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Comedy, Life in a wheelchair

Just because I can go barefoot everywhere it doesn’t mean I should

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jj-noshoes As I sit here writing this I’m not wearing any shoes. Mainly because it feels good. I work from home so I can get away with that. It occurred to me the other day that because I’m in a wheelchair I really don’t have to wear shoes anywhere. Think about it. My feet never touch the floor so I don’t have to worry about germs or stickiness or walking barefoot on a painful surface like gravel.

At first blush this seems like a major perk of being a guy in wheelchair. The thing is, I’ve only done it once or twice that I can remember on purpose. The reason is simple I hate to admit it but I am fairly vain for a guy, The idea of being out in public with no shoes, and being seen by people who I would like to make a favorable impression on  is kind of terrifying. When I go out in public I’m always shocked at what people are willing to wear when they leave the house to go out into the world. You can’t go to a Walmart anywhere in the United States without seeing at least a few people that look like they just rolled out of bed. Wearing pajamas, messed up hair the whole nine. Sometimes I see someone like this and I wonder if they even bother to brush their teeth before they left the house. If you are one of these people I salute you. it takes real guts to be comfortable all the time and just not care how people are looking at you.

Knowing that these people are out there tells me that no one would look twice at me if I wasn’t wearing shoes but for some reason I have a mental hurdle about it. Every time I leave the house I think somewhere in the back of my mind that I may meet someone and be asked to become a model or the world’s next media darling. If this happens, I need to look good and not like I just rolled out of bed. Plus I figure my feet can’t really be that appealing to look at. I think I would constantly be paranoid that I missed some toe jam the last time I took a shower.

I never really understood the sign at some businesses that says “No shoes no shirt no service. Sometimes I see people wearing shirts with so many holes in them that the shirt might as well not be there , and the only person in danger of having a major hygiene issue is the person who is walking around on a dirty restaurant floor with no shoes. I  wonder what what happened if somebody walked into a business that displayed that sign wearing shoes and a shirt but no pants? I think pants would be absolutely necessary. No one needs to see that.

I can’t explain why I think about these things but if I’m going to think about these things, why not share them with you right? 🙂 as always thanks to Evie for bringing life to all the weirdness in my brain.

Have a great week everybody.

 

Motivational

Perspective is like car keys it can be easy to lose and you have to look around to find it

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Sometimes I get stuck in my own brain. The pressures of daily life mount, people test my patience, and my chair becomes a prison. I can’t go where I want, do what I want, be who I want to be. Some days it can be absolutely overwhelming. The mental strain can literally take over my mind. It feels like no one understands and there’s no way things could possibly improve anytime soon.

Sometimes I get this attitude. I think we all do. I think it’s part of our selfish human nature. Inevitably though I will hear about someone who just found out they have terminal cancer, and only have three months to live, or I may see a homeless person on the street with holes in their shoes and nothing to eat.

I have learned that I don’t have to look very far to realize how much I’ve been given in life and how blessed that I truly am. Yes I have a wheelchair, but I’m not terminally ill. I have a warm place to sleep and plenty of food to eat. At the end of the day my struggles really aren’t that big of a deal. No matter what your circumstances are right now I’m almost certain that you can look around and find someone who has less to be thankful for than you. Take the time to look around the next time the pressures and stresses of life threaten to overtake you. Be thankful and adjust your perspective.

I am thankful for Evie and for her willingness to continue to work with me. I’m also thankful to all of you for reading. You make this blog worth doing. What are you thankful for?

Leave us a comment.

Life in a wheelchair

I have no idea how you people shower standing up

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As has been mentioned several times, I need lots of help, Even in the shower. When I was younger and my parents could pick me up they would give may baths. As any adult knows however a bathtub can be sometimes hard to get out of, especially if you have to lift someone out of it. After about the age of 15 a bath no longer became an option for me because I was just too heavy to lift out.

I am constantly amazed at how Evie’s mind seems to understand exactly how my situation works. What you see above is exactly what I sit in when I shower. (I don’t have a cat swinging from the curtain but I guess that could be in my future). The chair is on wheels and I transfer from my wheelchair to the shower chair, and it rolls directly into the shower. I tend to use a wand that I can hold to rinse myself and ask for help when I need it, for things like washing my hair.

My shower experience varies wildly depending on who is helping me. If it’s my dad, we don’t use much water because he’s trying to get me clean without much  mess so he will turn the water on as needed and then turn it off while I’m using a washcloth. This is not the most pleasant way to take a shower but it gets the job done, and he can go on about his business after wards without being soaked. If Jane is helping me it’s a completely different story. Much like most of you, a shower does wonders for my perpetually sore body, I take my time and use the water to relax some perpetually sore muscles. You would be amazed at the difference it makes to the way I feel.

I went through a phase in my life when I was younger and could still use the bathtub where I really enjoyed soaking. I think most of the joy came from the fact that for that 30 or 45 minutes that I was in there, I had to complete privacy. Complete privacy is a rare thing in almost every aspect of my life. Anyone who is in a wheelchair understands that this is a trade-off that has to be made to get the help you need, but I’m sure my mom found it strange that a teenager wanted to soak in the bathtub. It’s something that I miss these days. Especially when I’m having a particularly rough day physically. I do have some privacy in the shower. Jane is very good about giving me my space, but it’s not quite the same as soaking in the bath tub for 30 minutes.

Before Jane came along, I was able to shower about three times a week. The reason for this is that taking a shower every day the way most people do is a a lot of work for someone else to help me. Since jane’s arrival I’m able to shower whenever I see fit.

Why am I telling you all of this you ask? The reason is simple. I started this blog to allow anyone who read it, to get a glimpse of what my life is like. Simple things that most people take for granted every day, are a little more complicated for a man on wheels. I’m not complaining, it’s just a fact. Complications or not. I still get things done. Pro tip we are all more pleasant be around when we shower regularly. It may take more work for me to get it done but I’m pretty sure the people around me are thankful that I make the effort. To those of you with cats, I wonder if other handicapped people have cats who play at being Superman with the lift harness? I don’t blame her, but one day I might actually get stuck in there. Have a great week everybody.

As always thanks to Evie for another wonderful cartoon.

Comedy

I don’t want to be an oompa loompa

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I know it’s been a while and all I can say is that reality got in the way. This comic came from an actual conversation I had with my doctor at the age of 25. Because I don’t put a lot of weight on my bones, apparently they can get brittle and break just like in older persons. I never moved so fast to get to a test as I did when he told me that. The last thing I need this to get shorter. If I did get shorter you might as well call me an oompa loompa.

The comic above was hand-drawn by Evie. I’m truly blessed to work with such an amazing artist. She does other stuff also. Take a look if you have a chance right here

Learn to draw a quick and easy. Click the picture below to get started

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Motivational

Supporting independent creators and artists just makes you feel good

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You will be moved
You will be moved

Today’s Post is a special one. If you’ve been reading this blog for very long, you know that my friend evie built this site and does all of my comics. To be honest I couldn’t do anything that I do on the Internet without her. She is one of the most special and creative people I have ever met. I do everything I can to encourage her to create as much as possible. More often than not something spectacular comes out. Recently she wrote a novel in less than 10 days I kid you not. I read it as she was writing and was completely blown away. She recently made the novel available for sale on her website for $7.99. Let me tell you a little secret about  Evie. She absolutely refuses to promote herself. so today, I decided to do it for her. She’s out of town ,and has absolutely no idea I’m doing this,

The novel is called Raven’s Resurrection. It chronicles a very talented woman’s Journey after abuse dramatically changes her life, and the people she touches along the way. I’m not afraid to tell you that the novel made me cry, and I’m certain that if you take the time to read it it will move you as well.

I am extremely biased because it was written by someone who I am extremely fond of but I’m sure one thing, you will not be disappointed.

Evie has two novels and would love to begin a career as a novelist. Every time I speak to her she has another idea for a book. So today I wanted to take a little time to support her in that endeavor. You can buy the book for $7.99 right here or simply by clicking the cover at the top of this post. After purchase you can start reading it immediately. You will be motivated to do something good for someone else after reading. I guarantee it. Do me a favor and treat yourself and support Evie at same time.

GO GET IT

Happy Monday everybody

 

Motivational

I talk because sometimes it’s all I can do

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mouth

This one is pretty self explanatory. I never know how I’m going to feel from day to day. What I do know is that no matter what else is going on with my mind or body, my mouth will work. My speech may be slightly slurred because of other things going on inside or around me. but I can always speak. Sometimes slurred speech is a major benefit when I am on a stage and a crowd is expecting me to be funny.

We all got issues but all of us also have something we can fall back on when nothing else is working. In my case, it happens to be my mouth. Anyone who has known me very long probably have thought that I have talked to much at one point or another.

Now they know why….

What do you fall back on?

Have a great week everybody

As always thanks to Evie for working magic. I’d be lost without her.

Motivational

All things are possible but are you willing to try?

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possible

I’ve never actually been parasailing but with a little research, I’m sure it can be done. A little research on Google told me that disabled surfing is a thing as well. I don’t know how badly I want to do that, but it’s there. I have been skiing. Until I actually did it I wasn’t sure if that was possible but I do remember the instructor telling me that as long as someone had a pulse, it could be done, and I did. (Yes I fell just like everybody else but it was great fun).

Not actually me but you get the idea
Not actually me but you get the idea

In school I was told that I can do anything that I put my mind to until it sounded like a broken record. Turns out, it’s actually true. We all have limitations, but honestly I believe they are only there as a test we must be willing to take to do what we want. For most of us I think the toughest part is convincing ourselves to try something and being okay if we fail, I know it’s hard for me. I hate to fail and I hate to make mistakes, but it’s the only way to figure things out.

What have you always wanted to conquer if you can convince yourself to try? Let us know in the comments.

The image can be found right here

As always thanks to Evie for her artistic brilliance.

Comedy, Life in a wheelchair

Sometimes I really need my own pit crew

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jj-service

I mention quite often that these comics are true to life. I have in fact lost a wheel and I have had to wait to get repairs done. Sometimes this means pulling out an old chair that is way too small for me, to use  while I wait. Sometimes it means having someone come to my house because I have no choice. There’re actually people who specialize in working on wheelchairs. I never saw a degree plan for wheelchair mechanic when I was in school, but they do exist, and they are absolutely necessary.  The crazy thing about wheelchairs is that you can’t buy the parts off the shelf.  Like every thing that is related to medical, parts are crazy expensive. You can buy a  nice used car for what a basic motorized wheelchair costs. You would think I could at least get a seat warmer, or  some fuzzy dice  on an $8000  wheelchair. If I ever get my bionic legs I may actually be the $6 million Man. Do you guys think I’m cool enough to get a wheelchair endorsement deal? If Shaquille O’Neal can sell icy hot, I think I’m good-looking enough to represent a wheelchair company. I wonder if THAT would get me a seat warmer?

 

Lucky for me, I have someone around who can fix almost anything, Thanks again to Evie (a.k.a. MacGyver girl) for making me smile once again this week.

Have a great week folks

 

 

Life in a wheelchair, Motivational

It’s a good thing I’m not high maintenance

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jj-patience

Relying on people is just part of being in wheelchair. I’m very independent but there are just things I can’t do. I’m constantly learning new things everyday to help myself but I fear I will always need help. As long as that’s the case I will have to be patient with other people. I’ve never had to get my mom out of bed for help, my brother is a different story. He is  really hard to wake up. He is also extraordinarily busy. It doesn’t happen often anymore, but when he helps me out, I am very well taken care of but I have to be flexible and work around his schedule. Jane is employed by me, but even she is completely unavailable for three days out of the month. I’m not complaining it’s just a fact. My mother is always around, but is constantly working on something so I may not have the opportunity to go to the restroom the second of the urge hits me. Especially if my family has gone out for something.

I learned very early on that I needed to be careful about what I consumed every day especially if I was going to be on my own for a few hours on a given day. If I know I’m going to be alone from 6 to 10 on a Friday night, I’m very careful about what I drink during that time frame so I’m not dying to use the restroom if they come in 20 or 30 minutes late.

Same with food. I have started keeping snacks where I can reach them in case I get hungry, but if I want a meal I need to make sure I eat when other people are eating. It doesn’t go over well, when you come out after the food has been put away and everyone else is ready to relax. (yes I have done that more than I care to admit). I  normally go to bed around the time that everyone else in my house goes. That’s really inconvenient for me, but it’s also not right for me to keep someone else up because I am not ready to sleep. It gets frustrating yes, but as long as I need help getting in bed, it’s a concession I have to be willing to make.

I also have to be gracious about it. This is something that I struggle with because I am an adult and it’s hard not to feel that I deserve more flexibility in my life. However, I have to remember that the person asking if I can go to bed, (usually my dad) cannot be expected to revolve around me. I’m very lucky that there’s usually someone  available to talk to, even if I’m in bed( Evie and I usually have at least a text conversation every night about something).

I have to be patient and accommodating whether I want to be or not because the people who help me, their needs, are just as important as mine.

Patience seems to be in very short supply in today’s world.I think I’m a better man because I’ve had to learn it just to be able to function. I don’t get exactly what I want, the second I want it, all the time. My needs are met and learning to be patient with other people has made me a better person.

Are there areas in your life that you need to learn patience, especially with other people? Leave us a comment and let us know.

As always big thanks to Evie for all that you do for me.