Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Get a Kleenex...

http://www.joniandfriends.org/radio/5-minute/paige-and-tyson-snedeker/

Tempted to stop watching the news lately? I've met those who say they never know what's going on because they can't take it, too depressing for them. As for Craig and I, we may enjoy diversions but, we also believe it is our responsibility to know what's going on with the human race. Craig feels that even though it is often tragic and heartbreaking, knowing what's going on beyond our four walls - helps him know what to pray about or who to pray for. We are warned in the Bible about such days. Thankfully God provides rays of sunshine to encourage and strengthen us, be it through His Word, through friends and family or even through the lives of perfect strangers. Well, people we have never met, who are technically strangers but thanks to modern technology, we get to "meet" these people through media such as television and the internet.

Meet the Snedeker family, particularly Paige and Tyson. Here are rays of light to cut through some of the dark stories of late. "Meeting" this family left me with a kleenex in hand… speechless and in awe of how lives like these can actually be real, but they are. (Click the title to watch the video)

http://www.paigesforgodsglory.org/about/

"The Snedeker Family - No Unhappy Endings"

So, if you find yourself grumbling and complaining about the upcoming big "holiday" event, first of all you may want to rethink the whole thing, it causes that much stress…if not, take a break and watch one of the most incredible stories I have ever seen. Two parents have three young children who all have what appears to be a genetic,  mysterious, life threatening, neuromuscular disorder that has no name. Imagine that? Your children, short of a miracle, will not life a full life span due to a disease that can't be diagnosed. Leaving them, legally blind, hearing impaired, connected to respirators, using  power wheelchairs and completely dependent on the arms and legs of others, Paige and Tyson are two incredibly inspiring individuals. They lost their brother to the same disorder at a much younger age than they are now and they both give God all the glory. Only God can put hope and joy in lives that most would consider not joyful or hopeful.

Below is the Link to the Video that left me speechless and tearful (inspirational tears)

  The Snedeker Family - No Unhappy Endings


Below is the website that Paige has featuring her beautiful children's book (click the title to link up)

http://www.biblicaltraining.org/testimonials/tysonsnedeker
Below, Tyson Snedeker mentioned in the video about wanting to have a ministry devoted to learning about the Bible. I found this website that he and a friend, Judy Rooks  have called Biblical Training.

Meet Mike King - Running the Race | Joni and Friends

Click link to Watch the Video Below
Mike King - Running the Race | Joni and Friends

Yay, Joni and Friends have produced some more inspirational videos. There are other videos they have produced that are on this blog,  but since Joni went through her bought with cancer, there hadn't been any new ones (Understandably so).  That reminds me... more about that in another post.

Meet Mike King!
"Mike King became paraplegic from a motorcycling accident, as an athletic young man. He overcame his depression with a goal to cross America on his wheelchair. After training, he accomplished his goal by wheeling from Fairbanks Alaska, down the Alaska Highway and across the Continental U.S. to Washington D.C. He then found purpose through becoming a paralympian and champion in wheelchair athletics, coaching and becoming a disability ministry leader." taken from Joni And Friends Website

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Pasta Making My Way Part 2 - "Pastification Time"

Finally, here is part two of "Making Pasta, My Way." Just my experience learning to make home made pasta for the first time, when I thought I wasn't physically able to do it. In the first part we measured, we mixed, we kneaded, we wrapped  and we rested. And now in part two we roll, we cut, we cook and we eat!



You don't need to be differently abled like me to watch this video, all you need is an interest in making pasta for the first time. Or if you need a diversion from all this Christmas craziness. (Would someone explain to me why this time of year seems to stress people out as they rush madly about buying presents and doing all that stuff we know as cultural Christmas - it's not like they just found out about it, we all had a whole year's notice)
If you have tried to make your own pasta or have questions or even comments, we would love to hear from you!


Monday, December 8, 2014

Pasta Making, My Way...

Pasta Dreams
As far back as I can remember, I have been a lover of pasta. No Italian heritage required to be love pasta. My main source, the packaged kind. Even when my arms were stronger I never thought I could make fresh home made pasta. Thanks to the internet and the countless number of tutorials on ever subject under the sun, the inspiration to try making it hit me hard. At first I tried making gnocchi, something else I never thought possible. Gnocchi may be Italian, but it isn't exactly pasta. I believe it is referred to as a dumpling. Usually made with potatoes, flour and egg, it requires something I am not able to do, knead. Turns out it doesn't require as much kneading as I thought. Since I can't knead the traditional way, it was really exciting for me to figure out how to cause the gnocchi dough to be useable, even eatable. It took a couple of tries to master the texture and method, but it happened. Gnocchi is no longer something I can only buy in the grocery store or at Italfest!

As I continued watching pasta tutorials, it was time to go all out and make pasta. With my semolina in hand, I settles on one of a bazillion recipes for pasta. There are recipes with a heap of eggs, some with a couple, some with just water and/or oil…some with one hundred percent semolina, some fifty fifty, mixed with all purpose flour, some with just all purpose flour…some have oil, some do not. Needless to say, finding one recipe wasn't easy. Remember pin the tail on the donkey? Well, spin yourself around with a blind fold and point, where ever your finger points, follow that recipe. Okay, didn't quite do it that way, but I chose one recipe and started my pasta making adventure. It took a total of about five hours to make enough for one meal for Craig and I, but it worked! Since my hands and arms don't have much strength, as you will see in the video below, my first attempt was making the hand formed pasta called "Little Ears" in English. Was it perfect? No, it was edible. It was dense and chewy, but it was something. Just knowing that it was possible to make pasta by modifying the process so I could manage it, was incredibly satisfying. Then my next attempts involved a rolling pin and my husbands arms. That worked too. Better still, I was able to use the rolling pin, bit by bit, all by myself! Thank You God. How rewarding. 
Let's Make Pasta - Watch The Video Above
Original Illustration by Anita Berglund - Copyright 2014 - Not to be reproduced without permission

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Bedpans, And Toilets, And Catheters Oh My!

We All Gotta Do It!
From the moment we are born, it isn't a secret that we are always in need of waste elimination. From poopy diapers, to potty training trials, training pants, bed wetting, and graduation day, being able to control it all as needed.

The Bottom Of the Matter!
Until recently, I never considered talking about the physical challenges bowel/bladder issues that can arise when you have a physical disability. After all,  poop talk isn't exactly a socially acceptable topic for casual discussion. But you know what?  It is a hard core reality. And it makes life a heck of a lot easier, when you can ask questions and seek advice on any topic that is crucial to life. After all, if we don't eliminate waste products, we can get pretty ill and even die. So it is serious enough to not be be embarrassed by. Jonathan Merchant isn't embarrassed about it all. In fact, it is why I am writing this post, to share his very personal and "family friendly" video, dealing with his particular disability (spinal cord injury), and his bowel care routine. Craig and I, stumbled upon his video a while ago, and thought how brave he was to share such a personal aspect of life. After watching him, it was impossible to feel embarrassed about bathroom "stuff," ever again. As you will see in Jonathan's video, he is discussing how you can be independent regarding bowel care. We don't all have the same physical abilities, so his method is appropriate for others with the same type of mobility and strength. Look how amazingly flexible he is!
You will notice that he has something attached to his right leg. He doesn't talk about it, but it is called a "leg bag." That is a bag that collects urine which runs through tubing. For males, the tubing is attached to a condom catheter. Females who use this method, use indwelling catheters. I can go into more detail on all that another time.
Watch Jonathan's video if you want and then we will talk some more.

We always learned to call suppositories, the "bullet" method! Depending on muscle tone, strength, whether we have spinal cord damage, or can not feel anything, or lack muscle control, or whatever the case may be, our bowel eliminating methods can vary.  Jonathan's routine is one method that is used routinely, when persons are not able to push out waste material or for those of us who just use suppositories as needed.  Such as, when having very hard stool issues or constipation. Don't' get me started on how much that can hurt! Some need to use suppositories regularly and some require then as needed.

If you have had your own experiences that may help someone in your position. Please leave questions and comments below. I hope to delve into more detail on this very personal issue soon. 

Sunday, November 2, 2014

Doing Laundry Sitting Down!

When you sit down, doing laundry can be difficult using a top loading washer. Here is how we do it using the perfect adaptive aid, a front loading washing machine.
Original  Illustration by Anita Berglund - Copyright November 2014 Can not be copied without permission.

I Just finished a new "cartoon" illustration of Craig doing laundry. Was so happy with how it turned out, I am reposting our older "Craig does laundry video." Hope it is informative and fun in one!
Watch the "Craig Does Laundry" video below!



Friday, March 21, 2014

Meet Brett and Paige

Meet this inspiring brother and sister duo. Brett has spinal muscular atrophy type 1 or 2. He is on a ventilator and has a great sense of humour along with a caring, loving sister. Meet these sweet children below on YouTube:
Meet Brett and Paige

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Dancing In A Wheelchair, No Biggie, But Underwater...

photos by: Freewheeling Norman Lomax/ Rex Features
http://www.digitalspy.com/fun/news/a403294/underwater-wheelchair-dancing-a-hit-at-cultural-olympiad-watch/
We like to not just talk about relevant topics pertaining to mobility issues and experiences, but pass on those extra unique individuals we learn about who are exceptional at proving why our blog has the title it does. Sue Austin, is one of those individuals. Watch and enjoy, as we are encouraged and reminded once again that walking really is, way overrated. Take a look at dome of her artistry.

Friday, March 7, 2014

Consider Some Assistance

As the years pass by, decade after decade, all of us will face health concerns just simply due to aging.
Add to the aging process...using your arms every single day to get around as one would use their legs and you have a recipe for pain!  Who knew? Perhaps if we did, then just maybe we would have made some different choices, to avoid possibly, some of what we are experiencing now. Oh, who am I kidding, with my impulsive personality, thinking beyond the now, isn't "natural,"  so most likely, I wouldn't have done anything different. But hey, that's just me.
Hopefully, that someone "out there," may glean something useful to apply to their lives. After all, who wouldn't want to avoid causing themselves future pain and discomfort, if they could prevent it? Or if you have a loved one living with a disability and may benefit from knowing what we have learned (and are still learning), keep reading.
For individuals like my husband Craig, who have been using their arms as their number one method for mobility,  pushing their wheelchair every day...year after year...Craig has developed severe shoulder pain. Turns out, the wear and tear of daily wheelchair use, is the cause of pain for many of our peers who also use manual wheelchairs. As logical as it seems, it is not something either of us ever anticipated.
In Craig's case, the pain was exacerbated when he accidentally tore his rotator cuff. For anyone who isn't sure what the rotator cuff is, here is a diagram I found on Wikipedia, click here for more. 

Which reminds me, make sure your wheelchair brakes are always nice and tight. Craig wouldn't have damaged his shoulder if he had maintained his brakes, a lesson learned the hard way!  At almost sixty-two years old, Craig has been assigned daily shoulder stretches to assist in healing the damaged rotator cuff. Through all of this he learned that even without the sudden injury, he still would have had to face shoulder pain.
As the months go by, the pain is slowly lessening but because he still needs to use his shoulders daily  - he can never truly rest. This is why he is now considering something called "power assist wheels." Being a power chair user myself (different than power assist wheels), I originally was concerned he could lose valuable muscles. However, knowing what we do now and witnessing his troubles, it seems a very viable alternative to increasing wear and tear. So we have begun researching just what type of assist he should consider and that is what we want to share here.  We have posted below, some videos of three types of devices that we have seen so far. It is something you may want to consider if you too, use your arms for legs. If you can avoid the long term damage, what a bonus that would be.

E-Motion From Alber 
This is a power assisting add on drive. The device is added to your manual wheel hub area and permits you to push your own chair, and yet assists you up and down hills safely. This means you can still exercise your muscles but you can select the degree of assist you want via a remote control. This device seems preferable to some other devices that are available. Check it out here.


Smart Drive Video Demonstration
This is a unit that can be attached

Spinergy ZX-1 Power Add-On For Manual Wheelchairs




Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Fun Was Had By All....

A Night Of Surprises!
Justin Hines, we introduced him in the last post, encouraging our fellow town folk to attend his concert. Well, we made it and wow, what a blessing that evening was.
Not only is he an incredibly talented Canadian singer, he is, as we suspected, a deep, sincere,  and meaningful person! You can tell that when you watch him sing and listen to his lyrics. And well, when you actually meet him! Surprise!  On our way to the venue, my husband Craig, my Dad and myself, were about to walk through the parking lot and spotted the "Vehicle of Change" RV and who was coming out of it? Justin and his beautiful wife, Savannah. (Hope I have her name spelled correctly)
Guess who my Dad, husband and I got to meet prior to the concert?
That was one of a few surprises that night. The first one was, we didn't know until we bought tickets and read them, that Justin was touring with a duo who call themselves "Ash and Bloom." Unaware, we googled them and were glad to learn that we'd enjoy them as well. Turned out A & B were sincere, deep and meaningful also! Oh and our first thoughts, "they remind us of Simon and Garfunkel!"
Capturing A Great Evening
Wanting to capture this once in a life time event (for us) and to make a tribute to Justin and now, Ash and Bloom, I came with my handy dandy, compact digital camera...mission accomplished. Check out the edited version  here.
Side Bar: Adaptive Video and Photography Pointers
I made my usual amateur video. I apologize for the wobbles and shakes. When I make videos my arms aren't able to move beyond my chest level, which means, I point and shoot and hope it works! Been doing it this way ever since my arms stopped cooperating. Hey, it's all about adapting as you go. The invention of the compact digital camera has definitely been a blessing. It means less weight to hold and that I can take pictures without being able to hoist the camera up to my eye. TO me, a camera can feel like it weighs a pound, so that's definitely a plus.
After doing it so much, you get a good sense of what you are pointing at. So to anyone who has given up on taking photos, due to physical limitations, don't. There's always a way to make it work when you really want to accomplish something. In fact, I have even seen adaptive tripods that can mount to your wheelchair arm rests or the frame. It's a perfect option for those who have restricted mobility such as myself, or those who want to take some seriously steady video without your viewers requiring one of those little bags they give you on an airplane. (you know the ones I mean ;O)
All things considered, I think wobble and all, the essence of the evening was captured.
Sharing What We Love With Who We Love
Do you ever have that feeling when you discover a painter, read a book or hear a musician you adore, that you then, want those you care about to watch, read or listen too! Well, that's how we feel about Justin. So, aside from emailing everyone we knew about the event, turned out my parents and Craig's sister and her husband were able to join us.
Not only did they enjoy Justin and Ash and Bloom, but as you will see in the video, A & B wanted to "go deep" as they said and sing about, "old love,"  celebrating marriages that have been together for a long time. Knowing that my parent's are coming up to their fiftieth wedding anniversary on October 12th, I was thrilled to have them say that. The fellas asked who has been married for five...ten...twenty...thirty and fifty, or more years. With great excitement I looked toward my parents and they had their hands up! You will have to watch the video to find out what happened next. Needless to say, that was surprise number three of the evening.
What a great time!
Thanks Guys!
Craig and I just want to encourage anyone who has the opportunity to listen to or watch Justin and Ash and Bloom, to do so. We hadn't been out in the evening, well, since...can't even remember.
We typically spend the evenings watching a movie or a favourite dvd, relaxing and...oh, how does that song go...."take a load off your fanny...." Yah, we spend it doing that! Seriously, the older that Craig and I get, our ROHO cushions can't comfort our aging, painful backsides. (I know too much information, but those of you in our position, will know what I mean.) This evening was worth any ach or pain that arose, in fact, we were enjoying it all so much, forgot about the pain. What a great pain reliever!

So long Justin and Ash and Bloom, you are in our prayers and we know the rest of your tour will be wonderful. Thanks for sharing your voices and hearts with us. Make sure you look us up if you are ever in our fair city again! God bless you.
Thank You God!
And thank you God for causing us to learn about the concert and for introducing us to Justin, the year the Ontario Tourism promo came out! We didn't need to discover Ontario, You knew we needed to discover Justin Hines!
Lay Your Burdens Down
For those of you who face challenges 24/7, be they invisible or visible, the road may be bumpier at times, heck, even loaded with pot holes and these days, sink holes. And there may be days when you don't have the energy or motivation to even get out of bed. Trust me, I know that feeling. But because God makes Himself known to us, to me, in so many ways, through the Jesus, and even through the lives of individuals like Justin Hines, Joni Eareckson Tada, Nick Vujcic and my husband Craig - my temptation to feel self pity and discouragement is abated. Not saying I never walk down that path of discouragement, but when I am tempted to, or while I have been hiking down it, He reminds me, yet again....
Philippians 4:13 NKJV - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Matthew 11:28 NKJV - "Come to Me, all [you] who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  "For My yoke [is] easy and My burden is light."

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Justin Hines - Take a Listen, You Won't Be Disappointed

 A fews years back an Ontario tourism promo was on our television. Immediately, I noticed a young fellow who was using a wheelchair singing the the song for the video. When you use one yourself, you notice these things. I was so impressed with his vocals and looked him up on the internet. Within minutes, I became a Justine Hines fan. Bonus, he's from Ontario, Canada!
Justin is a singer, songwriter who is a humble artist that views his different abilities as an opportunity for something positive, not as a negative. Loving that attitude, he is an inspiration to my husband and me and we were thrilled to learn that he is coming to our city in two days!
Just want to spread his life and music around, not just to our friends who may want to see him with us - but to whoever stumbles upon this blog.
Here's to you Justin, We wish you well.
Here are some playlists and web links to learn more about Justin.
Justin Hines Inspiring Life
"Courage" Video
"Say What You will"

Justin Hines Documentary Short
Justin Repels Down Hotel in Wheelchair
"Lay MyBurdens Down" video

Justin Is Coming To Thunder Bay, August 20th, 2013!!
Hines is playing at the Italian Cultural Centre on Aug. 20. The show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 and available at the Baggage Building, March of Dimes, MEDIchair, Painted Turtle, Print Pros Plus, SHIFT YPN office and the Thunder Bay Transit office.
Where We First Saw/Heard Justin Hines!