The Tank is Low

Icannot fill my van.  So if my husband can't do it I find out the phone numbers for the gas stations near me and call them when I am at the pump.  Most places will help though I am partial to Quick Trip and Mobil on the Run because they sell food and convenience items which means they will have more than one employee present (maybe not late at night but I tend to avoid those situations).

I also use an app called Gas Buddy. It is an app that allows you to compare prices and it is usually correct.  It does not have phone numbers for all gas stations but it will list the location of the station which can help you to search for a number.

Don't rain on me

Been looking for an umbrella that would work on my wheelchair... Something that would keep me dry that does not involve me wearing a poncho.  Because, frankly speaking, to me they resemble trash bags.

There are clamp on umbrellas that can be attached to a chair but they are expensive.  And I only see them online/through mail order.  

Kinda like these:

And then there is the umbrella canopy which is more than $100.  And rather big.  So I stopped at a sporting goods chain and grabbed this $5 umbrella.  So far it can attach to my sidekick.

Let's hope it works.

The Coolest Cooler

It has a hard compartment and it uses Velcro instead of a tedious zipper:

And if you happen to have a CVS pharmacy nearby, they are on summer clearance.

I kind of wish I bought this.

Traveling. And the gift shop has these:

Let me break these down:

This. 

And this. 

Totally made with the handicapped in mind. Really wish I bought one. 

The good people at Buzzfeed have a few solutions too:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/nataliebrown/wine-spills-be-gone#.tgKMKrA0M

Sidekick

I hate wheelchair caddies. The kind like this. They sag and wind up with the pocket going underneath the armrest. They are built "flat" with no reinforced structure. The one I tried and failed at using was similar to this one:

I am going on a road trip where I cannot reach any of the cup holders in the vehicle and if I use a conventional wheelchair cup holder I tend to snap them in doorways.   But I have to have something to hold the morning coffee on this trip.  One search on Amazon led to another and I started looking at stroller organizers - essentially bags with a little more shape that velcro onto the main handle of the stroller. 

Unfortunately, however, the velcro loops are on the sides of these organizers so without modification they would not work. 

I wanted to find something like the above product in a brick-and-mortar store so I could both see it before purchasing it and return the item easily if it would not meet my needs. So using the Target phone app I found an organizer that I thought could work, saw which nearby stores carried it, went to the store, and bought it.  Now the one I found also had the velcro on the wrong sides so my mom stitched two elastic loops on the back and it slid right on my armrest!

I did not think there was enough "shape" to the caddy to keep it from sagging and to add depth to the pockets. So I borrowed the toy ice cream container from my kids' toy ice cream set. It fit pretty well in the main pocket but my Mom came up with an even better idea - place the whole thing inside the basket that used to hang on my walker in high school. Love it!

Color therapy

Writing is difficult. Here is my self assigned therapy.  

14

I've lived on these cups during both surgeries - keeps cold drinks cold and warm drinks warm. I use to hands to use cups so these have been great during recovery. 

I bought mine at Target but here is a similar one at Kmart: http://m.kmart.com/despicable-me-minions-jar-tumbler/p-011W008297799001P?sid=KDx01192011x000001&pla&kpid=011W008297799001&kispla=011W008297799001P 

Comparable price to the one I bought.   And the mason jar size means it holds a lot. Being a kids cup you do not have to worry about dropping it and having it break. 

12

Steering with a splint is hard. Correction it WAS hard. 

3

Bought these a few years ago.  The pain I had at the time went away and these sat unused. Till now.  This is similar: http://www.wrightstuff.biz/typeaid.html only I think they will only work for those with some wrist stability which  I do not have.  In my searches for mobility aids, I have come across The Wright Stuff on many occcasions.  Mine are more like this:  http://www.allegromedical.com/daily-living-aids-c519/qualcare-clear-view-typing-aid-hand-typer-right-p209526.html

1

Surgery happened today. My right arm is immobile typing with my left arm is almost impossible. So I am going to document the journey by posting a daily picture and using talk to text to help me. Wish me luck. 

I bought this watering can at At Home/Garden Ridge. Not only is she a really cool looking but the handle on the top makes it easier for me to loop my left arm through and tip to pour. And this made it super easy to water my plants even though one arm was completely numb. 

(Modified) Fishing Part I: Pictures

Details coming. 

The bedroom

Ooh la la. 

But not really. More like the bedroom furniture.  I hate my dresser.  I cannot reach half the contents of the counter space because, I am in a wheelchair and do not have foot clearance to get underneath the dresser. 

So thanks to At Home/Garden Ridge and $70 I have a beautiful new sofa table (a table that sits higher) in my room. I wished it had more space on top but getting under the table means I can reach every centimeter of space on top. I do not need that much space when I can reach it.  

As you can see the bottom of the table does have a bar but since my chair is usually tilted the footrests go above the bar. 

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Surgery will be here before I know it... and when it is all said and done (literally) I will have my right arm in a huge cast. And after the cast comes off then I have a weaker arm and incomplete range of motion.

I know I will be sad during all of this and it's important to feel productive so I am growing a deck garden.  No fancy stuff but enough to feel like I am creating something.  Even if watering these seeds is all I do right after the operation, hey it is a start, eh?a

Accessible Gardening, yo

Take Two

Velcro: no

Rubber bands: meh

Suggestions?

Really want these to work out. 

Moment of truth

Work wonderfully. Feels great. Just add Velcro. 

I think I preferred the Nike endorsement. For the 411 on why I bought these, here is the original post http://atrophydlifeforatrophywife.blogspot.com/2015/04/bruises.html?m=1.

On the go!

Why not have an exclamation point in the title?

Humor me this. You are at work and in need of medication and you cannot open a medicine bottle. Because who can these days. Child proof. Atrophy(d) wife proof. 

You do not really want to ask for help. Say it's for a stomach issue. Or, you just do not want your coworkers "up in your business."  

Most pillboxes, while disguising the type of medication, still:

1) involve a "clutch" type opening

2) have an open/close option that is equally challenging, dexterity wise

3) carry a risk of opening by accident and pouring the pills into every nook of your purse

4) are see through and not discreet

5) are ugly

If number three happens you will likely be uncovering stray tablets for months, along with pennies and cough drops.

I saw this in the grocery store en route to my son's birthday party, cake in tow, and simply had to have it. 

*** The case opens with a zipper. It is small so I added a ring to it so I had sonething to grab.  When you open it there is a little plastic pill box that has various compartments that snap open. Each section is for a different day of the week, which is not how I use it. There is a tiny band that keeps the box in the case. I was happy that such a quick google search yielded this. 

Toddler utensils

They make great grippy utensils. Not sure if grippy is a word but why pay more for adaptations if you can get by with picking them up at any pharmacy or Walmart for less? Or in my case getting them as toddler "hand me downs?"  These probably won't work for all needs but they are incredibly fashion forward.

I am in no way comparing anyone needing help to children. But I know when my pain issues get bad these come in handy.   Next time I'm getting pink ones :)

Lunch is HACKED.

Greatest use for a paper cutter. 

S-T-R-E-T-C-H

I love stretchy cord keychains. Love them a ton. I hate dropping keys and it makes me feel very vulnerable...asking a stranger to pick them up? Waiting for a stranger to come by at all? I do believe there are good people that will help but there are also bad people in the world.

Cue house key solutions:

Two of the greatest purchases from Amazon. Ever.  The stretchy coil will stretch out a good two feet which allows me to clip my house keys to my purse. So they are tethered to my bag but there is flexibility for me to manipulate the keys. 

But I have to also use a key adapter. Fingers do not work normally remember?This is the only one I have seen that has a nice hollow part you can look your fingers around and a key ring so it connects to the stretchy cord. This set up is DIVINE.