Taking Back My Independence
One of the hardest hurdles for me to get over was my loss of independence. Paralysis really robs you of a lot of the stuff you can do for yourself. Stuff that normally I would’ve taken for granted is now more time consuming and daunting. A lot of simple things take me a while now so it makes sense to receive help but it does get frustrating. I have very mixed emotions about it because some days I will be so determined to do something simple for myself and get mad at Kass for not helping if I struggle for too long, but other days Kass will help me without me asking and I’ll get mad that she didn’t let me struggle with it. It is a huge catch 22 and it is often very unfair to Kass or whoever is trying to help.
I made a vow to myself this new year that I would try and reclaim a lot of the small independent things that I used to take for granted. Whether or not it takes me a while to get things done, I needed some of the stress off Kass and I needed to feel like I was contributing to myself again. Ever since I started focusing on this more and adapting more equipment so I could effectively use it, my confidence in dealing with this injury has improved exponentially. So much of this is figuring out what works and what does not. It is a lot of trial and error and a lot of rolling with the punches. I have been taking photographs of a lot of the stuff that helps me, and I would like to share in hope that it helps others that are dealing with a similar situation.
Splinting
As you can imagine my lack of wrist muscles and stability as well as hand function causes a lot of issues with the little things. Lacking dexterity and fine motor skills has been a constant thorn in my side. When I was first injured the thought of being able to brush my teeth, comb my hair and use a fork again seemed like an impossible task. I was introduced to some splints that helped a lot. Just by stabilizing my wrist, hand, or fingers, I was able to relearn how to do certain tasks. Messing around with them and figuring out what works for me has helped me come a long way.
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Pictured here is a splint that holds my toothbrush. It is a large splint and it gives me hell to put on but it does the best job of stabilizing my wrist so I can put enough pressure against my pearly whites.
There is also a Philips Noralco One Blade razor. I will swear by this thing again and again. Going at my neck with a 5-blade Gillette razor was terrifying with no wrist control. It would be very ironic if I had one slip and ended up dying from a razor blade cut while a bullet didn’t even do me in (knock on wood). This razor actually gets pretty close and I don’t have to worry about cutting myself. My mom super glued a cheap splint that I bought off of Amazon to the back of the razor so I can hold it in my hand and use it myself. A simple blob of hot glue on the button makes it easy to turn on and off because I can just bop it on something or press it with a knuckle.
This is old faithful. On the left is a splint that holds a stylus. This is pretty much how I use my iPad. It is slow work typing out one thing at a time but hitting small, fine buttons on my iPad and phone is made easier by this thing. If it weren’t for figuring out how to use my stylus, I would be doing everything with my pinky finger.
Notice the loop of string at the bottom of my iPad. It was such a simple concept, but it helps me exponentially. My mom super glued the loop and hot glued it to secure it to my iPad to give me a way to grab it and move it around with my my curly fingers.
This bad boy has helped me eat some delicious meals. My trusty ol’ fork. I think that this splint sort of explains itself.
This is pretty much the same concept as the iPad loop but it helps me move my phone around.
The iPhone X with its FaceID and wallet app makes life much easier for me.
I also have a nifty wallet case. I never thought that I would be that person, but it is extremely convenient for me. I usually keep my phone on my lap and this just skips a step when I have to grab a card or show my ID at a bar. Once again my mom added a small loop to help me grip it and open it.
Life hacks
Creating an accessible home has brought up some obvious life hacks. I have figured out a lot of small ways to better my situation. A lot of them come to me on the nights that I can’t sleep, or while I am in the shower. I’ll put them in my notes and then look into it when I get a chance. Advice from therapists, other people in wheelchairs, friends and family and many others has helped me find different ways to help myself.
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A real annoyance is not being able to reach my feet. Putting on shoes is usually pretty difficult as is, especially when Kass is having to do it for me. I feel like I am pestering her when I’d have her lace up my high tops or wiggle a pair of sneakers onto my swollen feet. To save her some time, I looked into an easier way to lace shoelaces. I found some magnets and they have worked perfectly and they help save Kass’s back. Definitely a handicap’s game changer.
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Showering used to be my favorite thing in the world. For some reason the army barracks I lived in before getting shot had an endless supply of hot water and I would take the worlds longest shower. My morning routine takes a while, but I still don’t miss a shower. My bathroom has a perfect roll in shower that was built exactly for me, but I never had a good way to get shampoo and soap in my hands. I found these super cheap automatic soap dispensers on Amazon and used command strips to put them on the shower wall. They work perfectly and make showering a breeze. Problem solved.
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I dedicated an end table to making a charging station for myself. My watch stand is perfect to charge my Apple Watch which I use a lot because it is easier than my cell phone. I also have a wireless charger for my phone so I can charge my phone by laying it down against it. Not having to plug in wires is really beneficial for me.
I also have a loop on my Kindle e-reader. Just like with my iPad and phone, it makes it a lot easier to hold and move around. The Kindle works well because all I have to do is tap it with my pinky finger to flip a page. It makes reading books very easy. Plus it’s water proof.
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Smart Home
Adaptive technology is like a dream come true for a wheelchair user. As much as I don’t like relying on my Wi-Fi and a piece of equipment to help me around the house, I would be silly to not use it. The possibilities are endless. I set up my smart home around the Amazon Alexa and I control some features with Siri on my watch and phone.
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The Amazon echo. This is the main speaker in my living room. I have it linked to light switches, smart plugs, door locks, my thermostat, my Roomba vacuum, my TV’s and much more. I can control pretty much anything in my house with just my voice if I want to you. It makes life a lot more convenient.
All of my Amazon products work together and can be used to play music together, but more importantly they can be used as an intercom system. I can message and make phone calls with them. Best of all, they give me peace of mind to know that if I were to fall or get hurt in any part of the house that I would be able to make emergency calls or to use the intercom to call to a different room.
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My Nest thermostat. It is a smart thermostat that remembers settings and adjusts automatically. I can adjust temperatures of the house on my phone or use Amazon Alexa to do it for me with my voice. I highly recommend it for anyone that is paralyzed.
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The August smart lock makes it possible and easy for me to lock and unlock my door. I have the lock automatically unlock or lock when my phone comes in range or goes out of range. Clearly it is convenient because I don’t have to fumble with keys. It is also possible to link it to your Alexa account so you can use your voice to control it as well.
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A smart plug is a very cheap and effective way to start building a smart home. I use the Wemo brand because it is easy to connect to the Alexa account. I use my smart plugs to control things like my bedside fan, the small heater in the living room, lamps, etc. It helps with little things that I am unable to adjust or reach. They are also great around the holidays to control lights and whatnot.
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Adaptability has come an extremely long way, and I am fortunate enough to be able to have all of the stuff that I have. I am not naïve to the fact that there are a lot of people out there that are much worse off in their situations. The smart home set up that I have as well as all of the adaptive equipment to include my power wheelchair, van and home is an absolute blessing.
A lot of this is just the nitty-gritty. There is so much more that I have to learn about adaptability, and I’m sure there will be advances in technology and equipment. I just wanted to share what helps me venture through my injury and live comfortably. All of this helps me reclaim a lot of independence in my life, and as I adjust to my injury I will continue to better my circumstances. Thank you for letting me share what helps me, I truly hope that this information can help others who are in similar situations.
God Bless.
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