Month: February 2023

Ch ch ch changes and a confession

Starting with the confession. I’ve been chickening out of doing something that I’ve wanted to do for well over 40 years. Which, if you know me, is very much out of character . At first, I chickened out because it went out of style, and then it came back in vogue about a decade later and I chickened out because it was something that I felt like I couldn’t wear to work, because it was a bit rebellious for a woman and not considered feminine.

I came close to doing it a few years back when my mom and I saw Cher in concert, but it was only close but not quite the thing I’m talking about now.

Do you think you know what it is? The title of this post should give you a clue. If you still aren’t sure, just scroll down, and you’ll see…

I finally got a mullet!

Yes, I’m a bit embarrassed to say that I’ve been lusting for the mullet haircut ever since David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust album šŸ˜³ This year, I decided that it’s time. I’ll be 58 in July, and it felt like a good time to do it. Nothing is stopping me, and it’s very much in style ,thanks to Miley Cyrus and Stella Cini from YouTube.

I only hope it doesn’t make me look like I’m desperately trying to look like I’m 20.

Watch “Wheelchair Accessible House Ideas” on YouTube

The video below gives some great ideas for renovating your home for easier use as a wheelchair user. I really enjoy watching how other wheelchair users make their space work for them. For me, it’s been a long process, and I’m still trying to figure out some things.

And can I just say it’s bloody expensive? Because it is! Between spending a couple grand on a manual wheelchair and then having to also shell out several thousand more for a power wheelchair, if your disability requires one, you’ll spend nearly 10 grand before even addressing your home. For me, getting a bath lift was a necessity, and it cost me 1800 bucks . Then there are several grab bars that run just under $200 each with installation, and because we have 2 bathrooms ,I needed 3 in each room. And then I needed something to use that would make getting into bed easier, so another $180 for a saskapole, which is a floor to ceiling metal pole with handles that I can pull myself up with and then lean onto the bed. It’s also necessary for me to get out of bed so at least it has 2 things it helps me do.

And then there is the lift chair, which ran us $3500 for the living room, because I can’t stand from a regular recliner ,I require one that will lift me into a position that I can more easily stand to transfer into my wheelchair ā™æļø

And I’m lucky to have an able bodied husband to help me . However, because I receive no financial help from my government ,it was all out of pocket for us. At the time, it wasn’t easy to fork out the cash. Thankfully, that situation has changed for the better, and I have everything I need,and even a couple of things I didn’t need, but wanted.

It’s mostly gone…

But not quite. My temperature is still spiking from time to time ,causing sweating that menopausal women would recognize as night sweats. It’s the kind of sweating that ,in the morning, you look at the bed and see you’ve sweated your silhouette onto the sheets, or if it’s daytime, you’re clothes are stuck to you. That’s bad enough, but then throw in half an hour of frozen to the core . But those are my only symptoms left, and they finally feel like they’re waning.

So today, I had a bath followed by a walk, with the leg brace around the hallway outside the condo using the handrails hubby put up. I just went once around, but…

Confession time. It was my first walk in about a year. I’ve been lazy and mildly depressed so I’ve neglected my exercise. Until I discovered and purchased my Zeen, I thought that if I could transfer, that’s all I needed . Then I saw the videos for the Zeen and thought it looked like something I could do.

I still think that I can use the Zeen. I just have to strengthen my left leg somewhat and my core a little. So it’s once around the railing every day until I’m able to Zeen.

My favorite YouTube couple is working through ability differences and having fun. Happy Valentine’s Day šŸ’—

I follow Cole and Charisma on YouTube, and I love how they interact . They have fun, no matter what the task, and it’s always a good time.

So, in honor of Valentine’s Day, I thought I’d share the following video, one of my favorites from their channel, because of the way they actually try to understand life in the others shoes, or wheels šŸ˜€ Not everything always works out, but they care enough to try.

Are you recently disabled? Habitat for Humanity gives you some ideas about how to modify your home .

The very good folks at Habitat for Humanity prove that they mean ALL of Humanity by building homes for us disabled people, too. I decided to share this video because there are things in this house that, if you’ve been recently disabled, you may not have thought about. After all disability isn’t just a grab bar. It’s everything from the heights of light switches and plug ins, to ramping the entrance and exits and having counters that the wheelchair can fit underneath . Not to mention, the bathroom mirrors must be lower so that we can see our actual face and not just the 6 inches above our head .

Check out the video below. Even if you’ve been disabled for years, you might find something here.

A bit of good news amongst the bad

So it turns out that I’ve been sick since Sunday and I had no idea. Don’t worry, it’s not covid, but a bout of norovirus, aka stomach flu, making me nauseated and dizzy, and it’s making me either super hot and sweaty or frozen to my core.I’m still dealing with some symptoms, but they’re not nearly as bad as they were. In case you didn’t realize it, that’s the good news.

How is that good, I hear you asking. Well, it means I might be able to use my Zeen after this passes. My body is feeling stronger today, and I’m looking forward to feeling fully better so I can get my butt up onto the Zeen and maybe be able to walk a bit. At least, that is my hope .

Also, I did mention that I’d be posting story posts, and that is still going to happen. It’s just going to be a little longer .

Wow, my brain is more damaged than I thought!

So the Zeen arrived yesterday, and I quickly got on it and tried to walk, but the carpet was the enemy,so hubby wheeled me out to the tiled hallway, where I almost puked immediately. I sat there for a while and tried it again, but I was too dizzy .it was at that point that I came to the realization that I need to slow down and take each step of the process as a goal in itself. Step one is sitting at barstool height without becoming dizzy and nauseated. This may take some time.

Sat in my Zeen for a half hour today. Hope to have another sit later this afternoon.

Yes, 7.5 years after my stroke and the brain is still an issue. It feels as if my brain is floating around in my skull at this new higher height, and it’s not a good feeling . It’s definitely going to take some time before I’m going to be able to get outside with it. But I did promise video today, so the below is a video of the chair I use for outdoor and transfers into the car.

Also to view the video just click the YouTube button