Greetings from Canada!  Homecare Advocate is coming to you from the beautiful and snowy Whistler, British Columbia.

Whistler is a mountain-lover’s dream.  It was the home of the 2010 Winter Olympics and is consistently ranked as one of the top resorts in the world.   So when I came across this remarkable  video of Josh Dueck, a T-11 paraplegic skier who was attempting a back-flip in Whistler’s backcountry, I was intrigued.

Josh’s video below inspired today’s post about how you can continue doing the things you love with adaptive equipment. Josh became a full T-11 paraplegic after a skiing accident but was determined to not  give up on life and the things he loved.  “This is something I’ve been dreaming about ever since I was laid out in the hospital.  I’ve wanted to get back on the horse ever since I got knocked off,” Josh says.

Josh’s story reminds me of Bryan Anderson, a vivacious young man who lost both legs and left hand during his military tour in Iraq.  Bryan visited Lambert’s a few years back to speak to our patients about how adaptive equipment can still enable you to live a full, active life.  Bryan was filmed by our local news doing skateboarding tricks and talking about the sports he still enjoys doing after his injuries in Iraq.  He has since appeared on the cover of Esquire magazine and acted in TV and film for CSI: New York, All My Children, and The Wrestler starring Mickey Rourke.

Bryan recently released an autobiographical book on his courageous journey, “No Turning Back”, which is available here.  In it, he candidly describes the transformation as he realized that his life would never be the same & how he was determined to live fully after the accident.  His outlook on life kept him going through 13 months of rehab and is an inspiration to other young amputees and people with disabilities.  “This book, ” Anderson writes, “is not about being wounded.  It’s not about struggling.  This book is about living.  It’s about life.”

Bryan and Josh are reminders that no matter what happens to us in life, we can control our mental outlook.  Instead of cant’s, we should look at can’s and how’s.

Enter adaptive technology.

Whether it’s a power-chair to make you mobile, an accessible vehicle to see the world in, or sit-ski that enables you to get on the slopes again, the technology is out there to help you create the life you want.

Talk to your physician about how adaptive equipment can benefit you. Learn about disability rehab-camps and organizations that have specialty equipment to suit a variety of physical and/or mental impairments.   Visit your local home medical equipment company for information on products and devices that can help you achieve your goals.

Here are some places to get you started:

Enabling Technologies: manufacturer of adaptive outdoor equipment.

Quantum Rehab: manufacturer of power chairs, customizable to suit your needs.  (Bryan Anderson is the official spokesperson for Quantum.)

Disabled Sports USA: non-profit offering sports-rehab for those with disabilities, impairments, and permanent injuries.

Adaptive Skiing Organizations: disabled skiing programs throughout the country for various outdoor-sports resorts.

See you back in Tennessee!

::AWP::

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” –Mary Oliver