Three down, more to go!

QUESTION: Andy said... "How do you do other.....stuff? :) Dogs are good for you, everyone should have at least one."


ANSWER: Good question, Andy! Just because someone is disabled doesn't mean they still don't have those human needs. What a disabled person needs to do is find what works for them. Experiment, get some books on positions, and just keep trying! Thanks for asking!
=======================


QUESTION: catz-eyes said... "hi, my name is jay, and i'm curious: do you ever 'forget' that you're in a wheelchair...? or is it something your conscious of 24/7?" "also: is there anything 'positive' that can be said about being in a chair, in your opinion/experiences?"

ANSWER: Jay, I can't say I've ever forgotten I was in my chair. But because it's become such an extension of me, I can say that I don't think of it as something I need to forget.

The positives I've experienced over the past 12 years of being in a chair are many. I've met so many people that I probably would not have met and heard so many heartwarming stories. Don't get me wrong, there are very obvious negatives about being a crip. But I accepted the negatives long ago and do not dwell on them. They are things I cannot change, so instead I concentrate on the positives and enjoy life.
==========================


QUESTION: Carol said... "Hi! Have you found that there are non-traditional healing techniques (energy work, CST, massage, acupuncture, Reiki, etc.) that helped you build the energy and resilience you need to navigate the world in a wheelchair? If so, what were the benefits? If not, have you tried any, or do they just seem too "woo-woo" to you?"

ANSWER: Carol, I have to say I've tried almost everything you've listed, including acupuncture, Reiki, food-allergy diets, and herbal remedies. Acupuncture didn't work for me because the needles in my legs actually mimicked the nerve pain I have. I stuck with it thru the pain for 6 weeks, but I didn't see any changes. I found that Reiki was VERY relaxing. I think that gave me a nice sense of well-being and I did enjoy it. I've tried 2 types of food-allergy diets and many herbal remedies but found that none made any difference for me.

I don't consider any alternative medicine "woo-woo". I think that people should explore all avenues of treatment, especially when traditional medicine isn't giving them any answers. The hard part is finding an alternative practitioner that isn't a quack. I had better luck using traditional medicine doctors that also practiced alternatives.

For me, what's worked best was a good SSRI Anti-Depressant (Cymbalta), Neurontin (for nerve pain), and losing weight. I was able to drop 30 lbs over the course of a year by reducing my caloric intake. It was difficult because I cannot exercise, but because I don't move around a lot, I don't need as many calories as a non-crip.

Thanks for all your questions! I'll answer more as we go along. Keep 'em coming!


Comments

Anonymous said…
hi again.

thank you for the answer... gave me something to think about.

while not in the same extreme position as yourself, your response kind of fitted with my own musings.

am grateful to you for providing the opportunity to ask the questions in the first place.

kind regards to you and yours.

jay
11:14 PM
afb said…
After being in a wheelchair for a few years...still disabled but able to walk now, I can relate.

Maybe this site will help a few.

http://www.the-vu.com/chronic_pain_and_sex.htm
12:19 AM
dorna! said…
Damn good blog, this. :)
9:00 AM
Anonymous said…
My name is Karen Tobin and i would like to show you my personal experience with Neurontin.

I have taken for 4 months. I am 54 years old. Was taking 1800 mg per day for pain, numbness and scalp soreness. It helped immensely and right now am weaning off of it taking 300mg two times daily with no noticeable side effects.

I have experienced some of these side effects-
Drowsiness and dizziness.

I hope this information will be useful to others,
Karen Tobin
1:51 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Workers free dog trapped in sewer pipe

MANKATO, Minn. (AP) -- The sound of barking underneath a street Tuesday led a team of city workers to a dog trapped in a narrow culvert - and you might say they used a backward approach to rescue the mutt. The sickly, scared dog was about 50 feet from the nearest entry point, but since the culvert was just 15 inches in diameter, the workers couldn't fit into it themselves. Not even offers of food could draw out the dog. "He was exhausted," said Tony Talamantez, a public works foreman. Then Talamantez and his colleagues had an idea. They rigged up a long video camera used to inspect drain pipes, and approached the dog from the back. They used the camera to nugdge the dog forward until he reached an entry point big enough for a person to pull him out. The camera recorded the rescue, showing the dog scampering ahead in fits and starts as the camera pokes him in the rear end. The dog wore no tags, only a worn collar. But Julia Gosen, animal control officer for the city, said ...
Read more

Crested Geckos - great pet for the disabled

Image
A few weekends ago at the Austin Reptile Expo, I had the opportunity to meet a really neat woman who breeds and sells Crested Geckos. Since I have lizards as pets and have written before about how great they are as pets for disabled folks, I thought I'd write about the Crested Gecko in particular. The woman I speak of is Kati of Kati's Crested's . She's here in Austin, TX. I had never held a crested gecko before this Expo, but I had seen them in a tank at a local reptile store. They are very kewl lizards! Soft to the touch, almost like suede. The one I held jumped from one hand to the other and held on with it's prehensile tail! The crested gecko originates from New Caledonia (an island east of Australia). Adults range from 6-9" in total length. In the wild, they are nocturnal, arboreal animals living in the forests. Most wild specimens are tail-less, presumably because they dropped their tails while escaping from a predator. All of Kati's cresteds are c...
Read more

Axe Me A Question

Go ahead and ask. Ask the questions you always wanted to ask someone in a wheelchair. Nothing is too embarrassing. You might as well ask me on this blog since you are somewhat anonymous and don't have to look me in the eye. What have you always wanted to ask someone in a wheelchair? Here, I'll start: Q: "Hi, my name is LaLaundria! I wanted to know how do you take a shower?" A: Well, LaLaundria, I sit down. On a shower chair. I have grab-bars installed in my shower/tub and my commode rooms to give me extra balance. A shower chair is a hard plastic chair made to fit in showers and tubs. I have a shower massage type shower head that helps get the water closer to my hair. Howze that? Ask away, no question is off limits! (Oh Jeez, what am I getting myself into!)
Read more