Renting a Home from a Chair

My family and I recently went through a rather difficult, yet educational experience. For the first time since my injury I was jointly responsible for a home. By the this I mean my name was on the lease. Many of us in chairs often live with family, some us received a settlement and bought a…

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A Broken Cord: Part 2

About two weeks after my accident and spinal cord injury I was lying in the Intensive Care Unit of what is now Shands Medical Center in Jacksonville, FL when the hospital-appointed Psychiatrist walked into my room. I knew immediately she needed more therapy than I did. With a feigned look of interest she glanced over…

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That Darn Easter Bunny…

It’s now the second day of spring. It snowed yesterday on the first day of spring. It doesn’t feel like spring and these Meteorologists on TV might as well be telling us the Easter Bunny is running behind on chocolate orders and had to outsource holiday deliveries to Godiva. Fortunately the snow is melting very…

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Forget the Aisle Chair

Today, we’ve been sitting on the tarmac at Atlanta Airport for nearly two hours now. What was supposed to be a 45 minute layover has dragged on without explanation. We’re on the way to the National Veterans Wheelchair Games in Philly – and to my surprise, at least a quarter of the plane are competitors…

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10 Things You Shouldn’t Say to Someone Who Uses a Wheelchair

I’ve heard some pretty crazy things come out of people’s mouths in my few short years as a wheelchair user. Most people definitely mean well, but some sentiments aren’t received the way many able bodied people might expect. In the disabled community, it’s not uncommon for us to joke with each other about some of…

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The coolest SCI awareness organization I had never heard of.

Last month we celebrated Florida Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Week (November 10-17). Just a few days before that week started I was forwarded an email from FSCIRC news informing me of the observance. To be honest, I wasn’t aware Florida had a Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Week and I figured if I wasn’t aware of…

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Transitioning to a Wheelchair with MS: When and How?

Those with multiple sclerosis (MS) can experience mobility difficulty as the disease progresses. Among several symptoms include decreased balance, increased spasticity, sensation changes, vision impairment, muscle weakness or a combination of these symptoms, which can affect mobility.  When your lower extremities aren’t functioning optimally, you may need to seek out assistance in the form of…

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The Best Day of Our Lives!

“I can’t run” said my husband Tom. “Of course you can’t” I said…  “But listen to this list – Archery, bowling, golf, cycling, track and field, ping pong, rowing, weight lifting, sailing, swimming, scuba, shooting, fishing, kayaking, billiards, basketball, softball, sled hockey, tennis, horsemanship, skiing, waterskiing, and kite boarding!” That’s all the sporting events available…

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