August

It's fun to compare one year ago to now. Here is August 2022

Entry#151. 8/27/2023.
I think I am an intrusive person sometimes. I am nosy, ask too many questions, ask an odd question and I act awkward often. Yes, that’s me. But I believe we need to be a bit intrusive sometimes for a good reason. I was brave enough to ask my husband’s mentor professor about his own manual wheelchair’s seat width. The answer was 14 in. My husband’s wheelchair seat width is 16 in. He has never tried to sit on 14 in width seat. So I asked him right away “Can he try to sit on your wheelchair if you have an extra wheelchair in your house?” Because my eyes caught at least 2 extra wheelchairs in a garage and downstairs. Yes, I had that much eagerness to make my husband try 14in seat width wheelchair. Surprisingly he accepted my offer saying “Go ahead, use mine here now. I’m gonna transfer myself onto a sofa, then you can use it.”  
Usually I cannot ask this question in public, you know? “Can I borrow your wheelchair?” Because SCI person’s wheelchair is like a part of their body. Especially in public space, they cannot give it away so easily.  
This great opportunity happened just because we all were in his house and it was okay to him to let my husband to “borrow” it. I was super excited (yes, more than my husband. You know me, yes?)
Guess what?  My husband fitted perfectly into 14in seat width wheelchair!!! Meaning; he should get 14 in wheelchair next time in future, he should! This was my big highlight of our Lexington visit. My husband laughed at me hearing this, though. Photos: my husband in 14in wheelchair for the first time. 

8/27/2023.  
I learned more useful ideas from my husband's mentor professor in Lexington. His house is perfect for SCI life indeed. His house has an elevator (it is like a hidden room). Ramps are so essential at every doorway (garage, front door, balcony door). See photos? 

You would agree that he is like my husband because he built his own pull-up bar. And of course, my husband tried to hang it and pull himself up. Again it was a fun view to watch them together.

Entry#150.  8/27/2023.
After my husband became a paraplegia, several good friends gave us information of Spinal cord injury persons nearby. (In fact, there were not many, but there were several which we were surprised. We just didn’t know.)  All information was helpful and useful indeed. We did some zoom meetings, phone calls and visits to meet other spinal cord injury peoples. Like I wrote before, my husband greets others saying his injury level. In his case “T10 complete”. They introduce themselves with their injury levels. It’s now a standard greeting style to them. Because each of individuals have so many differences of body functions, but at least knowing the level helps a bit understanding their living styles. Even with a similar injury level, there are still differences. But most of the time, I could feel the similar strength and strong spirit from them, I can say that.
Every time I follow my husband and saw other SCI people, my eyes are always on their wheelchairs and some attachments/gadgets. Funny, I know. It’s now my odd habit; checking on others’ wheelchairs.
In the first weekend of August, we visited my husband’s great mentor who is a Professor of physiology at University of Kentucky. He invited us to his big gorgeous house and gave us a tour to show all accessible rooms and details. It was wonderful and great to know about options for SCI life. He shared so many information and stories with us as much as possible. I was so happy to see them together because their life styles and work styles are very similar, at least I felt that very much. After supper time, we “went for a walk” around his neighborhood. Two manual wheelchair users together zoomed faster downhill! That view was awesome. I loved it so much. This connection is so precious and meaningful to us. Can you see how much my husband was smiling with him in a photo?

8/26/2023.  
Warning: This story is long and has a part of terrible/bad.  Sometimes I feel so lost when I have some house issues/troubles/problems such as water leaks. 4 years ago, I was too overwhelmed to handle my front door. Every time it rained, rain came into my house from the top of the front door. It got worse and worse, I couldn’t bear it anymore. Then I decided to replace the gutters. I had no idea where to start, and had no resources. I went to Lowe’s to ask for help. Just because I preferred to communicate in person at that time. The “exterior project specialist” came. My project started. I think l am the kind of person who gets easily fooled, deceived, conned, because I trust people naturally. Sigh. I was so excited when the gutter company came to my house. Right after they saw the most damaged part of the gutter, they said “we cannot install new gutters. See. You need to repair your roof, first.” I couldn’t believe what I heard. At that point, Lowe’s “exterior project specialist” didn’t notice this (I should have doubted at this point, really).  I was panicked but my mind was just so focused on replacing gutters, aiming to no-leak-front door. I regret this whole process, though. Whole roof was replaced and new gutters were installed. It looked ok, it was kind of quick, smooth work, to me. This Lowe’s “exterior project specialist” suggested gutter cover/guard and showed me example photos. As you can imagine, I got his offer quickly. This was a bad bad decision. Sigh. At that point, it looked very nice and there was no point in doubting.  
I was just relieved deeply and felt safer seeing my new roof, gutters and gutter cover. Yes, it was 4 years ago.  
Then one winter, after very freezing days, I had water leaking sadly. However I didn’t do the right thing. I left this tiny indication of future-big-issue behind. In my deep mind, I kept thinking “roof and gutters should be good. It must be.”    
Then I am ashamed of myself. 2 years passed, then my husband’s accident happened, I just left it after 2 more years, you know?  Water leaking was come-and-go. See? I am bad.  This summer, I decided to have some specialists check on my water damage inside (now I have water damage stains visibly). I think it was a good call and I was lucky this time to get access to a better company (Servpro).  I wanted to have someone climb up on my roof with me to see and find out the leaking location. Servpro said that they cannot be on the roof, and suggested having a roof company giving me a name (Rhino Exteriors). This time, I learned more and more. This Rhino Exteriors estimator gentleman sounded so knowledgeable and taught me many things while we were on the roof together.  He pointed out the wrong part quickly because it was very noticeable that there was a proof of water-pooling stain on the edge (first layer) of shingles. The problem was installation of gutter cover/guard. The previous sub-contractor didn't install gutter covers right. They did a totally WRONG job. I didn't know that. How could I know it was wrong? So all these 4 years, every time it rained, rain went under shingle, went through nail holes and caused leaking. For 4 years. I just wished that Lowe's exterior project specialist didn't suggest that gutter covers to me, I wished he didn't. Sigh. At the very first leak time, in my deep mind, I still trusted Lowe's and subcontractor's jobs. I wanted to trust them, in fact. It turned out that I should have not trusted them after all.  
Photos: Do you see water-pool stains on shingles? The first layer of shingles are all curled up, see? 

I was excited that Rhino Exteriors planned about my repairs sooner than I thought. The head person told me that I didn't need to be home on the repair day since they work for the repair outside only. Guess what happened on that repair day? Workers showed up. I greeted them (you know? just in case). They speak only Spanish!! No English. (This story is for another time.).
Right after they removed 2 layers of shingles at the edge by the gutters, they found an awful thing. Rotten wooden board!! (You figured, maybe?)   Me? NO! I was totally freaked out, shocked and panicked all of these feelings together. It was just awful, terrible, and bad.  How could I make my roof so bad? How could I?  
These Spanish workers worked so hard under high heat temperature conditions. I was thankful for them. They replaced rotten parts with new boards.  According to Rhino Exteriors knowledge, all gutter covers were removed. Gutter aprons were installed nicely. Shingles were replaced. It looks good now. I am relieved. Now fingers crossed until we make sure that it is now leak-free. (Wait, how can I be sure about it?) 

There is still a remaining concern though. My whole roof wooden boards are okay now? No more rotten parts at all?  For now, I keep praying for leak-free. 

I actually have one more horrible story related to water-damage. It is about ants. But that is for another writing time, I guess. Oh, and I have still another project coming up for repairing the inside house. (My mind and brain get overwhelmed, you know? I just need to do one step at a time.)  It is all my fault anyway. 

This time, I climbed on the roof with workers and talked with them checking details. At least I was glad I did it because I didn't do it at all last time, 4 years ago. 

8/25/2023.  
Happy Friday! Miami University fall semester 2023 will begin next week Monday! Our town is getting crowded and busy. Both my husband and son will get busier as well. Our son's last year (senior year) in MU. 
So on this last Friday before the semester, I'm going to make an announcement about my husband's upcoming handcycle race! Woooo hooooo. 
It's Air Force Marathon in Dayton.  
https://www.usafmarathon.com/marathon/
He did 10k race and Crit race before. Then now a Full marathon 26.2 mile! I started counting down. It will be on Saturday September 16th. So exciting. Are you excited, too?

8/20/2023.  
When your husband told you there was a department gathering at the new place, you gotta go and check the place for the entrance and the accessibility beforehand. So we did and felt better to know the good entrance (a nice slope). There was a wheelchair "elevator" by the door. This machine makes me feel a bit awkward every time because I need to play with it for a while. It worked. I was grateful. 

Entry#149. 8/18/2023. 
There are many types of “manual wheelchair”. I’ve not thought about them deeply before. Hospitals always have wheelchairs available by the front doors in case anyone needs to transit/move around in the hospital. So as airports. However it’s totally different from wheelchairs for paraplegic people. (Especially foot plates and widths)
Before he came home from the hospital, my son and I needed to make sure that our house hallways and doorways were wide enough for a standard wheelchair. We borrowed one wheelchair from a local senior center (Oxford Seniors! Thank you for the help at that time!) It was helpful to understand the situation for us. The idea of “Standard” was helpful at that time. Because wider space would be ok for most of wheelchairs, yes. Photos below are 2 years ago, a borrowed wheelchair.

When my husband made an appointment for “wheelchair FITTING” in the hospital, I was surprised and excited. Sounded so nice to me, imagining about a running-shoes fitting. At first I searched for YouTube videos about wheelchair fitting. It seems very important to fit wheelchairs just like shoes.

To tell the truth, the very first fitting time didn’t give my husband much ideas and information. We didn’t have any deep knowledge about “paraplegic wheelchair” at all. OT (medical equipments) person did minimal measurements and showed some fancy attachments which were extra stuffs (which he didn’t need).
He got another chance to get fitted in the hospital in Louisville, KY.  However, again I was disappointed a bit. I expected seeing the room full of many different types and sizes of wheelchairs, just like shoe stores. So that he could try to sit on them as much as he wanted. Well, I know the reality, that wouldn’t happen at all because it’s a hospital generally.
At least, he did try several different wheelchairs in Louisville and we were pleased anyway.   
In general, Standard wheelchairs seat-widths are 16″ (narrow adult), 18″ (average adult) and 20″ (wide adult).  

https://www.karmanhealthcare.com/determining-the-seat-width-for-a-wheelchair/amp/

When you are discharged from the hospital, they give you a wheelchair with a little bit wider width because they think a patient might gain weight after a discharge. Make sense?  
However I don’t like the idea from my point of view as a wife of paraplegic husband. I wanted the wheelchair as much as it fits with my husband’s body. Well, he lost his weigh during ICU time, so it was complicated enough, I know. But still.  
He had 16 inch width wheelchair. He never tried 14 inch width, never. That fact was stuck in my mind. We don’t know which would be better for him, 16 or 14?  

Then we had a great chance to try on a 14 inch width wheelchair in Lexington this month, August 2023!!! After 2 years passed.  To be continued.  
photo: The very first ride on a hospital wheelchair. Yes, this was the first ride.

Entry#148. 8/13/2023.    
You have right useful tools but you haven’t used them before. That makes you in trouble, doesn’t it? Today was that kind of day to me.  
My husband and I went off to this city’s nice bike trail which got longer recently. I loaded his “gravel handcycle” which was modified from road wheels to gravel wheels, and I had my road bike. At the trail head, there was a wonderful surprise!! We met a longtime professor-friend (his wife is one of the cutest professors!). He made me so happier and I was so smiling.  
After he left, we started handcycling/biking. A few minutes later, we heard the saddest sound from his front wheel! Flat tire. Punctuation!  
I was panicking, as you can imagine. On the other hand, my husband was calmer, as you can imagine. Well, I knew I had to do something for his wheel. I always carry “tool bag” with me. All necessary items are in it just for this kind of emergency situation. Right?  
The problem was “I have right tools but I haven’t used them yet”. Sigh. Of course, my husband taught me how to use them beforehand. However reality was tough.  
I had a mini handpump. But he suggested to use “CO2 cartridge” first. It took me a bit longer time to figure out how to use it. It worked! At least a few seconds we thought so. Then it popped (again). I was panicking again.  
After all, I needed to give up on fixing a wheel. I felt bad to my husband.  
Plan B! I biked back to our van at the parking. I got his wheelchair (plus extra wheel gadget) and brought it to the location where his handcycle was stuck. He transferred to a wheelchair from a handcycle. I got his flat-tire handcycle and pulled it to the parking lot. Yes, he rolled back to the parking lot with his wheelchair.  You know? This handcycle was a little bit heavy to pull.  
We managed it and went home with disappointment. I really felt bad for my husband. I wish I was more helpful, skillful.  
At least, I now know “how to rescue my husband” on bike trails if his handcycle is broken.  
I need to practice using tools at home, I really think so. 

Entry#147. 8/12/2023.  
It was super awesome day for both of us! Especially we learned about the lady (her name is Carly Pearson) who is T-12 incomplete paraplegic. We talked with her today and her atmosphere was just so good and comfortable. I gotta write about this as well more later. She is the lady on a lightblue shirt in photos below.  
If you are curious about her, this article is wonderful to start.  
https://blog.gogrit.us/move-beyond/carly-pearson-100-kilometers-of-spains-camino/

If I see her again, I'll get her autograph, I mean it.

8/11/2023.  
We expand our "handcycle territory" a bit by bit. We also met up with a sweet wonderful friend at a local coffee shop in Dayton! Lovely. 

Entry#146. 8/07/2023.  
Have you heard the term “criterium race” before? I had no idea. When my husband told me that he signed up for a criterium handcycle race, I needed to search “what kinds and types of races”. 

Entry#145. 8/06/2023.  
Something so wonderful happened here in Lexington, KY today. I was all smiling and super happy all day long. I gotta write details about it later. You know? To me, it's so special to watch these two strong paraplegic men together. 
They both are paraplegic researchers. It was a nice coincidence to get to know each other after my husband's accident. 

8/01/2023

You are so missing drawing "Chalk message" sometimes, are you? In that case, you just go to spread smile. See?