May 2017 Newsletter Edition
I've continued to make good progress with my youTube channel. I received a quality video camera and tripod with special funding through my disability pension. The video camera is able to be powered through a USB charging port. With my knowledge of electricity I am making a cable which will allow the video camera to run on an auxiliary battery typically used to power a "fish finder". I've mail ordered a set of carabiners. This will allow me to hang the axillary battery in a bag off the tripod. Where I live is beautiful. I've had the inspiration to film various backgrounds I could use in my videos. Then I will use a green screen on videos where I am sharing about the logistics of life with a wheelchair. I think this will be nice for the people who use my videos. The axillary battery will allow me to spend a full day filming instead of just 60 minutes.
Over the past year friendships have developed with many of the youth at the gym. Some of the high school aged youth are willing to help me with chores I am unable to do myself. One of them has begun spending time helping me deep clean my home. It is beyond my physical limits to do this without help. I've begun making donations to a second hand store of belongings which are no longer needed and have been in boxes for the several years. Some adults in the community have helped me remove furniture and bulky items using their vehicles. I am grateful this process has started.
On May 15th I had an appointment with my family doctor. We discussed other options I could incorporate into my physiotherapy. To put this in perspective I've been through 2 physiotherapists and about 18 months where my family doctor assumed responsibility for my physiotherapy without making a recovery. My family doctor asked me to use an exercise bike for 2 minutes without tension. The idea was to peddle gently. When I tried to do this I completed each revolution in 9 seconds. I did a total of 13 revolutions. This caused a spectacular setback of the same magnitude as I was dealing with in my hip joints prior to undergoing hip replacement surgery. Overall this has left with me increased pain during transfers. This is approximately the 9th major setback I've experienced since having my second hip joint replaced.
My family doctor and I didn't agree on a diagnosis during this appointment. I'm experiencing a set of symptoms in my knee joints a 91 year old orthopedic surgeon brought out of retirement to assess me in 2012 talked about happening to me based on my childhood treatment for Legg Perthes disease. I am wanting to be wrong in the conclusion I've reached. However with my knee troubles starting in my teen years I am concerned they have reached their demise. MRI imaging of both my knee joints is scheduled for June 19th. The discussion over a diagnosis will continue after the imaging is completed.
The progress with my power wheelchair mods has been slower than I expected. I am needing specialized tools.
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For the accessory panel I am needing glass - ceramic - marble spade drill bits.
When I examined these bits sold at a local big box hardware store I identified that they are made in China. It is about 30% of the cost to buy these online directly from China. You aren't paying for an order desk to place an order in China. Then there is the whole supply chain involved in bringing the merchandise to a local store. -
For the foot rest mod I need a type of clamp typically used in welding.
I need to have the parts line up before I drill bolt holes. Again it is much cheaper to buy online and wait a few weeks.
As I was working through my house cleaning I came upon many papers needing to be shredded before disposal. With my physical disability it would be so much easier to have a paper shredder which is in my part of the world. This is instead of the bending involved in feeding pages into the paper shredder and frequently emptying the storage bin. A few weeks ago I was gifted $20 in points for use in my local grocery store after reporting a defect. I discovered a truck load sale on garbage cans. I used the points to get this. I've mail ordered high strength wheels from a vendor to China. When they arrive I will bolt them onto the garbage can. I love it when a plan comes together.