Have you experienced problems during diagnosis or treatment at your favorite doctor's office, medical clinic or hospital? Were any of the problems you encountered caused by the inaccessible nature of the medical diagnosis or treatment equipment? There is hope on the horizon, and you can become a part of the solution.

Some of you who read my blog regularly may remember that it has been about 22 years since I was actually weighed, because none of my providers had a scale that could accommodate my large and immobile body. I was recently hospitalized for a short time, and the bed that was in use in my hospital room actually had a feature that allowed them to weigh me while still in bed. It was a new model of hospital bed that not only included a scale but actually had a built-in air mattress that could provide alternating pressure to prevent pressure sores.

Unfortunately the news about my weight was not what I had hoped to hear. I have apparently been gaining weight continuously since my spinal cord injury in 1988, and might now qualify to be listed on the same chart as some smaller sumo wrestlers.  My snack drawer will not be replenished when it gets cleaned out, and I am cutting back to only two meals per day. That should be plenty when you consider that I have limited opportunities to exercise.

The United States Access Board recently published proposed ADA standards for diagnostic medical equiupment on February 9, 2012  and it is now time to finalize them.. The next step is the convening of a panel of stakeholders of all types to determine what types of equipment are actually accessible, and where improvements are still due.  That is where you have an opportunity to get involved and make a positive difference in the application of the new standards. 

I am pasting the actual e-mail announcement just received from the Access Board in case you can get involved. Please note that the notice states that no one will be reimbursed for expenses. However,  if you do not live in the immediate vicinity of Washington, DC, I would recommend that you call the Access Board directly to see if anything is possible if you really want to get involved. It may not  matter, but if this type of assignment would create a financial hardship for you and you have limited income you should at least make the request.

 Here is that announcement:
"Applications for Medical Diagnostic Equipment Advisory Committee Due April 27
The Access Board is organizing an advisory committee to advance its development of new standards for medical diagnostic equipment and seeks applications from interested parties to serve as committee members. This committee will provide assistance to the Board in finalizing standards for diagnostic equipment it released for public comment in February. Medical device manufacturers, health care providers, disability groups, standard-setting organizations, and other stakeholders are encouraged to apply. Committee membership is voluntary, and members will not be paid or reimbursed for their services.

The deadline for applications is April 27. A notice published by the Board provides further details, including application instructions. For further information, contact Rex Pace at pace@access-board.gov, (202) 272-0023 (v), or (202) 272-0052 (TTY)."

Good luck, and thanks in advance for stepping up to the plate when such opportunities arise.

©  2012 Michael Collins

Fear can be good. Being able to fear is one of those factors that separates mankind from lower life forms, and usually keeps us from taking unnecessary chances that risk our lives, or serious injury.

While not everyone is willing to admit it, it is likely that most of us harbor a fear of something particular. Now that I'm older, and using a power wheelchair, the characteristics of my fears have changed slightly. The edges of most high cliffs are not wheelchair accessible, nor am I able to fit into the flimsy craft that used to propel me over the water.

My fears sometimes pop up in a dream, or reemerge when I find myself in a situation that might involve a risk that could lead to one of my fears becoming reality. I can imagine myself falling overboard from a ferry boat, or off a pier, and not being able to unhook my seatbelt or get my feet out of the shoes that are Velcroed to the foot supports of my wheelchair.

Another fear contributes to my being a safe driver. I can imagine being trapped in my van after a vehicle accident, with an inoperable lift and a risk of fire present. That scenario flashes through my mind whenever I see a news story about a car fire on the freeway, or drive by an accident scene.

With those kinds of thoughts in the back of my mind whenever I start my van, I work at being a better defensive driver. In case something beyond my control occurs and I find myself in one of those accidents, I have taken some steps to increase my chances of escape from the damaged vehicle. I know how to release the pins holding my lift doors in place and, perhaps more importantly, how to direct someone else to release them. I also know how to operate the wheelchair lift manually, in order to deploy it and lower it to the ground.

Carrying a portable ramp, some tools and a fire extinguisher also increases my level of safety. To educate those who would most likely be attempting to remove me from a damaged vehicle, I have taken my van to trainings for area fire departments to demonstrate how my wheelchair is locked into place and how my chair and I might be removed in a true emergency situation. This is just one more factor that we have to deal with that other drivers don't.

My wheelchair lift has failed to operate properly several times, but I have only been trapped in the van on two occasions. The first was on a remote section of California freeway, where I ended up negotiating with the California Highway Patrol to allow me to ride in my wheelchair, in the van, on the back of a flatbed “tow truck.” As a result of that incident, the rules were changed to allow a wheelchair user who is secure in a damaged or inoperable vehicle to stay in place during a ride to a repair shop. That is far safer than trying to get unloaded from a van on the side of a busy highway.

Being trapped anywhere is one of those things that usually happens after business hours or on a weekend, when help is hard to find. The last time it happened to me was this week, at 5 p.m., as I was loading into my van in a rainy downtown parking lot. After locking in place beneath the steering wheel, I lifted the switch that would fold the wheelchair lift platform into the van and close the doors. That action was greeted with a hissing sound as hydraulic fluid sprayed into the air and the lift slowly dropped to the ground.



The folding action of the lift had pinched a hydraulic line. While I wonder what the engineer was thinking who designed the lift so that the hydraulic line could be pinched, there wasn't much time to ponder that because I had to get out of the van somehow. That is a bit complicated when the lift platform is sitting on the ground and I am still in the van. The designer of the lift also failed to design any type of backup mechanism for raising the lift if the hydraulic system was not intact. My portable ramp was too short to help get me out of the van, and I had no idea how the lift could be raised and the doors closed without the hydraulics.

Sometimes good customer service can make the difference between a problem being solved or becoming an even bigger problem. There is no wheelchair van repair facility in my hometown, but Absolute Mobility is located about 30 miles away. A quick phone call to owners Eddie and Amanda Riveira as they were closing for the day resulted in a promise to help me out; they brought a rear-entry van out of their showroom and braved the rush-hour traffic to see how they could assist. It is important to note that I did not purchase this van or the wheelchair lift from Absolute Mobility, but they were willing to go out of their way to help in any way possible.

It took about an hour of effort on the part of Eddie Riveira and four volunteers, but they were able to back the rear-entry van up to my open van doors so I could roll down their ramp into their van. Using straps, cables, ingenuity, pulleys, cunning, ropes and brute strength, Eddie and the volunteers were finally able to get the lift folded into the van and the doors closed most of the way so that a flatbed tow truck could haul it to their shop for repairs.

As I sit here, in the warmth and safety of my home, I am sure of two things. The first is the knowledge that good customer service is an important ingredient to have when things go wrong. The second thing is the fact that my fears are actually based on reality, because things do go wrong.

© 2012 Michael Collins

Taking my own advice as recommended in my last two blogs, I have submitted the following to the Department of Justice at the regulations.gov website. I hope you are all taking similar action.

Testimony to DOJ NPRM re Enforcement of ADA Pool Lift Requirements
Submitted by Michael C. Collins
April 3, 2012

Enforce all aspects of the Americans with Disabilities Act:  this is not a new regulation, as a requirement to have pool lifts or other types of access available for public pools has been a key component of the law since passage of the ADA in 1990. The failure of some hotels to accomplish that installation has resulted in very few penalties. This requirement is not unduly burdensome, and the availability of swimming pools and spas is considered a primary attraction for patrons or guests at many types of public accommodations.

People with disabilities should not be relegated to sitting poolside, watching their families and friends enjoy the water. Those in the lodging industry who complained to Congress have likely failed to comply with existing regulations for 20 years, so apparently they feel it is important to set aside a standard that provides the necessary accessibility to features that are enjoyed by the rest of American society. I feel that a survey of the “hospitality” industry would reveal that only a small percentage of pool owners have bothered to provide any type of pool lifts for the use of their patrons who need them due to disability.

This is a disturbing situation, as the argument used to stop enforcement of that portion of the law is a flimsy one at best. Any public accommodation that could not accomplish the work due to financial hardship has always had a means of avoiding fines that might have been levied for not improving access. There was even a ‘safe harbor’ granted when these new regulations were posted, allowing those with pool lifts already installed per the 1991 ADAAG to postpone improvements for the time being.

The significance of this latest action cannot be ignored. The ADA is the major civil rights bill for people with disabilities, and was originally passed by Congress only after years of planning to assure that it would accomplish its goal of improving access to our society without unduly burdening anyone. Provisions of the ADA that required architectural improvements were phased in over time, with liberal tax credits and deductions allowed for those businesses that made improvements as the law required. Changes that were architecturally infeasible or that caused financial hardship did not even have to be made.

Excusing the violation of any civil rights law is unprecedented, and suspending the enforcement of ADA regulations for the benefit of the prosperous hospitality industry is unconscionable.

Congress has begun to whittle away at our civil rights as established by the ADA almost 22 years ago. It sets a dangerous precedent.

Which other sections of the law will be targeted next? Will it be in the areas of public rights of way, which include the sidewalks and curb ramps we depend upon for wheelchair access to our communities? Will it mean that hotels with insufficient wheelchair accessible rooms or roll-in showers will lobby to strike those provisions of the law? Could businesses that fail to maintain proper accessible parking spaces plead for removal of parking requirements in order to gain back the spaces that became our access aisles? All of these items covered by the ADA have been the subject of DOJ enforcement action in the past, as well as provisions that provide us access to employment, government services, kiosks, websites and interpreters for those who need them.

Disability civil rights are critical to our enjoyment of and access to our society. Lessening or eliminating similar civil rights would not be acceptable to other protected groups, whether for race, religion or gender. This proposed action is not acceptable to us. Do NOT stop enforcing any part of the ADA or it’s related regulations.

© 2012 Michael Collins

Doom and Gloom; Disgusted; Fed up; Beat up, or Beat down? All of these terms could describe various moods I have expressed recently about attacks on disability civil rights and our ability to live independently. Please accept my apologies if my recent blogs on the elimination of the CLASS program and the current push to keep the Department of Justice from enforcing some Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations have depressed or disappointed you. I don’t think you’re alone.

Congress apparently has no qualms about eliminating rights granted to us with passage of the ADA in 1990. As I stated in my last blog, both the House and Senate are considering legislation that would prevent the Attorney General from administering or enforcing ADA regulations that require the permanent installation of pool lifts. This is an unprecedented action, as it denies the civil rights of an entire class of protected individuals: people with disabilities.

Despite the damage being done by the aforementioned actions, there are a few bright spots that are also worth mentioning. We do have allies in Congress and throughout government who continue to serve as our champions when our rights are threatened. Just last week, Senator DeMint tried to force a quick vote on the Senate bill (S. 2191) that would prevent the Attorney General from enforcing the ADA’s requirements regarding pool lifts. His move was met by an immediate objection from Senator Tom Harkin, Chair of the Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions Committee, who has been a champion of the ADA since it was first proposed. That bill is still alive, but advocates have rallied to phone and write members of Congress to let them know that these bills should not pass.

We can still have an impact on the enforcement of the pool lift regulations, as the Department of Justice (DOJ) has voluntarily suspended enforcement until May 21, 2012 and is asking the public to comment on that suspension (and a possible 180 day extension of it) by responding online to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
at regulations.gov. The initial deadline for those comments is April 4, 2012! If full access to recreation is important to you, I would recommend that you click on the above link and leave your comments as soon as possible.

Another bright spot is the work that is being done by the US Access Board to follow up on initial ADA regulations in several areas that could benefit from a more refined definition. Working in tandem with the DOJ, they solicited input on the height and characteristics of hotel beds, and have been working for several years on reviewing the dimensions of medical equipment and establishing standards for accessible medical devices of all types. The Board has scheduled two hearings on diagnostic medical equipment, and will be taking public testimony on their recommendations through June 8, 2012. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has also joined with the DOJ in publishing guidance for the medical profession about how to provide care for people with mobility disabilities.

DOJ and the Access Board continue to refine the ADA Standards for Accessible Design in order to expedite compliance through better understanding of the regulations by business owners and government agencies who need to comply with them. New ADA regulations which have taken effect during the past two years provide additional guidance on such items as service animals, the use of Segways as mobility devices, recreational facilities of all types, timeshare accessibility, ticketing and lodging reservations. The Access Board recently concluded two hearings on the Telecommunications Act Accessibility Guidelines, and additional action will be taken once the hearing testimony has been processed.

While it appears that not much improvement has occurred in the last 20 years, expanded employment opportunities for people with disabilities are actually bright spots. Public testimony is being evaluated on a new rule by the Department of Labor that would require federal contractors to increase their percentage of employees with disabilities to 7% of their total workforce. That change coincides with an effort led by the Office of Personnel Management and DOL to increase federal agency disability employment percentages.

The sun is really shining on three cities that have recently improved access to accessible taxi cabs because of solid work by disability advocates. Congratulations are due to those who fought for those changes in New York City, Washington, DC and Chicago. Thanks to their efforts, and if the Supreme Court will just leave the Affordable Care Act
intact, I may have a use for my sunglasses after all.

© 2012 Michael Collins

Being an advocate for emergency preparedness, fire protection, and living life safely is a role that I take very seriously. It probably started shortly after I graduated from high school, as I became a volunteer fireman in my hometown. During a railroad career spanning 23 years, I witnessed many serious derailments and crossing accidents, and natural disasters of all types.

Inevitably, it seems that people are never prepared for the different types of emergencies that seem to enter our lives so often. I was reminded of this during a major snow and ice storm that hit the Pacific Northwest in mid-January. We all knew it was coming, as the forecasting models promised that the warm rains would override cold air streaming down from the north and would result in unspecified amounts of snow, wind and potential icing.

This was not the first time that snow has been predicted here, as heavy snows usually occur three or four times a decade in this area. Unlike the Midwest and Northeast states that see heavy snow every year, Washington State and its numerous cities on the western side of the Cascade Mountains have very few snowplows or sanding trucks. We do have steep hills that make many streets and highways impassable whenever they become covered with snow or ice.

Despite the warnings, many people were completely unprepared when this year’s series of storms arrived as predicted. There was the usual rush at the grocery stores and hardware outlets as people stocked up on snow shovels, salt, sand, water and last-minute grocery items. Because we have so much rain in this area, most people felt that whatever snow might arrive would be short-lived. Unfortunately, that was not the case this time.

Those of us who are disabled face greater challenges when it comes to being prepared for and remaining safe during the type of weather disasters that occurred here. We need to take special heed of the warnings and inventory our supplies to make sure that we will not be caught short if the situation extends several days or even weeks, as has happened in the past.

Like all good advocates for emergency preparedness, I keep a good supply of water, food and other emergency supplies in the house at all times. This year I went a step further and purchased an emergency generator that would be able to power up my refrigerator/freezer,furnace blower, microwave and television set if the power went out. With any amount of wind, ice and snow, power outages are a sure thing in this area since we are the Evergreen State and surrounded by huge trees in all directions. When their limbs become heavy with snow and ice, these trees lose those limbs or topple over; they block roads, pull down power lines and become a danger to anything beneath them.

My wheelchair van has basic emergency supplies stowed in the back, just in case I should ever be trapped somewhere by ice and snow. Tire chains, portable ramps, a snow shovel, first aid supplies, granola bars and a blanket can come in handy when stranded by any type of storm. As long as my attendants can reach my house to get me up in the morning and put me to bed at night, I am prepared for just about anything. Fortunately my primary attendant has a vehicle with four-wheel drive and tire chains, so I was covered in that area. That turned out to be a good thing, as I was unable to get out of my house, or out of my driveway, for eight days due to the snow and ice.

People in the Pacific Northwest stay glued to their television sets watching round-the-clock coverage of major snow or windstorms much as the people of southern California are transfixed by frequent police chases on Los Angeles freeways. Our local news media dress up in color-coordinated storm jackets and supersede all national programming with their constant updates on traffic conditions, weather radar, flight cancellations and stories about tragedies that have struck individuals or whole communities.



(Photo credit: Spokane's KHQ-TV)

The news stories pointed out the risks to people with disabilities by actually showing a home that was hit by a fallen tree and that was occupied by someone who was quadriplegic. Fortunately no one in the home was injured when the tree blew over. Another news story covered a family that was walking over a mile with gas cans to fuel the generator that was powering the ventilator that was keeping their father with ALS alive. The snow, ice and trees laying across the roads had made them impassable, and made it impossible to get him transported to a nearby hospital or other facility with a reliable power supply. In some communities, power outages made it impossible to pump gasoline, so those who were unprepared faced the prospect of their generators being unable to provide emergency power.

This was, of course, a disaster that impacted everyone--not just people with disabilities. Despite the forewarning, numerous accidents and clogged roadways were caused by people trying to drive without tire chains or four-wheel drive. A few people who left their stranded vehicles to walk for help were struck by other cars, with disastrous results. Side or residential streets were not plowed until days after the initial storm, and at one time about 350,000 homes were without power. For some people, those power outages lasted almost two weeks. In at least one instance, someone ignored the broadcast warnings and brought a barbecue into the house to warm their family. Fortunately those family members ended up hospitalized, but alive.

Don’t get me wrong. This was not a disaster on the scale of Hurricane Katrina, or even the flurry of tornadoes that ravaged the southern United States last year. Most of the residents of the Pacific Northwest made it out alive, and with a few exceptions our property will be restored to its original condition by next summer. Hopefully those who were unprepared have learned a few lessons from this relatively minor brush with disaster.

This storm had its positive aspects too. There were literally hundreds of people who took in friends and distant family members whose homes were without power or heat. Neighbors who don’t speak throughout the year checked up on or delivered food to those nearby who were elderly or unable to leave their homes for other reasons. Bands of young people armed with snow shovels wandered the sidewalks looking for opportunities to help people who had not been able to shovel their own walkways and driveways. Those who helped others despite their own challenges epitomize the spirit of preparedness, as few of us are able to survive real emergencies without some help from others.

The rains have now washed away the snow, but we should not forget the lessons learned during this snowy January.
Are you and those you love and care for, whether relatives or not, fully prepared for whatever new challenges this year might bring? If not, perhaps you should get prepared so you won’t become a victim when the next disaster strikes—as it surely will.

© 2012 Michael Collins

Regifting is an art. In some families the word is taboo, but with seven siblings it was a common practice in our family as I grew up. Passing the clothes and toys we had outgrown down to younger brothers and sisters did not qualify as regifting. Rewrapping a new or slightly used Christmas or birthday gift did qualify, and was often the practice when we did not take the time to actually shop for that special someone in our family. Read More

In the dictionary, inertia is defined as: The tendency of a body at rest to remain at rest or of a body in straight line motion to stay in motion in a straight line unless acted on by an outside force. Read More

Recently I received an email from a mother whose son was taking his first flight in15 years. Since her son and I are both quadriplegic and power chair users, I was able to provide some condensed advice (based on over 100 flights) that should help make their trip a success. Read More

Treasure hunting has been an important pastime throughout history, and the search for lost treasures can span decades or centuries and cost much money and even some lives. We have read with interest, and watched movies, about the searches for King Solomon’s mines, the pirate Blackbeard’s plunder  and many ships that sank in storms, taking their gold and silver cargoes with them to the bottom of the seas. Read More

What “ticks” you off? Is it the para-transit system with reservation rules that don't work with your lifestyle? Do you want to take a local trip spontaneously, but find you should have planned for it days before? Do the hours of service end before you wanted to come home? Read More

If you think it is necessary to spend big bucks for a vacation to remember, think again. Some of the more exciting adventures of your life may be found within a few hours, or minutes, of home. Flying is the key, and it doesn't always involve commercial airlines.

Virtually every major vacation destination features businesses which offer scenic flights, or more challenging activities, in the air. I've viewed the inside of the crater of Mount St. Helens from a helicopter, and circled Mount Rainier in the front seat of an open-cockpit vintage biplane. It takes two or more husky people to wrestle my 200-pound frame into the passenger seats of more exotic aircraft, but it's definitely worth the struggle.

I’ve been in a two-seater glider circling through desert updrafts, and in a float plane over Puget Sound, and the change in perspectives from those aerial viewpoints is amazing (I do regret skipping the scenic helicopter flights during visits to Phoenix and Las Vegas, but business and blackjack kept me busy). There are other options ahead for me soon; it’s possible to para-sail behind a speedboat and get winched back down to the rear deck without getting wet, hot air balloons look like fun, and a nearby airport advertises flights in an authentic WWII warplane. All I will need is someone to help transfer me, and less than $150.

To find out what flight options might be available, there are several methods that work. Check out the local yellow pages for flying services, or call the manager at the nearest private airport or check out Able Flight. Most businesses involved with flying will know if there are scenic flights available locally, or where the owner of a vintage airplane might be found. The Chamber of Commerce is another good source of information, and if you’re on vacation check out the brochure rack in your hotel’s lobby.

Keep in mind that the Air Carrier Access Act doesn't apply to this type of flight, and call ahead to assure that your situation can be accommodated. Be prepared for a little indignity during the loading process, and wear comfortable clothing. For open cockpit flights, be prepared for cooler air and wind at higher altitudes. If you fear flying, don’t forget ferry rides, river rafting, scenic cruises and sternwheeler trips. All of the above can make any day worth remembering, and adventures don’t need to be expensive to be memorable.

© 2011 Michael Collins

The life of a retiree has many challenges. There are several basic questions that need to be answered every day. One of the most important is one that many younger people don't even need to ponder, as commuting patterns and the needs of their employers dictate their schedule: What time do I want to get up in the morning—or later? Another is related to that first decision: Do I want my first meal to be breakfast, brunch or lunch?

Once those first two challenges are handled, some decisions need to be made about wardrobe. Will I be seeing anyone today who saw me yesterday, or can I get by with wearing the same clothes again for the third time?

Do sweatpants need to match my shirt in order to be acceptable for wearing to the coffee shop or grocery store? I see many younger people wearing what appear to be pajama bottoms in public, but since mine don't have a zip-up fly should I be wearing them out and about? Probably not.

What about slippers? Definitely okay virtually anywhere.

Television plays a big role in my life now. When I was young we used to make fun of housewives or retirees who sat home watching television all day, as their selections were comprised mainly of soap operas. We knew those types of programs had the ability to stunt our intellect, so pledged that we would never choose to do that when we got older. That has changed.

Thanks to the wonders of cable television or satellite dishes, most of us now have over 150 channels to choose from. We can still find soap operas, or even the shows that entertained us when we were young, on network TV or the nostalgia channels. If we want education, anything from training our dogs and cooking a roast to building a house or motorcycle, it is likely to be immediately available. We are able to learn about everything that has happened in our history, from the birth of the planet to details about every war fought by mankind. There is also television designed to educate and entertain those whose beliefs may not be grounded in history.

Programming today includes such delicacies as the search for Bigfoot and the Loch Ness monster. We can hear directly from those who have been visited by, or even examined by, extraterrestrial beings. Theories about the beginnings of the universe are backed up by detailed photographs from telescopes and satellites. More importantly, we are told to get our lives in order because this all may end some day.

When I was a child I heard about Chicken Little, and have learned to ignore similar dire warnings that were not based on fact. Those prophecies are a little harder to ignore when they come one after the other from some guy named NostrilDominoes who lived 500 years ago but knew everything that would happen to us through the centuries. Since I am not spending my time working for someone else, I have plenty of opportunity to consider the repercussions and have begun to plan ahead for what Mr. NostrilDominoes predicts will be our future.

In order to plan appropriately, it is important to pick a date. Obviously the Mayans, Aztecs and Hopi Indians could not be wrong, as they joined with Mr. NostrilDominoes in selecting December 2012 for Armageddon. The definition of that word is “the end of the world as we know it.” If that time estimate is good enough for them, I will key on that as the basis for my decisions. 2012 will thus be an interesting year for me.

Starting in January 2012 I will forego visits to my dentist, will let my beard and remaining hair grow wild and will begin to eat whatever I darn well please. After all, at some time in December it won't matter if I have cavities or high cholesterol anyway. In about May of that year I will stop making house payments. With the backlog in foreclosures that exists today, I doubt if the bank would be able to get me evicted by December so I will still have a place to live. The same holds true for car payments, although I know that utilities and cable television can be shut off far more easily so I will continue paying those bills.

I have prepared a will, and have planned to leave all of my belongings and meager savings to my daughters. Since 2012 will apparently be the last year for all of us, there should be no need to leave them an inheritance so I will plan a few more trips to Las Vegas and Hawaii in order to spend down as much of my savings as possible before December.

There may be a flaw in this plan though, as I realize that when my patterns change in January of 2012 it won't take long for my daughters to recognize it and have me institutionalized. Worse yet, they could have me placed in a dreaded nursing home before I can implement the rest of my plan. So much for enjoying my year of Armageddon.

© 2011 Michael Collins

by Michael Collins

Anniversaries can serve a variety of purposes. They can commemorate the start of a married life together. Anniversaries can also be a reminder of a subsequent divorce, the birth of a long-dead president, the number of years since an election or the beginning or end of a war. We celebrate the anniversaries of graduating from high school or college by holding reunions, and our anniversary of starting a job might be the occasion for a well-deserved promotion or increase in pay.

For many of us who entered the world of paralysis through some type of injury, our anniversaries of that date may not seem like an occasion to celebrate, but I contend that we should look back upon that date as something special. Today marks my 23rd anniversary. On this date I was hurtling down a race course in the mountains of Idaho when a fall, a fairly simple one, changed my life forever. In less time than it took to type one word in this sentence, I went from a committed weekend athlete to someone who was fighting for every breath and unable to extricate myself from the grip of the netting that had me wrapped around the base of a ski lift tower.

The days that follow major injuries are often shrouded or vague memories. Whether kept sedated through the miracle drugs that are administered to keep us alive or spared the realities through our body's reaction to the shock, there is usually a timeframe when we are not forced to deal with what lies ahead. After all, the human body is a wondrous machine that can heal itself, or at least be healed, as we have learned through a history of sports injuries or exposure to “miracle” stories on daytime television. This feeling of helplessness will only be temporary, or at least we tell ourselves that. I know that was the situation for me, as it took weeks or months before I was finally able to fully accept the reality that was my new life.

During those first few weeks one of my frequent requests was to meet someone older who was also quadriplegic, in order to refute the dire predictions about the shortened lifespans of those of us who are spinal cord injured. Since then I have met many such people, and am proud to say that I am now one of them myself.

Why in the world would somebody want to commemorate a day that had such a seemingly negative impact on one's life? Once again, I can only speak to my own situation. That date, and the months and years that have followed, literally served as a rebirth into a world that was the polar opposite of my first four decades.

I have been fortunate to meet many dedicated medical professionals, from nursing assistants to neurosurgeons, whose primary responsibility was to keep me alive and healthy. In the rehabilitation ward, strong bonds were formed between those of us who were struggling to regain as much function as possible before being turned loose upon the world that awaited us outside the sheltering walls of the hospital. We prodded each other during rigorous exercise sessions using weights that a kindergartner could handle, and applauded when one of us attained a victory such as regaining a function that had appeared to be lost. Such shared experiences form very strong bonds.

The date of my injury also marked the start of the period when many friendships, and my own understanding of the meaning of quality of life, would change. Some of those old friends who had been part of a relationship based only on our mutual interest in a particular sport, or through the accident of being neighbors, drifted slowly away. Former coworkers did the same, although new ones waited for me on the horizon along with the jobs that would sustain me during my disability working career.

Thankfully family is always there, even if hundreds or thousands of miles separate us at times. My family helped me celebrate my 20th anniversary by throwing me a party, replete with black balloons, humorous cards and much laughter. This year’s anniversary provided a unique opportunity; I was the judge for a break-dancing contest where the contestants were my three grandsons.

While some may think this statement is a little ridiculous, I actually think that the quality of my life has increased since my injury. We have always been advised to slow down and smell the roses, but traveling in a wheelchair and relying on others for assistance to do many of the activities we once took for granted results in a forced slowdown. It is no longer possible to rush through an airport, and every trip to the supermarket results in conversations with a series of willing strangers who hand us down items from the top shelves or hold open doors when the pushbuttons fail. I probably say “thank you” more times in a month than I did during 10 years of my earlier life. That is not a bad thing, as each time I do it signifies a positive interaction between two people.

The quality of my life has also been enriched by friendships and opportunities to interact with other individuals with all types of disabilities who have dedicated their own lives to improving the lives of the rest of us. I have been fortunate to meet or work with the visionaries who founded the independent living movement, and those who took extraordinary steps to ensure the passage of the disability civil rights laws that we all rely on for our own quality of life today. I've even had opportunities to testify to Congress about the Americans with Disabilities Act, and to state legislatures about the need for enhanced accessibility in all aspects of our lives.

The other thing that makes me think that I have a good quality of life is the friendships I've been able to make with the future generations of young people with disabilities who have already become strong advocates and leaders in their own right. I know that the challenges we all face will be the focus of those young leaders and that through their efforts my own quality of life will continue to be protected, and perhaps even enhanced, long after the time that my peers and I have retired from the ring to leave the fighting to others.

Even though I should do it more often, I probably would not have reflected upon all of the above unless this was my anniversary. I'm glad that I am able to enjoy it, and am looking forward to celebrating many more. I hope that whatever anniversaries you celebrate are as enjoyable as mine.

© 2011 Michael Collins

by Michael Collins

Tax season is upon us, and it is time to recapture what went on last year. For those who itemize deductions, it is also an opportunity to add up the charitable contributions that were made in the previous year for the purpose of increasing possible tax refunds.

Charitable contributions are important to our society, as most of the organizations that serve people with disabilities are private nonprofit organizations that count on contributions to keep them operating. While those of us who live on low or moderate fixed incomes may be unable to make large cash contributions to our favorite charities, it is important to remember that even small contributions add up. Sending in a contribution for less than $20 may not seem like much, but if everyone did that our nonprofits might not be struggling as much as many of them are today.

While I would encourage you to support the organizations you believe in, including this foundation, there are things that we can all do to make a contribution that don't require money. Some of our contributions are minor, perhaps affecting only one person, and others might impact a huge audience on a national or even worldwide scale. Not all of our contributions can be deducted from the taxes we pay, but that doesn't make them any less worthwhile.

I like to think that stopping to talk with the young child in the grocery store who asked me why I was in a wheelchair was one such contribution. That brief pause in my shopping trip might have helped him understand something about disability and make it easier for him to become friends with classmates who are disabled and others he will meet later in life. Perhaps his mother, who tried to pull him away initially, was able to increase her understanding and acceptance of a stranger in a wheelchair as well.

Many of you have made contributions to the quality of life of our peers through your willingness to visit rehabilitation centers to talk to newly injured individuals or to serve in a formal peer mentoring program. The simple act of stopping to talk to a stranger in the mall in order to exchange information about the relative merits of different models of wheelchairs, or to ask questions about some type of unique assistive technology, can have long-term benefits for both parties. I believe that the information we share with each other is often as valuable as what we read or absorb from other sources. Sharing that information face-to-face can definitely contribute to the quality of life of others. You may not be able to deduct such activities from last year’s taxes owed, but they are worthy of your efforts anyway.

Taking the time to call or write our elected representatives when disability-related programs are up for a vote (or under attack) may not cost anything, but it can contribute to the likelihood that future generations will be able to enjoy many of the same benefits we rely upon today. Attending community meetings and speaking up about the need for full accessibility when new features such as trails or parks are being developed is another important contribution that doesn't require formal training or extreme effort.

It is easy to underestimate the number of contributions we make each year, because some of them happen so naturally. For instance, think about the very act of being out and about in a wheelchair whether it is for shopping at a local mall, attending a sporting event, taking a flight, eating dinner in a nice restaurant, attending a movie, enjoying a dinner cruise or visiting the zoo. Being seen in those environments can often contribute to the willingness of others who use wheelchairs or who have visible disabilities of other types to venture out as well.

The examples I have given are only a few of the many options available to all of us. You can start out with small contributions, perhaps by speaking to a neighbor child’s gradeschool class or a church group, and leave it at that. For those who are more ambitious, it might involve speaking to large audiences or even volunteering to serve on some advisory boards. All have value. Remember that each of those contributions will be appreciated by someone, even if you can't use them on your tax return.

© 2011 Michael Collins