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!
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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.
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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!