Monday, August 30, 2010
Wonderful Lake Michigan Goessling days !!!!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
A Giant Adventure - the Goessling Family Reunion
The site of the of the thirty member strong Goessling family reunion is in beautiful Door County, Wisconsin at the Sand Bay Lodge and Cottages resort located on Lake Michigan. It will be an accessibility challenge.
I offered to stay home and let Dan, Sam, Joe, and Tim attend, but they weren't buying that idea! They wanted me to come! So ....................................
We will have our accessibility challenge. The nearest wheelchair van rental is in Chicago, where we will fly to from Boston. There are ramps and such at the resort, but not an accessible shower, Dan says he will use a hose!!!! The toilet is not in a good location to work with the Hoyer lift, so we will rent a commode as well as a Hoyer lift. I will be bringing the following for the adventure:
*Powerful grey sling to use with Hoyer lift
*Manual wheelchair as back-up
*Metric wheelchair repair kit, which always freaks out TSA, but is necessary because my Red Rover Permobil chair is Swedish.
*Bed rail to assist with getting out of bed
*Charger for wheelchair
* Supply of blue cloths called CHUX which sit on my wheelchair cushion
*Portable gel seat to help my bottom be comfortable on the long plane ride
*Female urinal
*Courage and calmness
We will be gone from August 14 through August 19. Keep us in your prayers, especially Dan who will need to do so much in a new place to help me out!!!!
I offered to stay home and let Dan, Sam, Joe, and Tim attend, but they weren't buying that idea! They wanted me to come! So ....................................
*Powerful grey sling to use with Hoyer lift
*Manual wheelchair as back-up
*Metric wheelchair repair kit, which always freaks out TSA, but is necessary because my Red Rover Permobil chair is Swedish.
*Bed rail to assist with getting out of bed
*Charger for wheelchair
* Supply of blue cloths called CHUX which sit on my wheelchair cushion
*Portable gel seat to help my bottom be comfortable on the long plane ride
*Female urinal
*Courage and calmness
We will be gone from August 14 through August 19. Keep us in your prayers, especially Dan who will need to do so much in a new place to help me out!!!!
Monday, July 26, 2010
Happy 20th Birthday to the Americans with Disabilties Act
What A Difference One Inch Can Make
Deborah Peters Goessling, Ed.D. is an associate professor of elementary/special education at Providence College, Rhode Island. Her wheelchair is named Red Rover.
I never realized how much one inch made a difference in my life. As an associate professor of special education, I teach students who want to become special education teachers and work with kids with disabilities. Ironically, two years ago I was diagnosed with ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease. Now I'm the one who is really learning about disability.
In the U.S. there are more than 1 million wheelchair users. Although today we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, accessibility is still a big issue. And often it comes down to just one inch.
In the past few years, one inch has prevented me from using a friend's bathroom and from socializing on a beachfront deck because the entrance was too narrow for my wheelchair. At the post office counter, one inch lower means I can pay for my stamps. When we cannot get my beach wheelchair deep enough into the water, there is no relief from the heat. While my family is swimming and splashing, I must remain on the sidelines. With just one inch too much to the left or right, I'm unable to place my wheelchair into my van's "lock-in" system to be able to use hand controls to drive. For me, one inch can make the difference between attending a friend's 50th birthday party or staying home and mailing a gift. It limits my ability to attend family gatherings, work celebrations and bridal showers and makes me feel excluded from friends and family.
When I went to my brother's house he made a little entry ramp for me, but I couldn't visit, because his door was too narrow for my wheelchair. Most wheelchairs, like mine, measure 28 inches across and benefit from a 30-inch door. From my experiences, most residential doors are less than 30 inches wide.
Now, I am not saying that businesses and the government are in violation of ADA; I am just saying that 20 years later there are still many accessibility challenges. Many more challenges then even I, a professor of special education, could have imagined. It was a big surprise to me that a ramp doesn't always provide enough access, mandated curb cuts can be so deteriorated they cannot be used, that doors can be too narrow, thresholds too high, chairs too low and blackboards too high. We do not need more legislation, but people could be a lot smarter — and more thoughtful — when it comes to designing buildings. An inch may not seem like a lot, but to me and many others it makes a world of difference.
I never realized how much one inch made a difference in my life. As an associate professor of special education, I teach students who want to become special education teachers and work with kids with disabilities. Ironically, two years ago I was diagnosed with ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease. Now I'm the one who is really learning about disability.
In the U.S. there are more than 1 million wheelchair users. Although today we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, accessibility is still a big issue. And often it comes down to just one inch.
In the past few years, one inch has prevented me from using a friend's bathroom and from socializing on a beachfront deck because the entrance was too narrow for my wheelchair. At the post office counter, one inch lower means I can pay for my stamps. When we cannot get my beach wheelchair deep enough into the water, there is no relief from the heat. While my family is swimming and splashing, I must remain on the sidelines. With just one inch too much to the left or right, I'm unable to place my wheelchair into my van's "lock-in" system to be able to use hand controls to drive. For me, one inch can make the difference between attending a friend's 50th birthday party or staying home and mailing a gift. It limits my ability to attend family gatherings, work celebrations and bridal showers and makes me feel excluded from friends and family.
When I went to my brother's house he made a little entry ramp for me, but I couldn't visit, because his door was too narrow for my wheelchair. Most wheelchairs, like mine, measure 28 inches across and benefit from a 30-inch door. From my experiences, most residential doors are less than 30 inches wide.
Now, I am not saying that businesses and the government are in violation of ADA; I am just saying that 20 years later there are still many accessibility challenges. Many more challenges then even I, a professor of special education, could have imagined. It was a big surprise to me that a ramp doesn't always provide enough access, mandated curb cuts can be so deteriorated they cannot be used, that doors can be too narrow, thresholds too high, chairs too low and blackboards too high. We do not need more legislation, but people could be a lot smarter — and more thoughtful — when it comes to designing buildings. An inch may not seem like a lot, but to me and many others it makes a world of difference.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
OH MY POOR HOT SWOLLEN FEET!!!!!!!
Summertime and the feet are hurting.
Lack of leg movement and the feet are hurting.
No circulation in my toes! No circulation in my ankles.
Summertime and the feet are hurting.
Tried to stop wearing shoes too tight.
Tipped the wheelchair back, raised my legs to a new height.
Dan massaged my feet so they just feel right.
Summertime and the feet are hurting.
Went to my local podiatrist to see what was the score!
" Wear compression socks and then wear them some more!"
When is it ninety degrees in the shade? Wear the tightest socks in town?
"Yes, everyday, 12 hours a day, and your swelling will go down!"
Well, my feet wear the nylon and they wear the cotton.
These socks are knee highs and very, very hot.
These socks hurt to pull them on and then to roll them down.
But in a few days,I have the least swollen feet in town!
So, summertime and the feet are hurting.
Socks are on and the feet are flirting.
Just a little swollen and now my sandals fit!
Oh summertime blues, but soon the heat will quit!
POST YOUR SUGGESTIONS FOR MY SWOLLEN FEET!!!!!!! THANKS FOR THE HELP!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Celebrating July 4 on Little Deer Isle, Maine !!!!
What a delightful holiday - warm weather, cool nights, star filled skies with a visible Milky way, and Sam, Joe, and Tim with us in Maine. Together we enjoyed the parade, the Fish Fry on the pier, Stonington fireworks, games (including a new Monopoly card game!), an LL Bean trip, and a home-cooked lobsta' dinner. The boys made a new path to the cove and got me to the ocean, so I could put my toes in the water! What a treat! The memories will last forever and the good times just rolled and rolled. I feel blessed!
Monday, June 21, 2010
SPIN for ALS Research!
Last Sunday, June 13, Dan organized a group for Team Debbie to ride in our first "official" fundraiser.
Below are, left to right, the riders: Dan, Lynn Garone, Amy Salomon, and Dennis Berry. The group rode 25 miles, starting in Wayland, MA and continuing through Sudbury, Lincoln, Hudson, and Concord. It was the furtherst Dan had ridden a bicycle, and he did the 25 miles competently and with a smile and with his friend Dennis. See Dennis and Dan below at the completion of their 25 mile trip. The fact that these friends came out for this special fundraiser, makes my heart smile. Thank you Amy, Lynn, Dennis and Dan.
Below are, left to right, the riders: Dan, Lynn Garone, Amy Salomon, and Dennis Berry. The group rode 25 miles, starting in Wayland, MA and continuing through Sudbury, Lincoln, Hudson, and Concord. It was the furtherst Dan had ridden a bicycle, and he did the 25 miles competently and with a smile and with his friend Dennis. See Dennis and Dan below at the completion of their 25 mile trip. The fact that these friends came out for this special fundraiser, makes my heart smile. Thank you Amy, Lynn, Dennis and Dan.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Debbie does sailing!!!!
On Saturday, June 12, in the light drizzle, Dan and I took advantage of the open house at the Piers Point Adaptive Sailing Program in East Boston. I heard of this program through a church friend, and I was eager to give it a try. Since I can no longer stand, it was great to know they had a lift welded into their dock. I brought my favorite sling, and I was up in the air, over the water, and into the boat. The staff and volunteers were tremendously helpful, but not paternalistic.
I used a joy stick tiller, because that was what was on the boat, but next time, they suggested I use a real tiller to guide the boat and sail. So much about sailing came back to me, it was just wonderful!! The wind was light, but we spent an hour sailing, and I am eager to go back! What an awesome place!
http://piersparksailing.org
I used a joy stick tiller, because that was what was on the boat, but next time, they suggested I use a real tiller to guide the boat and sail. So much about sailing came back to me, it was just wonderful!! The wind was light, but we spent an hour sailing, and I am eager to go back! What an awesome place!
http://piersparksailing.org
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