The concept of help and a spinal cord  

injury/wheelchair user/disability lifestyle like mine go hand in hand by default. Every day I need help in the morning from personal care assistants. Depending on a number of other circumstances that come up more sporadically I need help reaching things, moving things, putting gas in my van, etc. But for the most part I don't need too much help with the other basic things I do to live my life day in and day out. When it comes to doing things that I can handle - like shopping - I strongly prefer to do them on my own. That is a common theme with anyone who has a disability: when there are so many things about your lifestyle that you have no control over you cling to the autonomy over what you can. But that isn't to say that I am against the occasional helping hand from others when I'm out and about. My take on that is that if someone gladly offers to grab a door for me or pick up something that I dropped I'm all for it and appreciate the gesture. There are only certain instances that I get bothered by people.  

Healthy Living, New Wheelchair, & SCI Podcast  

Time for a New Wheelchair 

I knew it was time to get a new wheelchair when my joystick stopped working in the rain one day. That was about a year and a half ago. I really should've gotten a new chair after having it for five years, but my insurance wasn't having it.

Getting a Good Night's Rest 

I struggle every night with finding sleep. Whether it's back pain, out-of-control spasms or every piece of skin I can still feel driving me batty, sleep can be the elusive fairy to many people with disabilities.

Adventures in Healthy Eating 

Not too long ago, I realized my eating habits were pretty....blah, and I felt my injury was to blame. Hey, cooking as a quad isn't easy. Why wasn't I enjoying my palette more?

Tiff interviews Joe Stone, a C7 quad injured while speed flying in Montana. They discuss the importance of staying true to your passions despite a life-changing injury, as well as his documentary, Wings to Wheels.

Metabolic Syndrome is the medical consequences of obesity, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol (high levels of triglycerides), type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease and several other serious health conditions. Many people with a disability have what they call normal weight obesity, which means their fat cells out number their muscle cells, so although they are not large in weight, they have the problems resulting from metabolic syndrome. The only way to combat metabolic syndrome is good nutrition and exercise. Most people who use a wheelchair do not have the opportunity to exercise to increase their cardiovascular output. Equipment like hand cycles, FES cycling, and active standing in the EasyStand Glider, work large muscle groups to produce higher cardiac output and burn more calories. Position change can open up tremendous opportunities for cognitive and developmental improvement. Head control and improved upper extremity motor skills are the key to this improvement.      

Read More Benefits of Position Change  

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