Showing posts with label ▷ 2014 May 03. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ▷ 2014 May 03. Show all posts
Saturday, May 03, 2014
Def'n: Sailing with Disability - Introduction
SSTattler is talking "disability" in the next article "Video: Sailing with Disability - Introduction". This article will tell you in general technics of sailing - a good article. If you want to sail (with or not disability), read this article first...
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large (usually fabric) foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centreboard, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the vessel relative to its surrounding medium (typically water, but also land and ice) and change its direction and speed. Mastery of the skill requires experience in varying wind and sea conditions, as well as knowledge concerning sailboats themselves and an understanding of one's surroundings.
While there are still some places in the world where sail-powered passenger, fishing and trading vessels are used, these craft have become rarer as internal combustion engines have become economically viable in even the poorest and most remote areas. In most countries sailing is enjoyed as a recreational activity or as a sport. Recreational sailing or yachting can be divided into racing and cruising. Cruising can include extended offshore and ocean-crossing trips, coastal sailing within sight of land, and daysailing.
Sailing From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Laser 2 - Mainsail, Jib, Spinnaker
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While there are still some places in the world where sail-powered passenger, fishing and trading vessels are used, these craft have become rarer as internal combustion engines have become economically viable in even the poorest and most remote areas. In most countries sailing is enjoyed as a recreational activity or as a sport. Recreational sailing or yachting can be divided into racing and cruising. Cruising can include extended offshore and ocean-crossing trips, coastal sailing within sight of land, and daysailing.
History
Video: Sailing with Disability - Introduction
SSTattler: We will concentrate with the "Martin-16", invented in North America and mostly for disability. Some people with need some neat and different tools e.g. sip 'n' puff system, one-hand, ... From Challenged America 2013 - Martin 16 says "Head injury, stroke, traumatic brain injury, -- people don't think they are capable of getting into activities right away and we're getting them in there. Sailing is probably the only sport I know of where those of us with disabilities could be in a race with, as an example, some of the top sailors in the world, and win." Many other boats that have the ability to handle disability... look at the Internet / YouTubes and specifically look in the future articles in SSTattler "May/24/2014 | Sailing with Disability - Cruising" and "Jun/07/2014 | Sailing with Disability - Paralympics".
Hosted by St. Petersberg Yacht Club, Florida
IFDS: International Federation of Disabled Sailing
Standard YouTube License @ AskMartin16
Martin16 at IFDS World Championship 2004
Uploaded on Jan 13, 2012Hosted by St. Petersberg Yacht Club, Florida
IFDS: International Federation of Disabled Sailing
Standard YouTube License @ AskMartin16
Saturday Comics
| For Better and For Worse Lynn Johnston - 2014/04/27  "Tell you 'bout your curling iron..." | Dilbert Scott Adams - 2014/04/27  "Your laptop in a coffee shop that has public access wifi" |
Peanuts Charles Schulz - 2014/04/27 
"You blockhead !! I'll bet you touched..."
| Doonesbury Garry Trudeau - 2014/04/27  "I could have flipped two companies in that time!" |
** I tried to get low or free price at the people http://www.UniversalUclick.com/ for the images for the cartoons. It was too high for Stroke Survivors Tattler i.e. we are not a regular newspaper and our budget is very low. Fortunately, you will have to do only 1-click more to see the cartoon image, it is legit and it is free using GoComics.com and Dilbert.com.
Note: Now SSTattler are running cartoons starting on the previous Sunday.
Eclectic Stuff
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Definition: Eclectic(noun) a person who derives ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources.
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Sunday Stroke Survival ~ Sailing Through Life with Disabilities
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| Jo Murphey The Murphey Saga |
If you are disabled it is hard to think of yourself as sailing through your life especially if the disability happens when you are older than a babe in arms. But it can be done. Nothing is easy in this life and a life as a disabled person is no picnic. Sounds like I contradicted myself, doesn't it?Nope, not at all stick with me through this and you'll see why.
One sailing through life is often thoughts as a pleasurable experience, right? Just because you are disabled doesn't mean you will never feel joy or be happy again. I'm going to relate this to me because I know myself so well and maybe you can find a common thread in yourself. It takes a couple things to get there...
- Inner peace
- Determination
- Knowing yourself
- Pushing boundaries
- Attitude
Sailing to Better Stroke Rehabilitation
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| Dean Reinke Deans' Stroke Musing |
If only we had innovative stroke rehab here in the US. Sailing would be a perfect therapy for your balance problems. But you'll have to have it in Australia.
SSTattler: Hmmm, I did in Canada and the USA...
The gentle pitch and roll of a sailing boat provides a distinct form of sensory input that we don’t experience when we sit still—called proprioception. Now an Australian program Sailability is exploring how activating proprioception can help stroke patients regain language skills, as well as their sense of hope and wonder.More at link.
See the original article:
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The Martin 16 Sailboat
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| John C. Anderson Stroke Survivors Tattler |
See Martin 16 Sailboat for able and disabled sailors for details. Here is a summary:
Design
The Martin 16 is an ideal One-Design race boat and recreational day sailor in all weather conditions, for all ages and levels of experience. Whether you are competitive or recreational, the Martin 16 ideology and spirit has been purified to enhance fair tactical sailing.
In competition, there are two Martin 16 fleets; sailors begin in a Silver Fleet and then graduate to the Gold Fleet. The boat allows all sailors to compete on equal playing field.
The Martin 16 design combines stability, maneuverability, control and lively performance. It attracts sailors from the ages of 10-and-under to 70+, from 40 kg to heavyweights, from novice to national champion. In addition, the boat is ideal for sailing schools and training clubs, while it is also accessible for seniors and persons with disabilities.
Its weighted high lift keel makes it a very stable and safe boat, which can be easily trailer launched and rigged by one person. The Martin 16 philosophy is built on simplicity and versatility.
An Accessible Keelboat
The Martin 16 has design features that make sailing accessible to all sailors with mobility impairments. Stability, adjustable seating and specialized control systems make it user friendly for sailors with any level of physical ability. The Martin 16 offers optional automated systems for steering, sail sheeting and bilge pumping. By incorporating the needs of high quadriplegic sailing, the Martin 16 is the most accessible One-Design on the market, providing high quads with ‘sip and puff’ options, enabling them to race competitively.
See as well Assistive Technology - Joystick, Windlass Power Winch, Sip & Puff.
Sailing on the Ardelle
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| Barb Polan Barb's Recovery |
Last evening, Tom and I went on a sail on the Gloucester-based schooner Ardelle. The Ardelle was built in nearby Essex last year, and its launch and subsequent sail around Cape Ann into Gloucester Harbor was front-page news here. She is used for charter cruises, and the captain had offered to take members of the rowing club for a sail, so we signed up and went. It never occurred to me that there could be a problem with me going. As we approached the ship, though, the floating dock rocked side-to-side, which made me anxious to start with; and ahead, at the end of the long dock, was the set of stairs I had to climb to reach the gunwale, then I would step down two steps onto the deck; the set of stairs was not attached to either the dock or the ship, simply standing on the dock next to the ship, with a nearly 10-inch gap between stairs and ship. And the rail on the right-hand side (ship-side) had rotted off. That made the gap between the stairs and the Ardelle a 10-inch-wide chute ending in water, and there was no rail to catch me the whole way up the 6 steps; it reminded me of the gap between platform and train when I take the commuter rail into Boston - being afraid of heights means that every time I step over, I look down and imagine my footstep falling short and me falling into the gap. Tom walked up the stairs to my right, one step below so that I could use him as a rail and that he could grab me if I stumbled. The captain was at the gunwale helping people on board, so he reached out a hand to help by grabbing my left arm as I climbed. Worried about my shoulder becoming dislocated, I asked him not to hold onto my arm; he asked if he could grab onto my jacket at the back of my neck, which was perfect, like a kitten carried by mom. In addition, two big, strong rowers who ALWAYS help me out stood on the ship ready to get me on board. Each person suggested a different technique for getting me from the steps on the dock to the steps on the deck; plus I was formulating my own way. One of the rowers on board kept offering to just throw me over his shoulder and set me on the deck; I insisted that I could step over the gap onto the gunwale as long as someone ensured that my right foot made it over okay. It was the first time since having the stroke that I was scared enough that I thought I might be gravely injured. I have never been that afraid climbing onto or off of a boat/ship before. Once on board, we found a place to sit and Tom and I both relaxed - despite the fact I had to eventually get off the damn thing too. The sail was lovely - with a wind that carried us right along. One of my saviors was talking about sails with another rower. Although I once spent a semester aboard a 100-foot schooner studying marine biology, there's a world of info I don't know about sailing vessels. Now, the savior told the other rower about the short lines hanging in rows across the sail. First he called them "tails," and explained that they should be blowing back parallel to the sail to indicate that the sail is trimmed (positioned) properly; the second time he referred to the strings, he called them "tell tails." I love that - it made it clear what the expression "telltale" means and comes from, although it is spelled differently, in a way that has always made me think it was related to "story." Anyway, I disembarked safely, again with each helper suggesting his own technique. Again, crossing the gap scared me, and I think I even whimpered. As we walked up the hill to the road, the fling-her-over-his-shoulder rower told me I was brave; because of my sheer terror, I told him I didn't think so - that he didn't know how scared I was, that I thought I was a chicken and it had gone much more easily than I expected when I saw the steps. His reply? "Well, it was a lot easier than trying to get you out of the water between the dock and the boat." So, despite his bluster, he had thought dropping into the chute was possible too; no wonder he thought I was brave to try. When we reached Tom and the car, he told Tom that I don't know how to take a compliment. Guilty as charged. THEN Tom and I relaxed, returned home and fell into bed.
See the original article:
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Working Again.
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| Andrea A Year of Living In My Head |
So I got a job.
I was not necessarily looking for one, saw this position pass by on craigslist, and sent in a resume. I am loving it, I forgot how much I love working. I completely have a different perspective on working, it is not the be all-end all work my life away career... it is the wow, I am really happy to be doing this!
My son is growing up, my daughter is slowly making her way through life. I have tumbled headfirst into a crazy wonderful relationship. The fog has lifted on my thinking, and almost three years later, I can still tell I am improving everyday. Don't buy the BS that your healing has to happen all up front. I am still building brain processes. Sometimes I do too much. And the exhaustion is mind-numbing. But I can handle it. I am loving breathing.
We are toying with the idea of living in Europe for a year. Maybe my daughter, most likely my partner, too. Sometimes, when I think that "I can't", because that is irresponsible. That is not feasible.
Oh. There is one thing I forgot. MONEY. But that is why it is a dream. A possibility. Somehow.
See the original article:
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Today
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| Robin Rocky Mountain Stroke Survivors |
I am sitting in my office finishing my work. If someone didn’t know, they’d think I was just an average mom doing my normal stuff. I could be anyone. They don’t know that every time I tell the story of the last 16 months, I hear gasps. They don’t know that while I look the same on the outside, I will never be the same on the inside.
But for others who are just starting on this path, I wanted you to know that whatever happens in the coming months and years, you can choose what you make of it. No one else knows what you’re going through, what your priorities are, or what you need to do to get there. Doctors may tell you the medical information, but they don’t know your particular path. Other people may not encourage you to take care of yourself the way you need to. Do it anyway. Do what you need to do. Create the meaning in your experiences. Decide where you want to go on this new path. You didn’t die so God still has some use for you here. Start working toward that today.
I miss blogging and the “strokey” community. Sometimes I feel like I’m masquerading in another world. I can keep up appearances for a short while and then duck back home to rest. But I know my life isn’t like other people’s.
Last year I wrote a lot trying to process what happened. I miss the writing. I still have a lot I want to say. But until someone pays me a living wage to sit and write, I’m going to have to focus in other areas. I hope to stop back in once and awhile for an update. My kids are growing so I may find more time there as well someday. My son (3 years old when I stroked) is attending Kindergarten Round Up on Friday. My daughter is almost 2 now and insists on doing everything herself. We’ve all gotten so used to the new normal, that sometimes we forget that it isn’t normal.
Hope you all are doing well.
See the original article:
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Weirdness
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| Amy Shissler My Cerebellar Stroke Recovery |
I’m a really weird, ridiculous person and I say a lot of weird things. I was like this before the stroke. However, after the stroke – man did I say some weird shit. Not just the normal very weird things that I say and I’m not talking about inappropriateness. Irrational, inappropriate responses will be rampant and severe after a brain injury. No, I’m talking about saying weird, weird things that have absolutely no relevance and make absolutely no sense to the conversation at hand. It rarely, rarely happens anymore but I was at a wedding yesterday and it happened. The person I was with did not notice anything at all but I sure did. I said “thank you” to someone and I had absolutely no reason to thank this person for anything. Ok, writing that out it seems like nothing but for the first year to year and a half after the stroke – oh my God. I remember this once, it was probably about a year post-stroke and someone came to the front door selling something. I decided to be all independent and answer the door. This person obviously had no clue anything was wrong with me and gave his spiel about whatever he was selling. I couldn’t respond. I’m not saying that I couldn’t speak, I could, I mean I could not respond. I couldn’t figure out in my head what to say so I said “I’m not cut out for this” and he looked at me very confused and I closed the door. What I said to that poor guy made ABSOLUTELY no sense. I can laugh about this now but back then oh man. That stuff used to devastate me. If you say really weird things or your loved one says really weird things, chill out. It’s ok, it’s normal, it happens, it stops.
See the original article:
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Taming the Beast Called Frustration
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| Rebecca Dutton Home After a Stroke |
Frustration never stops appearing after a stroke. For example, it is REALLY TEDIOUS to peel a hard-boiled egg one-handed (Grrr!!). Once again my frustration propelled me to find a solution.
Step #1: Place a cold hard-boiled egg in warm water to make the shell expand and pull away from the egg.
Step # 2: Dry the egg with a paper towel. Place the egg on a paper plate to catch the bits of shell as you repeatedly smack the egg against the counter.
Step #3: Remove the egg shell which comes away in small sheets. Rinse the peeled egg with water to get rid of the small bits of shell. Dry the peeled egg with a paper towel.
You do not have to grind your teeth while peeling Easter eggs.
See the original article:
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Funny Lines for Ladies...
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| Jackie Poff Stroke Survivors Tattler |
- Don't imagine you can change a man - unless he's in diapers.
- What do you do if your boyfriend walks out? You shut the door.
- If they put a man on the moon - they should be able to put them all up there.
- Never let your man's mind wander - it's too little to be out alone.
- Go for younger men. You might as well - they never mature anyway.
- Men are all the same - they just have different faces, so that you can tell them apart.
- Definition of a bachelor: a man who has missed the opportunity to make some woman miserable.
- Women don't make fools of men - most of them are the do-it-yourself types.
- Best way to get a man to do something - suggest they are too old for it.
- Love is blind - but marriage is a real eye-opener.
- If you want a committed man - look in a mental hospital.
- The children of Israel wandered around the desert for 40 years. Even in biblical times, men wouldn't ask for directions.
- If he asks what sort of books you're interested in, tell him checkbooks.
- Remember a sense of humor does not mean that you tell him jokes, it means that you laugh at his.
- Sadly, all men are created equal.
Running and Stroke Recovery, Prevention
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| Jeff Porter Stroke of Faith |
I'm now in my 27th year of running, and I broke a personal record recently. For the 27th time, I did not run in the Boston Marathon. Next year, I'll have a chance to break that record again with 28.
However, fellow stroke survivor Tedy Bruschi has completed the Boston Marathon.
A recent interview with Runner's World magazine touched on running and stroke:
Studies have suggested that running might help lower stroke risk. Did that factor into the formation of this team—and your decision to take up running after retiring from football?
Absolutely. One of the top ways to fight stroke—in addition to knowing the warning signs—is to keep yourself in the best physical shape you can. The doctors told me that one of the reasons why I was able to overcome and recover from my stroke was that I was probably in the best shape of my life. I was 31 years old, a professional athlete."Good advice - event if you're never a professional football player. Stay in the best shape you can be. Might save your life.
See the original article:
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Young Survivors: You May Look Great and Struggle.
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| Peter G. Levine Stronger After Stroke |
A couple of bits of bad news for younger stroke survivors. First, a look at this video (on the right side of the site).
My interpretation: Young people who have insomnia are at a much higher risk of stroke. And by much higher I mean more than 8 times the risk.
That's valuable information. But. There's a not-so-subtle intimation in this video that a lot of young stroke survivors complain about. Namely, that young people are out doing drugs (and other bad things) which keep them awake.
The Second Bit of Bad News
There's a new article out with a not-so-subtle name "Poor Long-Term Functional Outcome After Stroke Among Adults Aged 18 to 50 Years." Its bottom lines may come as some surprise to clinicians: many young survivors stroke survivors struggle with everyday tasks.
After 10 years, 1 in 8 patients (12.9%) was not able to function independently.
When interviewed the author's seem to suggest that, young survivors often don't show severe outward signs of problems related to stroke. For instance, they would struggle much less with walking an older survivor. But that does not mean that they are not problems. One author Frank-Erik de Leeuw, Ph.D., put it this way "Even if patients seem relatively well recovered with respect to motor function, there may still be immense 'invisible' damage that leads to loss of independence."
I've heard this before from young survivors. People will come up to then say "You look great!" And they think to themselves, "I don't feel great."
One interesting note: Almost all the popular press has reported that this article suggests that "one-third" of young stroke survivors are having problems. I've read the article. It's one in eight. I'm not great at math. I'm pretty sure that's not one third.
See the original article:
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The Ying and the Yang of Vaccinations and Strokes
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| Joyce Hoffman The Tales of a Stroke Patient |
Vaccines have been hurrah-ed as one of medicine's top success stories which have eliminated a host of dastardly diseases in the US. And stroke in childhood is very rare, affecting about 6 in 100,000 per year, according to the National Stroke Association. So what's the connection between vaccinations and strokes? It all comes down to the ying and the yang.The Ying
In an article entitled “Vaccine-induced strokes on the rise among young people,” published by Natural News, Heidi Stevenson writes that vaccinations are “the elephant in the room” when it comes to a factor for so many younger people getting strokes.
In October 2007, the American Academy of Neurology published a report and found that “between the years of 1993 and 2005, the stroke rate among individuals under the age of 55 increased by more than 44 percent.” Many health professionals said lack of exercise and poor dietary habits might play a factor as well. But vaccines might contribute, too, says Stevenson, with causing seizures and strokes in the young as well.
And The Plot Thickens
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| Diane The Pink House On The Corner |
So The Defense submits their "expert witness" list, of which they have eleven (count em!) eleven paid "experts" all from different parts of the country....
From looking at this list, which includes a synopsis of the "experts'" planned testimony, one begins to see the tactic which The Defense will use to attack us, which looks basically like "fling mud everywhere, in every direction, and see where it sticks".
It looks like they plan to do all of the following:
- a) argue the nurses did nothing wrong
- b) argue it was the doctor's (who did the surgery) fault instead of the nurses
- c) argue that Bob's stroke was "acute" in "onset, nature and duration" so that even if the nurse had notified a doctor right away, it would not have made any difference
- d) argue that because Bob was on Social Security Disability prior to this stroke, he was in as bad of shape when he checked into the hospital as he is now
- e) argue that since Bob had neuropathy, plus is a cancer survivor and a stroke survivor, that his life expectancy is low, and he will be dead soon, so they shouldn't have to pay very much for his life care
- f) submit their own "life care plan" taking out everything they view as "not necessary" or "not their responsibility" because they will argue that Bob, because of his prior disability, already needed the 24/7 nursing care/medical care/medical equipment/etc. that he needs now.
Of course, all of the above is complete BS.
From bed Sheets to Birds Nests to Intensive, Repetitive Willing! top Advances in #OT for #Stroke Recovery! @Kateallatt
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| Kate AllattA Rocky Stroke Recovery |
My therapeutic OT was about me practising every day tasks (which were extremely boring) such as making my hospital bed (with sheets. I mean who needs to know that now in life?) or how to make a cup of tea or how to measure out cake ingredients for a Victoria Sponge (when you do everything by gut instinct in the kitchen normally) or how to get dressed or even make an elaborate wooden birds nest, etc…Well this is exactly what I did in 2010!
However, research states that therapeutic OT & NeuroPhysio NOW should rightly be about repetition, frequency & intensity of an ACTION, (as opposed to the tasks above.)
Well, I figured this out too, when I wasn’t making birds’ nests!
However, I called it ‘willing’ as I was just a LAY stroke patient. (Don’t we often know more than the medics anyway?)You see I used to visualise being at the fun-fair doing the test-of-strength-game. I used to imagine my nerves growing each day from my brain to my left big toe. If I could just make my big left toe move to my order, that being the farthest from my brain, then GAME-ON for the rest of my lifeless left side! Fact.
The day my big left toe woke up, it was like me hitting the bell in the test-of-strength game! I was euphoric.
See the evidence for yourself in my 1st internationally published – Running Free Amazon.
The answer, to me, was not only instinctive desperateness, but bloody obvious to me back then, as I tried to think of a way to wake up my lifeless body in hospital, in order to return home to my beloved kids.(Still the new ‘developments’ can only be good for all those connected to must help pay the salaries for all the neuroscience and stroke.)
See the original article:
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Cure Launcher - Take Control. Know Your Options.™
From @StrokeTattler:
- Stroke survivors and their families should know about Cure Launcher, Facebook - Cure Launcher
- Stroke survivors and their families should know about Cure Launcher @cureLauncher.
We Match People With Clinical Trials:
- Personal support. We're with you every step of the way.
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CureLauncher Commercial October 2013
Published on Oct 25, 2013Standard YouTube License @ Cure Launcher
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