Getting in my braces and crutches (Wheelchair user) (Paraplegic)

[danielle9268thigpen]

I was injured in an MVA in 2006. I'm a L1-T12 incomplete. I tried to learn using my braces but it didn't work so well for me. You make it look so easy! Your videos are very educational, and I appreciate your openess, and honesty. The thing I hate most is the self cathing and having some problems with leakage inbetween cathing. Since I'm female I know its a little bit different but can you tell me what you do in daily life to prevent this?

[WheelzOfFortune]

@danielle9268thigpen Thanks for the comment and compliments. =) I wish I could help you out, but I don't cath, so I don't really know how that all works.

[MrUltimateBroski]

@WheelzOfFortune haha you should try stuff like paraplegic sports e.g. basketball, handball etc

[WheelzOfFortune]

@MrUltimateBroski Yeah, I do play basketball, baseball, racketball, and some other sports.  ...not competitively, though.

[CheervisionEmily]

Omg I feel so sorry for you. Please don't take this in a bad way but your legs don't look like there attached to your body why is that. Sorry if any of this has affended you

[WheelzOfFortune]

@CheervisionEmily No worries. I'm not offended by it. My legs are the way they are because I was paralyzed at a very young age and their growth was stunted.

[MrUltimateBroski]

@WheelzOfFortune man that's harsh life must be hard for you

[WheelzOfFortune]

@MrUltimateBroski It isn't so bad, actually. =)

[MrUltimateBroski]

@WeelzOfFortune you must of been through a lot do you have any feeling in your legs? But how did this happen carvcr

[WheelzOfFortune]

@MrUltimateBroski Yes, I do. My injury was the result of a botched operation.

[MrUltimateBroski]

@WheelzOfFortune you must of been through a lot. But what happend do you have any feeling inn

[MrUltimateBroski]

@Whee

[monkey2152253]

I sprained my ankle

[monkey2152253]

I drain

[monkey2152253]

I am in crutches

[351460]

The average person has no idea what it takes to live and function with paralyzed legs. Posting this--and your other videos, may give people some insight into what it takes. Most impressive--I have worked with my hands and arms for 40 years--but your upper body strength exceeds mine. Good job.

[WheelzOfFortune]

@351460 Thanks for the comment. I really do hope that my videos are helpful/educational. (Happy New Year!)

[YhursForeverDaniela1]

God Bless yoou

[WheelzOfFortune]

@YhursForeverDaniela1 Thanks, you too.

[galanoth17]

Oh God. God bless you my friend.

[WheelzOfFortune]

@galanoth17 Thank you

[zerdda]

Thank you so much for sharing your life with the world. You're answering questions that few people feel comfortable asking. Thanks again. So enlightening.

[WheelzOfFortune]

@zerdda Thanks for the comment. I am always happy to hear that people get something out of my videos.

[jackarnieROCKNWHEEL]

You really brave out your routines.... Thanks for sharing.

Do you feel pain when you do all this stuff??

[WheelzOfFortune]

@jackarnieROCKNWHEEL Yes, I do have pain from doing things like this sometimes. That is why I don't do them as often as I probably should.

[starbucksmochafrap]

Do you live by yourself

[WheelzOfFortune]

@starbucksmochafrap No, I don't.

[TheAbsta123]

you poor man....I feel so so SO sorry for you :(

[dfcarruda]

Do u has MSN, Skype otehr kind of comunication?

[Natashalulu]

Wow. I have so much respect for you. You do this everyday and you haven't let your disability get the best of you. I don't know if I would be strong enough to handle the life that you live. Thanks for posting this... It's very informative.

[1998shauna1998]

Wat happened to you? I would be happy to swap places with you

[WheelzOfFortune]

@1998shauna1998 I was paralyzed as a result of a botched surgery when I was about 6 months old.

[ticky121]

I wear a shoe with a lift on my right leg like you my lift is 3 inches what is yours and do you only have one pair with a built up sole?

[bmbingham]

I'm so sorry for you! I would trade places if I could! You are very smart!

[cornettoPPLK]

thanks for sharing =)

[mahksintown]

Great upper body, sexy legs, and cute, too. The whole package. Thanks for sharing.

[WheelzOfFortune]

@mahksintown Thanks for watching!

[shortrightleg77]

i notice that your built-up shoe has a smooth sole on it. Does that make it easier for you to walk? Mine just have the original sole put back on after the modification. Also do you have other pairs with the build-up or just the one pair? Great videos once again...you are one magnificent individual!

[WheelzOfFortune]

@shortrightleg77 I only have the one pair of shoes like that and I've had them since high school, which was about 12 years ago.

[62nb]

thanks for the reply. look forward to seeing more. and great songs as well :-)

[62nb]

Amazone videos! Very inspiring :-) Would love to see how you deal with stairs, you know more than just a few steps. Can you do stairs in your braces as well as in the chair or what do you do? Would love to see a vid of your ways of coping with that ;-) keep up the good work.

[WheelzOfFortune]

@62nb That certainly is a very good idea and I hadn't thought of it before. There are no steps in my house, though, so I'd have to find a stairway somewhere else to do that at.  Thanks for watching.

[WildKatCa]

You mention when you were younger you used braces for more things. Was it because you could get around easier with them than with a wheelchair, or was it more of an attitude of "a wheelchair is only something you use as a last resort"? I know now people (parents, doctors etc.) are realizing that wheelchairs can be a better option than braces in many situations, and things are more "accessible" mostly. I was born with CP and should have used a wheelchair for long distances long before my SCI.

[WheelzOfFortune]

@WildKatCa Yes, I think that it was mainly that my parents and doctors wanted to me to use the braces more so because it was deemed better for my growing body...my bones, etc. As I got older, though, it became much tougher to get around with the braces.

[alvajuarez007]

Very very sexy!!

[mike1939193919391939]

Hi i'm just wondering if it would be easier to use the braces than wheelchair for you, wound't? mike

[WheelzOfFortune]

@mike1939193919391939 The wheelchair is much, MUCH easier.

[shortrightleg77]

great video...great upper body and determination in general. Short right leg here too, 2 inches on the right due to a tumor when born, but nothing like you have. Keep up the good work, very motivational & a great singer too. Not to freak you out or anything but you are very attractive....

[WheelzOfFortune]

@shortrightleg77 Thanks for the support and thanks for watching.

[pedroeras2003]

Thank you very much for sharing. Spectacular video, nice body, pretty face, beautiful legs and very nice voice. Thanks again. I wish you a happy new year 2011. pedroeras2003

[WheelzOfFortune]

@pedroeras2003 Thank you.  Happy 2011!

[Pij02]

Really great videos! I would love to see one showing the yoga techniques that you mentioned.

~Paige

[WheelzOfFortune]

@Pij02 Thank you. I definitely have plans for a video of yoga adaptations that I use, but I would prefer to do that video on the beach and right now it is too cold for that!

[paraplegicfoot]

hey men, great video, love that, i want to see your feet, and ther simple things like dressing, take a shower and all the things you need to deal everyday, go gym, yoga, restaunat, bathrroom in restaurant. thats all

[WheelzOfFortune]

@paraplegicfoot I hadn't thought about doing a video that shows how I do the shower thing, but now that you mention it, there are several things I do different than most people would, I suppose. Thanks for the suggestion.

[swelguy]

Super video! and very informative, as well. You really have some great upper body strength. Are you able to do a longer video showing the technique that you use for walking? It would be really helpful.

[WheelzOfFortune]

@swelguy Yes, I fully intend to make a video showing how I use the braces for walking. I need to do it somewhere that is more open, though. My house doesn't have enough room to demonstrate what I need to.

Thanks for watching!

[jansens2001]

thanks for the cool video. i saw above that you do yoga and gym, do you use braces there or your chair, or both? cool to see how you do those, at some point. thanks again -- and happy new year!

[WheelzOfFortune]

@jansens2001 I do not use my braces at the gym or for yoga. I use my chair for both. I'm hoping to get a few videos of some of the adapted things I do at the gym and in yoga up soon.

For yoga, I spend most of the time outside my chair, but for certain things I do use it since some positions work better that way. I actually got started doing yoga in a Chair Yoga class, which wasn't specifically for wheelchair users, but it worked well for me. After that I started taking regular yoga classes.

[parachair]

Thanks for this very interesting video.

Do you use these braces for exercise or to walk around in these on a daily base?

[WheelzOfFortune]

@parachair As I mentioned in the the video when I was younger (in elementary school), I wore my braces all day. If I needed to go up to the blackboard, I went up there using my braces and crutches, not my wheelchair.

Now, though, I don't get in my braces nearly as much as I used to. It is mainly for a bit of exercise now. ...although I do also go to the gym 3-4 days a week and do yoga, as well.

[springbob]

This was a great video. Thanks for showing it. I had assumed that the leg length descrept was because of curvature of the spine. Look forward to other videos. You are very kind to be as open in sharing with others things that many would not want to discuss.

[WheelzOfFortune]

@springbob Thank you. I always say that I would rather have people be informed and knowledgeable than to assume something that is not true. Hopefully these videos are helpful to others.

[bracerphil]

Hi there,

Thanks for the feedback. Happy New Year. Phil:-)

[WheelzOfFortune]

@bracerphil No problem. Happy New Year to you, too!

[bracerphil]

Thanks for such a good video. Very interesting. Throusers?

How do you put them on? Before you put on your shoes?

Cheers Phil:-)

[WheelzOfFortune]

@bracerphil Yes, normally I would put them on before my shoes. I actually have a pair of basketball practice pants (the kind with buttons on the sides so you can pull them off and on quickly) that I use with my braces, but I don't usually bother with them unless I am going somewhere.

[dutchieboy25]

you have an amazing body! Great. Love the thin legs. Thanks for ur vids!

[WheelzOfFortune]

@dutchieboy25 Thanks for watching.