Crip Buzz: November 2016


What Advice Would You Give a Newly Injured Person?

Austin Beggin and Tim Flynn
Austin Beggin and Tim Flynn

NPR’s All Things Considered featured Tim Flynn, 55, who has been paralyzed for 35 years, sharing advice with Austin Beggin, a recent college graduate who was injured last year. We asked our Facebook followers what advice they would give a newly-injured person:

[fusion_imageframe lightbox=”no” gallery_id=”” lightbox_image=”” style_type=”none” hover_type=”none” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”right” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] [/fusion_imageframe] Ardetta Harrington, 43 years post-injury: Watch your sports activity because those shoulders are needed to push and transfer yourself. [fusion_imageframe lightbox=”no” gallery_id=”” lightbox_image=”” style_type=”none” hover_type=”none” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”right” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] [/fusion_imageframe] Luis Nok Outumuro, 35 years post-injury: Eat and drink healthy. Come up with a dietary regime to keep your intestinal tract, bladder and bowel, and kidneys healthy to minimize bowel issues, urinary tract infections and to deal with overuse of meds that cause kidney damage.
Stay active and fit, but take care of your shoulders, elbows, and wrists to prevent repetitive motion injuries. Do sports, but more than one — mix it up, don’t do the same thing year over year unless you use a coach or trainer. If you get an injury, get it checked out — like all things, don’t let it go. What you have left was never meant to replace what you’ve lost, so be smart about taking care of your abilities.
Find a peer mentor and a support group. You’re not the first, the only one, or the last with an SCI. Figuring out SCI on your own is not heroic, it is a waste of time. You have a life to live and redefine. Learn the lessons some have already learned, and pass them on to the next generation of people with SCI. Give back, because you will be needed. [fusion_imageframe lightbox=”no” gallery_id=”” lightbox_image=”” style_type=”none” hover_type=”none” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”right” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] [/fusion_imageframe] Kathy Lawrence: Don’t ignore red skin on your butt, deal with it before it becomes a life long issue. [fusion_imageframe lightbox=”no” gallery_id=”” lightbox_image=”” style_type=”none” hover_type=”none” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”right” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] [/fusion_imageframe] Charles Anthony Hunt, 8 years post: I have a standing frame at home. If you can get one I highly recommend getting and trying to stand as much as you can. It helps so much!
I’m a C7, I’ve had three major flap surgeries for wounds and I’m very active. I have 10 screws and three plates in my neck, I utilize a manual and power chair, and God has done miracles in my life. Listen to the episode here: www.npr.org/2016/10/11/496574121/after-paralysis-a-life-of-a-different-10-000-things.

Conflicting Gas Pump Policies

In answer to Patrick Hughes’ question, we found three. How many did you find?gas_pumpscreenshot


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