power wheelchair - soon there will be a viable alternative to the gas-hog solutions we’ve only ever had: Big vans, minivans, or big trucks. And I don’t know about you, but this new van better not cost over $35k (but it probably will).At first read, I thought this
Fantasy HBO show touches on paralysis
 If you’re not watching Game of Thrones yet, you are missing out on one of the best TV shows currently on-air. The really exciting thing about this show is that it touches on disability like no other show yet. Note: Blog may contain spoilers.It features a boy with paralysis and a Lord who‘s a Little Person. It’s not everyday you get to see such a lush, fantasy/Lord of the Rings -styled TV show (produced by HBO), that gives screen-time to
Wheelchair assassin film needs your help
 They say every idea has been made into a film. Not so fast. When was the last time a you’ve seen a movie starring two female wheelchair-users? That is why Collision, starring Tiffany Giddes and Teal Sherer, both paraplegics, a film about wheelchair assassins, needs to be made.With no studio backing, the film has joined Kickstarter, hoping to win funding to make
Is it ok to hate the rich gimps?
In the world of the disabled, just like in the world of the non-disabled, you have the rich folks and you have the poor folks.
While not having a Mercedes or a 10,000 sq. ft house can be annoying, and not being able to travel whenever you want can make for a rather boring life, the wealth disparity in the disability world can be truly unjust. The law suit gimps are the Golden Children of the disability world, and the rest of us must watch from the sidelines.
Whether you’re talking about long-term physical therapy or expensive gadgets that deliver
Planned your nature therapy yet?
 Summer is finally here, the most accessible season of them all. And I’ve been having camping on the brain. This city girl misses the country. The last time I went camping - camping in an actual tent that is - was 2004. I was in Winnipeg for the Winnipeg Folk Festival, and had the time of my life. Even though I use a wheelchair, tent camping remains one of my favorite ways to de-stress.How can you beat hearing the sounds of nature as you sleep, the fresh air,
Where do you find the best PCAs?
 Hey HR managers out there, whoops, I mean people with disabilities - I know all too well how doing double duty of both living your life and being in charge of a contingent of PCAs is no easy feat. And the art of finding quality PCAs is just as complicated. It’s a constant learning process with each new hire. Where do you look? Where were you told to look? What place has produced the best results?The process I stick to in 2011 to find a new PCA has changed dramatically
Why online rejection doesn't count
 If there’s an equivalent to kindergarten as an adult, online dating has got to be it. Most of the time it causes tears, and you want to move on to the next stage right away. It’s a obscene way to find a mate when you think about it - putting in search parameters as if finding a mate is like Googling the closest Little Caesars, but people do it. I‘ve done it. And if you have a disability, you might as well just put you‘re a terrorist right in your profile, because
What do you say to strangers?
 There’s nothing like hanging out at the mall minding your own business, when all of a sudden a complete stranger comes up to you and asks - “What happened to you?” How do you answer? Politely, rudely, are you funny, or do you have a speech memorized whenever you’re asked this question?This jarring, out-of-the-blue question is commonplace when you have a disability. Everybody is curious
Fashionistas take on wheelchair fashion
 Girls who can walk may not have the fashion dilemmas we do, but when they were asked to come up with stylish outfit ideas for a female wheelchair-user who‘s new to being in a chair, they were actually not that bad.Maybe it’s because they’re looking at the situation with fresh eyes, and I’ve been hashing and rehashing the subject for years, but the outfits this contingent of fashionistas came up with at Polyvore, a popular style and trend community,
Real deal SCI treatment unveiled
 From Schwann cells to embryonic stems cells, a SCI cure has been looked at by all angles. But never before has a lumbar implant been used on complete SCI survivors successfully. This latest experiment re-trains nerves that control the legs, and other paralyzed parts of the body. The lucky guy who dared take part in this experiment was 25 year old ex-baseball player, Rob Summers. He put his life on-hold for 2 years to
No, you cannot see a picture of my feet
 If the internet were a person, it’d probably be a raunchy comedian who had forgotten to take his meds a few too many times.So when the internet came into my life in 1994, one of the first things I noticed after mentioning I was a wheelchair-user, was that there were people out there specifically searching for me. Not exactly “me” per say, but something like me (or so they were hoping). They were the raunch the news had warned me about, and they were jonesing
Wheelchair fashion storefront debuts
 This may be a first. IZ Adaptive Clothing, one of the few clothing lines in existence that was created with wheelchair-users in mind (or as Izzy beautifully puts it - her “seated clientele”), has opened a posh new storefront in Toronto, Ontario, giving rolling fashionistas access to one of the most progressive fashion houses ever created.The store showcases select pieces from the line, has 100% accessible fitting
Escaping your disability virtually
 Second Life. IM. Video games. The virtual world lets anyone be anyone, and for people with disabilities, it provides us with an opportunity that people with disabilities 50 years ago could have only dreamed of. We can be supermodels. We can carry a 250 lb. packs and gun down enemies with precision like G.I. Joe. And we can be treated as a “person” first before our disability. But is playing an able-bodied person in a virtual world a good thing or does it let us hide from our real
You win some, lose some at live shows
Wheelchairs a menace in dance clubs?
 It never ceases to amaze me how many angry people who exist in this world who see wheelchairs as nothing but a menace to society. When it comes to anywhere that’s crowded, take dance clubs for example, they really don’t think we belong. But here’s the kicker: Dance clubs by their very nature are crowded. Are we never supposed to go? Like…..ever? They may not see it, but their logic has crossed into full-blown segregation. They’re evil, and they have no clue.
Keeping a stiff upper lip
 One of the most challenging things about living with a disability is keeping strong, even on the worst of days. Whether you’re experiencing more pain than the average person, you move less than the average person or if you have to deal with more medical problems than the average person, keeping a stiff upper lip and soldiering forward is a trait all of us must possess. There are many lessons/challenges one experiences as a person with a disability, and keeping
From hating, to loving, your wheelchair
 There’s a strange battle that goes on in the minds of wheelchair-users when it comes to how they perceive their wheelchair. It’s the classic love/hate relationship humans are notorious for. From fatty foods to cigarettes, we can simultaneously love and hate something and it can drive us crazy.Its especially uncomfortable for us to have that duality of feelings towards something as powerful, both socially and mentally, as the wheelchair. You feel guilty for hating it,
It ain’t easy sitting pretty
 Let’s face it - the world was not made for wheelchair-users. From architecture and cars to clothes and shoes, most things in life, unless they’re developed by a specialty company, don’t really factor us in. When I was hurt in my teens, I quickly learned how true this was when it come to clothing. My size 10 shoes no longer fit (my feet had shrunk a size in less than 3 months), my pants were all too short now that I was sitting 24/7, even my fancy underwear was pointless
Being “reborn” and acquired disability
 Tomorrow is Easter, the day Christians celebrate the resurrection of Christ. And it got me thinking about people who acquire their disabilities later in life and how they say the date of their injury is also a day of rebirth. You hear the words “reborn,” “rebirth“ and “second birthday” when people talk about the day of their injuries. It’s an epic day. A day to be reckoned with. And a day they want to forget.The
Why we work on reality shows
 I read an article recently (Reality TV Gets More Real) on how people with disabilities are becoming a trend on reality shows, or at the very least, becoming more accepted by casting agents and being let on these various love ‘em or loathe ’em reality shows (woo being recognized in the
Dressing trendy to fight stereotypes
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If you use a wheelchair, accepting that you'd be forever cursed with a flat butt was a hard truth to swallow. But now a miracle has happened, and it's not due to a saint or the handiwork of a plastic surgeon. A miracle in the form of an FES (functional electrical stimulation) bike has appeared, and I'm just catching wind of it now. Apparently these bikes can do a lot more than just stimulate your leg muscles. 
If Jesse Billauer, the badass disabled surfer from Cali and founder of 
It’s been long known the beneficial side effects that cannabis can have on those with spinal cord injuries. THC, once consumed, trickles throughout the body and does it’s thing. Many claim it can reduce muscle spasticity, decrease neuropathic pain, make anxiety go away, increase hunger (helpful for anyone needing to gain weight) and more. But for cannabis to have a direct effect on the actual spinal cord? I would have never believed 
When you use a wheelchair, scoring a decent seat at a concert can be a bi-polar affair. At some venues you’re treated like royalty, and at others you’re treated like a reason to call pest control. While I’m not complaining about how close I got to M.I.A (saw her sweat glisten) because of my wheelchair, I AM complaining about the numerous times I’ve been jacked, either by a crappy venue, or by Ticketmaster itself, because of my disability.
If life were a big running race and you and I were part of it, the people watching, the announcers, even those kids passing out water bottles, well, no one would expect us to win. They’d applaud us for trying, give us a fake trophy so we’re not too depressed about it, then they’d pat us on the back and give us an ice-cream cone while we watch the rest of the race from the sidelines.
Trends in this world can sometimes be like a bad LSD trip. Fake orange tans, Furbees and Kim Kardashian exemplify my point perfectly. And the growing trend of having a pet with missing limbs is without a doubt the weirdest trend I‘ve yet to live through. As a disabled woman, part of me wants to love it because its always cool to see disability popular in any shape or form, but this is just wrong. Disability has become a novelty, like a King hiring a Little Person to lounge
How long can you keep abusing a dog until it finally bites back? Our bodies are temples, whether disability is present or not. And I think my body, specifically my bladder, has finally had enough. It’s letting me know using everyone’s messed-up nervous system favorite method - autonomic dysreflexia. And while it’s certainly not a knockout punch, it’s damn close.
Today I woke up in a foul mood. I awoke bemoaning my current health woes - annoying bladder sediment causing heavy autonomic dysreflexia, and I barely slept because of the pain. I was not happy. My PCA helped me get dressed quick, and we barreled down to my van, off to the urologist for some much needed bladder-rinse fun. I had to skip my beloved morning cup of Joe because we were running late, and I had loads of work to do that the pain was making it impossible for me to finish. w00t my
Its not unheard of in the disability community for couples who want to get married, to bypass the official license, and just have the religious ceremony. Getting married in the eyes of the US government means you’ll lose benefits that many people with disabilities rely on; benefits that can make or break your independence. Can you imagine having to choose between losing PCAs or getting married?
Whether they create a disabled character that’s depressed or a character that’s suicidal, Hollywood seems to take glee in killing us off. If not glee, its ignorance, which is still no excuse. I mean what gives? They must just REALLY think our lives suck. Do they? Um no.
They say one of the best cardio workouts out there is boxing. As a quad, I never really respected this this until I bought a Wii 3 years ago and played Wii Boxing. Even while sitting on your butt, boxing is a seriously hardcore cardio workout, which is ironic because able-bodied boxing requires immense leg strength. After only a minute of playing the game, I was huffing and puffing, and I loved every second. Who knew I’d
I am happy, nay THRILLED, to announce that the MV-1, a wheelchair accessible vehicle that looks like a morphed SUV/van with an extra wide ramp, has been given $50 million by the Department of Energy. This green vehicle is intended for both public use - taxis, government vehicles - and for private ownership.
When you have a disability, you’ll find a lot of things aren’t as easy. Walking, not so easy. Running a mile, not so easy. And THIS one may seem hard to believe, but taking a handful of candy from a candy bowl, a motion that most people never think about, and a notably difficult one for a select few, from people like me to people with CP, MS, to stroke survivors and anyone else with hand problems - not so easy.
What store wouldn’t want this in their window? A sleek, sexy “chair” for a seated mannequin that upon closer look is a wheelchair, these “Mannequals” are the brainchild of Sophie Morgan, a paralyzed artist and model from London. She’s bringing equality to the fashion world using her “equal opportunity” mannequins, and I think its genius (or as Sophie would probably say, “brilliant”).
If you ask me, one of the biggest stresses of using a wheelchair is accessibility - whether I want to know if the new Indian place in the old part of town has a ramp, or if a certain bus stop on a trip to London is accessible, finding accurate REAL-TIME information on accessibility isn’t easy. It’ always a gamble - sometimes a website will have out of date information, or even worse, a place’s idea of what they
Don’t be fooled by his near PhD status — David Van Wagener is a rolling barrel of laughs, and his European Adventures YouTube videos are priceless gems of awesomeness (and the nerdy quad inside of me wants to make sure everyone out there experiences what I did when I first watched these videos. In the words of Bill S. Preston, Esq., Dude, it felt like I was really there