Archive for Wheelchair Life
Hello Future, Come Right In and Have Some Coffee!
The long-awaited “Get yo ass outta that chair, and walk, bitch!” robot suit, that people have been anticipating for years, has finally arrived. I present to you, ReWalk’s Exoskeleton Suit:
Kablam!
- Tiff
Note: Although this design will only work for paras who have trunk control, it’s still incredible to see in action.
Comments (3)Look Exceptionally Well, Or Be Ignored
A revelation I’ve had today about being a chick in a chair….
I’ve found over the years that I only get genuine attention from really sexy men (that are universally impressive catches) when I only look as hot as Christie Brinkley, Uma Thurman, or some other perfect-looking model. The chair is to blame, people.
These type of men (men that able-bodied women fall head over heels for) would only consider being with me - a crippled woman - if I look above and beyond hotter than any able-bodied girl they know. And being that I know this, I put more than your average effort into how I look.
Do you realize how stressful and exhausting it is to live up to the standards that are now on me because of my injury? I used to model and can look better than most….but why do I have to make myself look “model-perfect,” and not be a natural carefree-blonde, in order to attract just the Average Joes?
So it was only just a matter of time, but lately I’ve honestly stopped caring. Curling my hair, wearing the hippest clothes, sexy shoes, getting waxed, applying self-tanner, whitening my teeth every three months, doing my MAC makeup like the pros (which I can do), takes a very long time, especially since my GODDAMNED FINGERS DON’T MOVE. So this summer, I’ve been in “I don’t give a shit mode.”
Just look at this pic of me from CONvergence a few weeks ago (right). I’ve purposely darkened my hair to a natural blonde, I’ve stopped wearing foundation (I can hear the Southern belles screaming as they read this), and I’ve learned to enjoy looking and acting goofy. It honestly makes me much more happier than looking perfect all of the time.
With this change though, the drop in men noticing me has been excruciatingly noticeable. It’s hard to get used to, but really….I’m starting to really not give a shit AT ALL. If a dude is going to not going to see me because I look “average,” he can not exist in my world view anyways.
Life is too short to be hyper-sensitive to what these asshats think. Having to look exponentially better than my able-bodied female counterparts, just to get treated equally treated by men, really, seriously is, the dumbest, most unfair thing I’ve come to learn about life with a disability.
I’ve arrived at the next level of enlightenment, people. Nirvana here I come.
- Tiff
Note: This blog entry does not in anyway insinuate that I have a low self-esteem, or fear I’ll never find a man who will like me. So please annoying dudes, stop sending me letters, k? I’m talking about a growth in my personality, a revelation regarding the perception of disability, I’m not crying for a man in my life. Men are overrated anyways. I know I can get a man when I want one, I just hate having to work so hard on my looks to do it. It’s lame.
Comments (14)A Wheelchair Secret Exposed
Ok, maybe it’s not a “top secret” kind of secret, or purposely hidden for that matter, but it’s definitely not a well known thing…
What in the hell am I talking about? The BEST way to charge your chair, that’s what. How long have you been using a powerchair (me? 15 yrs)? And even though I work in the disability industry, I just found out 3 WEEKS ago that your chair will get an immensely better charge if you leave the joystick on.
That’s right folks, those twinkling lights can double as a nightlight.
And your welcome! I know I just made your Saturday. Actually, thank Andy at Reliable Medical. I love it when my wheelchair fix-it dude actually knows what in the hell he’s doing.
- Tiff
Comments (4)The Perfect Quote for This Blog
I’m not really a big “quote” person. They can be tired, trite, and well I’ll just say it - lame.
But! (but, but, but), I just discovered a phenomenal quote thanks to a mass email sent to us freelancers from my editor. It encompasses my entire life post-injury, what I strive to do everyday, and most importantly - what I hope to further through my articles, podcasts, and blogs. The quote comes from the recently passed disability rights activist and lawyer, Harriet McBryde Johnson.
“Living our lives openly and without shame is a revolutionary act.”
This is one of the most perfectly worded expressions I’ve ever read. What I do, and what I want women with disabilities to do everywhere, is to live their lives as if they weren’t disabled; to NOT let society’s expectations of who they *should* be to mold their lives.
Some people just can’t handle it when we’re “out in the public eye” being sexual beings, getting married, having babies, looking hawt (omgz the horror!), and basically relishing the woman inside of us. They think our disability should somehow make us not want to or not be able to do these things anymore. But, we live in the 21st century. The time for a revolution has come! We are the last minority to get treated equally in regards to the whole ”Hey, we’re human too!” situation, and that needs to change.
When will the time come when people no longer come up to me and congragulate me for being out when I’m buying a burrito at Chipotle? When will they stop patronizing me/being shocked for living my life like a “normal” 28 year old? Just because I’m sitting down does not make me that vastly different, nor does it somehow magically siphon away my hormones.
I should really get this quote tattooed across my face. I’d probably piss people off, and that’d be awesome.
- Tiff
Comments (13)Body of War
Tomas Young is 28 years old, sexy, well-spoken, from Kansas City, MO, and unfortunately, a T4 paraplegic.
In 2003, he was shot and paralyzed by enemy fire (”Instantly dropping my AK 47,” he describes, after getting shot) after only 5 days in Iraq. Body of War is an amazing documentary that EVERYONE should see. Co-directed by the legendary Phil Donahue and Ellen Spiro, this film premiered at the SXSW Film Festival in March and is currently touring the country.
To learn more about this anti-war film, visit the it’s site, BodyofWar.com. Make sure to watch the trailer and to peruse it’s screening schedule; it may be coming to a city near you. I’m hoping that SOON it’ll be available on Netflix (I have the 3-disc unlimited plan), and I REALLY need to see this film in it’s entirety, instead of through dozens of various YouTube clips.
I almost had the opportunity to see it the first weekend of June here in Minneapolis at the National Free Press Conference, but due to PCA scheduling issues and my own damn fault, I couldn’t see the screening (or go to the awesome Q&A session afterwards with Phil Donahue). I’m still kicking myself over that.
ANYWAYS, Eddie Vedder (lead singer of Pearl Jam) wrote/performed a song for the film called, “No More.” It’s beautiful, poignant, and it makes me very happy to see such a high-profile musician affiliated with such an important film.
But yes, this film is great. It shows how brutal life with a SCI really is, how the VA has let Tomas down in re: to proper benefits to fully rehabilitate a paraplegic. and more importantly, how Iraq was a terrible mistake.
- Tiff
Comments (5)Britain’s Missing Top Model
Stylish, sassy, chic … disabled?
Britain is airing a brand new model search reality show in July, specifically looking for models with disabilities. On a awful creative note, it’ll be called Britain’s Missing Top Model. They get no w00t from me for that lame show name.
Here’s the show’s tagline:
Eight young disabled women discover what it takes to be a model - but which of them will win a photo shoot and appear in a top fashion magazine?
Is this a marketing ploy? Is it a serious competition? My Brit friends will have to share their opinion with me after it airs, because unfortunately it’s damn near impossible to get BBC Three in Minnesota, unless you’e Stanley Hubbard.
Oh, and there’s one American on the show too. Her name is Jenny and she’s 22!
- Tiff
PS. I do give the show props for shedding light on the disparity of able-bodied vs. disabled models in the media though. Ok, that deserves a w00t…..”w00t.”
Comments (3)Nice Ink!
Here’s a pretty sweet tattoo a friend of mine with CP got recently:
It’s says “Ingenuity,” with the word being built into the universal “handicapped” symbol.
- Tiff
Comments (2)The 10 Commandments of Life in a Wheelchair If You Have a SCI
Enjoy my sage, awesome wisdom, my friends.
- Tiff
Comments (7)A Tribute to Dry Shampoos
Ever heard of these aerosol dandies? If not, it’s probably because you were either A) Born after 1970 or B) You live in the USA (apparently people all over Europe are more than aware of this easy-breezy way to “refresh” your hair).
Anyways here’s the dealio: There are some really nice (and expensive) dry shampoos that are on the market right now, and not only do they work (just spray it all over, comb through, let dry, and it’s clean/”refereshed”), but they’re perfect for ladies with disabilities who need help washing their hair the “water way.”
Your grandma probably used dry shampoo back in her younger days, and hippies at week-long music fests like Bonaroo? Oh you bet your mud-caked Teva’s they know about this most excellente way to wash their hair.
Check out the dry shampoo I bought myself last month and am totally in LOVE with:
Ojon Rub-Out Dry Shampoo (it smells like baby powder!)
- Tiff
Comments (4)Let’s Break Outta Rehab
Last night was one of those special nights that make you feel like Santa Claus.
My concert/musician conoisseur friend Allison, a 38 year old with mild Cerebral Palsy (she can push herself in a manual wheelchair), has literally been stuck in the hospital the last 3 months with these mysterious stomach abscesses that had to be surgically removed.
And since she’s been in bed for 3 months trying to heal, she’s not surprisingly gotten weaker. So now, unfortunately, she’s at a stage where she can’t transfer herself anymore from the floor back into her chair for example (in her studio condo she just has a mattress on the floor…yeah she’s emo like that). So now she’s found herself in the nationally renowned Courage Center: A residential rehab center with PT, OT, and everything else disability-related under the sun. I myself lived there 10 years ago from ‘97 - ‘98, then moved out into an on-campus dorm.
So long story short, Allison has been seriously jonesing for some “medication” that involves a stage, live music, and some sexy guitar players. And being that’s she’s finally better to leave the hospital for short spurts at a time, and being that she had two FREE (woo!) tickets to see Billy Bragg last night, I was needless to say a more than willing chaperone. So off I went at 5:30pm last night to cross town to pick her up in my hoopdee - my modified, with ramp, lowered-floor 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan - and there was Allison in a freakin’ powerchair (her first time ever in one). She wobbled very unsteadily up my ramp, but blessedly made it inside in one piece, and within 20 mins we were at the venue.
We got the stellar, rock-star esque “gimpy gimp” seats, right by to the stage; far left. And we got a great view of da man himself, Billy Bragg. As per his usual (so says Allison; she’s seen him 12 times), he was great. His set involved a lot of political talk regarding Obama, Gitmo Bay, and then he blabbed about Bob Dylan for awhile too. And after the set, we rushed her back to the rehab center before midnight.
It was a great night. Allison got her much needed concert-fix, I broke her outta rehab and felt like Super Woman, and we got to see a famous musician up-close. What more could two disabled gals ask for?
- Tiff
PS. Billy likes to drink tea during his set. So very adorably British.
PPS. Allison cannot under ANY circumstance keep her eyes open when a camera flashes. lol. Silly CP.
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