We are blessed to have a way to share our extraordinary lives that prove why for us, Walking Is, Way Overrated. You'll see... Stories, Life lessons, Problem Solving, Aging with a disability, all intended to encourage and help out anyone who may be new to using wheels for legs, aging, have a loved one facing challenges or you may just be interested in reading something unique. You may even smile! All glory goes to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
These have been most challenging times. I could say that about the entire world in light of all of the events and issues have been going on for the last few years. In our home challenges have arisen upon challenges. As a married couple who both live with physical disabilities, we are aware that anything can happen at any time. These recent days, my dear husband suddenly discovered a sore on his backside. Something you always want to be checking for when you sit in a wheelchair all the time or are in bed for long periods of time. Developing a pressure ulcer is a very challenging thing to deal with because it means the bone inside the body such as the hips or pelvic bone, is pressing from the inside towards the outside and therefore the wound gradually begins on the other side. But it's preventable when you first discover just a red spot. It would mean stay off that area and stop sitting up or laying down in the same spot for too long.
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I won't say too much because most of it is shared in the log that we made and we will be following through with updates on how Craig is doing and
confirmations as we get them, regarding what exactly is this quite infected wound on his poor backside.
Don't you just love this monarch butterfly on my thumbnail? This deserves it's own little blurb. A couple weeks ago I noticed them on her butterfly enjoying our zinnias. Then there was the time I almost got hit in the head by the hummingbird poking around our zinnias. Love it. This day I was observing the butterfly from our window, believing there was no way I would be able to take a picture of it. I decided to ask God to keep the butterfly there long enough so I can get outside with my camera and get a shot. Well the most amazing thing happened. I cannot lift my arms at all from where I sit in my wheelchair or at any time for that matter. So I took my little Canon PowerShot camera pointed up to where the majestic butterfly was sitting on the tallest zinnia flower. Not an easy shot because like I said, I cannot lift my arms and to mention I also can't see through the screen to even see what I'm shooting at. So I trust in God, guessed that I had it in frame and click. And the butterfly went and that was that. When I checked the viewfinder, I was thrilled to see it was the perfect shot. Nothing was blurry and even the composition seemed perfect. I am quite sure that God help me with that because, that butterfly on top of the Zinnia was far too high for where my camera could point to to get a decent side view of the butterfly. So all glory goes to God and I'm thinking him for a once in a lifetime shot that I get to enjoy and hopefully paint eventually.
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Last night we camped indoors, which for those of you who don't know me and Anita, that's me slept in my wheelchair. The problem with that is I don't usually get a lot of sleep. By the time I settle down, and close my eyes it's usually about three hours. I've realized that I think it's because I'm so used to having to go to bed when someone here has been pre-scheduled to come and help me into and out of bed, then having the freedom to move around at any time whenever I like. It's just too wonderful for me. So these are the only nights I get to live unfettered, and yes that's where the hyperactive part of my ADHD diagnosis seems to come in to play. I had to laugh when I thought, maybe that's why God allowed me to be in a wheelchair, because he knew I'd be all over the place if I was on my feet. I hope I remember to ask him that one day, these days I've been choosing basically, to sleep in my wheelchair about once a week. But the driving force behind it is having limited personal care attendants, and wanting to make sure that works out the best way possible. Plus I really like the idea that I get to choose as well.
Seating clinic for new wheelchairs
I believe that was mentioned in this video a little bit. If not they're somewhere else. But I am thrilled that I am entitled to a new wheelchair a year sooner than I originally thought. Our government provides 75% funding basically, every five years for things like power wheelchairs and manual wheelchairs. The funny thing is they don't cover very expensive wheelchair batteries. But we deal with it. Craig has a decent healthcare plan from his days as a letter carrier. What will be great about this is it has a power tilt along with a power recline and power foot rest that raise up and down. I will be sharing all I can and the blogs and that in case anyone else is interested and want it all is. Because I didn't know about it until after it was too late when I got my last year. Or I would have applied for that kind. It means that I would be able to sleep far more comfortably in my wheelchair. Even though I already sleep pretty decently. It will just be good because my hips and legs will be able to stretch out and the circulation can flow better. I have chronic lymphoedema which means my legs and feet and ankles have been swelled for a lot of years. Including the left side of my face and left arm. .. That's why I wear my wedding ring on my right hand.
I know I shared the last process about five years ago with you everyone here at walking railroaded. This time it won't just be my process by Craig's at the same time because he's going through a different vendor but is still seeking a new power assist wheelchair. Pretty exciting now we just gotta find the client portion of the funding which can get pretty expensive, but it's worth it. He actually has his power assist wheels that he bought without any government funding only about two years ago so he will just be getting a regular manual wheelchair and then they add rackets so he can use his emotion M25 wheels. That he loves so much. Makes life a lot easier when your shoulders are battling things like rotator cuff damage and osteoarthritis.
Fifty Celsius has never been reached in my life time, that I know of. Today, our thermometer reached the highest we've ever seen. No doubt it may be out by a few degrees, but still, pretty jaw dropping. Especially for September. Conspiracy theories abound regarding not just the moon landing, but also about the sun. Conspiracy theorists are often scorned or looked down upon. I confess, we do consider theories because we realized we can't always believe what we are told. Let's face it some events just don't compute. Critical thinking is critical. There are too many events throughout history, that leave us scratching our heads, wondering...did whatever it is really happen that way?
Not say I believe the sun is not our original ball of light made by our God and Creator. But, there's definitely something that makes us scratch our heads. Why?
Lately, I've discovered that my power tilt wheelchair suddenly turns red indicating that there is no more power in the batteries. The batteries in a wheelchair like mine look like the size of a car battery. There are two 12 volt batteries. Back in the olden days, my first power wheelchair came to me when I was about 17 years old, the batteries needed to be changed out every year. During the modern era, my batteries seem to last for years. About three or four. Mind you, I don't trek around the countryside like I used to. Once we got married and had a vehicle, there was no need to be bouncing around the streets. But recently when I spend the night sleeping in my wheelchair, (that's if I even sleep, I'm usually waking up and moving around napping and moving around again). By the next evening my chair battery light jumps from having power to no power. Which is a very alarming thing when your wheels are your legs.
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Craig and I have a seating clinic to go to this week. We are both qualified to get new wheelchairs through the governments assistive devices program. This program cover is 75% of the cost of a wheelchair. The bizarre thing is they do not cover batteries which are quite expensive these days. So far I haven't decided if I want a whole new wheelchair, because we have to cover the other 25%. And since this time I definitely am in need of a power tilt, with the reclining feature which also means electric foot rest that go up and down... I am guessing the entire price goes up another $10,000. Because my chair is a special teacher, and it's quite expensive the provincial government technically owns my chair. Even though we pay 25% and have to pay for maintenance and new batteries for however long we have it. I am thankful that we are blessed with such a program. At the same time a bit confused but that's OK. in the meantime I have this chair, dying batteries and an odd sound that's been coming from my left we'll pretty much the whole time I've had the chair. I have been paid for a couple of check ups, to find out what was wrong but to no avail. That's one of the main reasons why I also think I might go for the new chair and not just a new cushion and a new back. You are entitled to get a new cushion and a new back every two years through the government program.
Unfortunately when I started filming this video, the phone was having problems with storage space. I thought I cleared everything out to film but then sure enough it cut out after four minutes. The silly thing is I kept talking and filming not knowing it had cut out. So I really was talking to myself.
The answer to the question that I set out to answer by going for a walk to the location of our seating clinic this week is..... Yes. Made it there and back and my battery light says full. I will see what happens this evening because that's when it could jump to red meaning empty. The nerve-wrecking thing is the chair still moves around on red so I don't know if it just stops suddenly or what. All my older wheelchairs I always gave me a warning and they literally started to slow down to a tortoise pace.
First of all I am really excited to say welcome to a new subscriber from Japan. They took the time out to make a comment and we just wanna welcome them and say how thrilled we are to know that someone from a completely different country across the world is interested in our channel content. We would love to know more about Japan and even visit there. Unfortunately due to our physical challenges Craig and I can visit through things like Google earth but not on an actual plane. That's why there are so many great YouTube videos and blogs where people share their lives from other countries. For folks like us who can't literally travel I can virtually travel.
And thank you to all of the other subscribers it's hard to believe, that we're up to 783 people. And it definitely helps if you're feeling like it, to like comment share and subscribe to our YouTube channel and any other social media sources.
Today's video is primarily about the progress of Craig's latest acrylic painting. When he has been working on for months and months. At the same time it's a bit bit of a collide as we talk about some other things like we were in a log for walking way overrated. So I will definitely be posting the video on both blog pages.
