Comments on: Trial by Fire – Day I http://transabled.org/thoughts/trial-by-fire-day-i.htm Talking about Body Integrity Identity Disorder - Just another disability! Sat, 11 Feb 2012 05:18:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Bobby http://transabled.org/thoughts/trial-by-fire-day-i.htm/comment-page-1#comment-14729 Bobby Fri, 23 May 2008 00:52:28 +0000 http://transabled.org/thoughts/trial-by-fire-day-i.htm#comment-14729 Great story. Good humor. I liked it very much. Bobby Great story. Good humor. I liked it very much. Bobby

]]> By: Claire http://transabled.org/thoughts/trial-by-fire-day-i.htm/comment-page-1#comment-308 Claire Tue, 28 Nov 2006 14:04:34 +0000 http://transabled.org/thoughts/trial-by-fire-day-i.htm#comment-308 Thanks everyone for your advice (great stuff) and encouragement! And Sean, no, you did NOT already mention *everything* Paradox said! LOL Thanks everyone for your advice (great stuff) and encouragement!

And Sean, no, you did NOT already mention *everything* Paradox said! LOL

]]> By: John http://transabled.org/thoughts/trial-by-fire-day-i.htm/comment-page-1#comment-307 John Tue, 28 Nov 2006 05:59:46 +0000 http://transabled.org/thoughts/trial-by-fire-day-i.htm#comment-307 Congrats and I am glad that you have enjoyed the experience. Paradox already said that many wheelchair users can stand and even walk. What can be added to that is that you don't have to justify yourself to anyone. If onlookers feel that they have to ask you about your condition you can say, "Using a wheelchair makes my life much easier.." or "With my condition, using a wheelchair is much easier.." . You wouldn't even be fibbing to say that. Congrats and I am glad that you have enjoyed the experience. Paradox already said that many wheelchair users can stand and even walk. What can be added to that is that you don’t have to justify yourself to anyone. If onlookers feel that they have to ask you about your condition you can say, “Using a wheelchair makes my life much easier..” or “With my condition, using a wheelchair is much easier..” . You wouldn’t even be fibbing to say that.

]]> By: Sean http://transabled.org/thoughts/trial-by-fire-day-i.htm/comment-page-1#comment-306 Sean Tue, 28 Nov 2006 05:11:15 +0000 http://transabled.org/thoughts/trial-by-fire-day-i.htm#comment-306 hehhehehehe paradox, I've already told Claire all that. I'm glad someone else is reinforcing the information :) hehhehehehe paradox, I’ve already told Claire all that. I’m glad someone else is reinforcing the information :)

]]> By: Sophie http://transabled.org/thoughts/trial-by-fire-day-i.htm/comment-page-1#comment-305 Sophie Tue, 28 Nov 2006 04:40:47 +0000 http://transabled.org/thoughts/trial-by-fire-day-i.htm#comment-305 I've found that reaching down to hold onto one of my wheels lifts the other side of my bum up enough to start pulling my pants down. You'd need good torso control to do this...so I dunno how many real wheelers do it this way. I’ve found that reaching down to hold onto one of my wheels lifts the other side of my bum up enough to start pulling my pants down. You’d need good torso control to do this…so I dunno how many real wheelers do it this way.

]]> By: Jen http://transabled.org/thoughts/trial-by-fire-day-i.htm/comment-page-1#comment-304 Jen Tue, 28 Nov 2006 00:35:51 +0000 http://transabled.org/thoughts/trial-by-fire-day-i.htm#comment-304 Good for you! I would never have been brave enough to do the first time out by myself, just for fear of the situations you found yourself in. But you managed well. Looking forward to the other installments... Good for you! I would never have been brave enough to do the first time out by myself, just for fear of the situations you found yourself in. But you managed well.

Looking forward to the other installments…

]]> By: Paradox http://transabled.org/thoughts/trial-by-fire-day-i.htm/comment-page-1#comment-303 Paradox Mon, 27 Nov 2006 22:14:10 +0000 http://transabled.org/thoughts/trial-by-fire-day-i.htm#comment-303 Welcome to my world Claire :) Overall you did Ok some of the stuff you are worried about is nothing. Pulling your self up a steep ramp by the hand rails is a good solution especially if your shoulders are tired as it uses different muscles. If you can reach a rail on both sides it is the very best way to do it. Lots of female paras choose / adapt their clothing to make it easier to get it sorted in the bathroom. However there is no easy way except to basically rock from side to side and do it a bit at a time, this is why we spend half our lives in the bathroom! Either tie a rope or strap to your rear hatch so it hangs down or make a short hook stick so you can pull the hatch down. If you are tipping backwards with just a heavy ruck sack you might have set too much "tippyness" for a beginner. You might want to move the axels back a little especially if your area has a lot of steep ramps. Alternativly practice a credible way to get back in if you fall out! This needn't be the full blown floor to chair with no leg power. One tip... If you feel your going over backwards tuck your chin into your chest, it saves most bumps to the head! Remember some "real" paras can and do stand to do some things if they can, so dont worry about onlookers. Most air service points won't actually go up high enough to blow a high pressure wheelchair tyre (unless they are used by trucks as well). I keep one of those air compressors that plugs in the lighter socket and I HAVE blown a tyre off the rim with that! I also carry a little co2 powered inflater for real emergencies they sell them in bike stores. As you now know most wheelchair stores are rubbish and the average para has way more wheelchair knowledge than most of the staff. Find a good preferably, disabled staffed store if you can and dont worry about "getting you cover blown" so long as you dont behave strangely or your cover story doesnt match your percieved ability nobody will even suspect. T12 incomplete covers everything from walking albeit with a bit of a wobble right through to totally chair dependent. Don't say you are T4 then demonstrate that you couldnt be! Keep wheeling P Dox Welcome to my world Claire :)

Overall you did Ok some of the stuff you are worried about is nothing.

Pulling your self up a steep ramp by the hand rails is a good solution especially if your shoulders are tired as it uses different muscles. If you can reach a rail on both sides it is the very best way to do it.

Lots of female paras choose / adapt their clothing to make it easier to get it sorted in the bathroom. However there is no easy way except to basically rock from side to side and do it a bit at a time, this is why we spend half our lives in the bathroom!

Either tie a rope or strap to your rear hatch so it hangs down or make a short hook stick so you can pull the hatch down.

If you are tipping backwards with just a heavy ruck sack you might have set too much “tippyness” for a beginner. You might want to move the axels back a little especially if your area has a lot of steep ramps. Alternativly practice a credible way to get back in if you fall out! This needn’t be the full blown floor to chair with no leg power. One tip… If you feel your going over backwards tuck your chin into your chest, it saves most bumps to the head!

Remember some “real” paras can and do stand to do some things if they can, so dont worry about onlookers.

Most air service points won’t actually go up high enough to blow a high pressure wheelchair tyre (unless they are used by trucks as well). I keep one of those air compressors that plugs in the lighter socket and I HAVE blown a tyre off the rim with that! I also carry a little co2 powered inflater for real emergencies they sell them in bike stores.

As you now know most wheelchair stores are rubbish and the average para has way more wheelchair knowledge than most of the staff. Find a good preferably, disabled staffed store if you can and dont worry about “getting you cover blown” so long as you dont behave strangely or your cover story doesnt match your percieved ability nobody will even suspect. T12 incomplete covers everything from walking albeit with a bit of a wobble right through to totally chair dependent. Don’t say you are T4 then demonstrate that you couldnt be!

Keep wheeling

P Dox

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