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From: Pandora.Nigh@f3.n157.z1.fidonet.org (Pandora Nigh)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: electric mobili
Message-ID: <18819@bunker.isc-br.com>
Date: 15 Apr 91 22:08:01 GMT
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Index Number: 14976

 Hi Joe, I'm not a para or a quad, I have MD. The problem comes in on
how I'm able to transfer myself. I don't have the muscles in the arms or
legs to pull any support from, so I have to use what muscle tissue I
have left over my whole body and my body weight itself to transfer. It's
kind of hard and complicated to explain how I tranfer step by step, but
basically what I do is to fall to where I'm going. In order to do this I
have to be able to lean and twist my upper torso.  (really just let it
collapse of to the side). With a fusion I'll not be able to do this.
Not only am I losing the discs in my back (they are muscles) I'm also
losing the muscles across the back, shoulders, chest, hips etc. It's
hard to explain and compare with other disabilities, basically I know a
couple of quads who can stand with a very light kn cage brace and
crutches r stability. For me to stand I have some really heavy stainless
stealraces that go from my shoes up to a girdle rigging around my hips.
The stays on the braces are 1/2" thick and they lockt the knee. They
also weigh 25 pounds a piece. The reason that there is such a great
difference between my standing braces and the couple of quad friends of
mine is that they still have muscles that will support their weight. I
don't therefore the braces are supporting me. Heck I can stand when I'[m
asleep.
                             Pandora

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