Let's try going home again

I am being sent home from Florida Hospital today without letting me see the surgeon that fixed my shattered femur. This newest set-back is "ain't nothin gunna break-a my stride, ain't nothin gunna hold me down - OH NO, I GOT TO KEEP ON MOVIN'

I can't believe that almost 10 days has

passed since my leg was repaired, and the PRIMARY ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON hasn't come to check up on me. I am actually scared about what I can, and more importantly...CANNOT DO.

I am placing my trust in the capable and trusting hands of someone that has NEVER LIED TO ME HERE, and that person is Bob Fleener, he is the Director of Soc. Services for Fl. Hospital and since the first word he ever said to me he has never lied to me.

I AM GOING TO RECOVER! I AM GETTING MY SON! I AM GETTING MY LIFE BACK!

These past two years have been more hurtful, harmful and debilitating than ALL of my injured life pre 2010, the coma, the bedsore, finally getting surgery and less than a month later my femur was shattered, SNAPPED IN HALF!

This recovery is going to be harder, take longer and be MUCH MORE DEMANDING than my original accident. I have lost at least 75/80% of my muscle mass, I have muscle contractures, difficulty in stretching and extending my legs and left arm. I have serious problems with coordination, range of motion, you name it and it's RIDICULOUSLY HARD to do now...if I can do it at all.

I have to do it though! I have to get better! I have set a "back to normal" date for the end of this year. By the end of 2012, the END OF THE WORLD ;-) blah, blah, blah- is going to be the the beginning of my life...  AGAIN AND FOR THE 4th OR 5th TIME.

OTTO BOCK has some fantastic equipment

My 4 year old Quickie S-525 is really showing it's age, bald tires, creaking motors..you name it. I NEED a new chair and I think that OTTO BOCK's line-up is fantastic, as usual a German company is making some fantastic gear.

Here's some pix of what I'm looking at, especially the stand and drive power chair. That is fantabulous
"

The E-Support power add-on drive for manual wheelchairs

The E-Support power add-on drive increases your range of activity. It supports you optimally in your independent mobility in the manual wheelchair.

Best of both world's - manual size and power function

Power for Daily Use – The Auxiliary Drive z50

Even better than above!

B500

The B500 belongs to the new generation of power wheelchairs. Thanks to its modular design it offers various individual adaptation possibilities.

Some fantastic modular adaptations, lights, tilt, space and recline and Recaro seating.......seriously

These next three chairs are unbelievably fantabulous, even for Germans, but with no more I bring you the:

Xeno - Stand up and drive

With its standing function and innovative steering system, the Xeno power wheelchair is an ideal companion. It offers everyday flexibility and allows you to approach other people at eye level. 

All I can say is "I need this one!" I would love to have a conversation with a person and not their crotch or buttocks...don't laugh, you know exactly what I mean!

This last rig is a monster truck/chair. I'm not joking it really is\

C2000 - Reach your destination faster

The C2000 is an outdoor power wheelchair offering safety and comfort, even over longer distances.

This rig is gonzo

All pix are property of OTTO BOCK

I'm waiting on some quotes, when I get them I'll give you all the price damage, and which insurance groups, if any.......pay some of the costs 

I am almost back to 100%

The wound is now just a shadow in the crease of my butt. The past two years have been the worst two years of my entire life. I'm unbelievably happy that I can start all over again, even though I'm starting all over again for the third time now.

I have a whole new understanding of what it means to suffer. The things I saw in the nursing homes I was in has completely changed me. There is nothing in the world I want more than to make these people that run these places suffer as much, if not more than the people they are supposed to take care of.

I now have a mission in life. I used to want to show people what was possible for people in wheelchairs, but now it should be what really happens to their family members when they go into one of these "skilled" nursing homes. Stay tuned and you will see the reality of what is is happening to these people when those thatt take care of them thing no one is looking

One truly phenomenal all-terrain wheelchair

I have been writing about wheelchair's for a very long time, but not this one. This chair is made in England, it's called the Trekinetic and it is quite possibly one of the most beautiful pieces of Wheeling equipment I have ever seen. It's all carbon fiber and aluminum and absolutely aesthetically gorgeous. It's like 3000 pounds in English money, which is give or take 6500 US.

When you see these pictures you will completely agree with me, go ahead and drool over it, just like I've been for the past 10 or 15 min.

if I've ever seen a perfect instance of form and function. This is probably it......

I am still reformatting

I am still somewhat stuck between my bed, my new butt and the real world. The world hasn't changed much, but I have..

If you only knew what half of what I know, a quarter even, of what is happening to your loved ones in the nursing homes in your city or town. I spent two years in three of these holes, and I have never been, or even felt so neglected.

If someone in your family is in one of these places please go the public records website for your state and read about it. These "homes" are nothing more than walls with toilets in them, and if you can't do what you need by themselves then they are being neglected.

Go after 11 p.m. when the ratio of patient/resident to staff is 15 to 1, or worse. 

How to stop a hospital discharge part 2

Today I got a shady phone call from someone supposedly from the Medicare QIO office. The woman didn't have anything nice to say and after I asked her for my referral # she got upset and hung up. Strange, very strange.

How to stop a hospital discharge

Not exactly step by step but I will post more as I go through it myself. Here's the link I'm learning from Stopping hospital discharge

Adding a new link

This site is from the pioneer Christopher Reeves Foundation. This foundation provides more informative research then any other nongovernmental organization that I can think of, and probably many more scholastic programs.

Christopher, and his amazing wife Dana have provided for us, the disabled an amazing voice that may or may not even be around today or it not for what he went through. Thank you from the bottom of my heart Mr. Reeves.

The link is in my right sidebar. You should go there often because there's always an amazing wealth of information about topics directly related to other matters to us, people with spinal cord injuries.

Christopher and Dana Reeves Foundation

Walk The Line SCI Recovery Center

This is the first video I have seen of their program but I definitely like what I'm seeing! Check out their page Walk The Line SCI Recovery

January 3, 2012 First day of the rest of my life

Tomorrow morning, or today if you're just now reading this is the day I'm getting my 18 month ordeal with this bed sore finished, at least I hope so. An excellent plastic surgeon is going to close it by primary closure method without a muscle flap or skin graft.

I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to this, getting back to my life and trying to help so many of the people that have no one to help them in the nursing home that I left on Christmas Eve. I left without knowing what was going to happen to me and where I was going to go. I wound up at the hospital and told them exactly what was going on with my life, showed them some of my videos, and explained what was going on, within four days I had a surgical consult and now in less than 18 hours my 18-month-old bed sore will finally be closed.

April 2011
Dr. Stieg "Best Cosmetic Surgeon"

Dr. Stieg was listed as Finalist in the category of "Best Cosmetic Surgeon" in the Orlando Sentinel in their "Best Bets" feature.