Fresh Perspectives

Mental Health

Most of my blog posts will deal with people with physical disabilities like mobility impairment, deaf and hard of hearing, blindness and developmental disabilities.  However, today I would like to talk about mental illness.  Mental illness is a range of disabilities around which there is much misunderstanding and stigma.  On a personal family level, I’ve dealt with mental illness issues, and as a result I’ve done extensive research on that subject. 

The truth is that many times, the stigma surrounding mental illness acts as a preventative to proper treatment of the disease.  Mental illnesses are real medical conditions that disrupt a person’s mood, relationships and ability to work.  And just like physical disabilities, mental illness can strike anyone at any time. One of the best mental health support organizations in the US is the National Alliance on Mental Illness or NAMI.  According to NAMI’s website:    Serious mental illnesses include major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and borderline personality disorder. The good news about mental illness is that recovery is possible.  This short description doesn’t name personality disorders (Avoidant, Narcissistic, Dependant, etc.) and other mental illnesses like Intermittent Explosive disorder.

One of the misconceptions about mental illness is that anti-depressants and other chemical altering drugs cure the disease.  The fact is that although effective, drugs are not the only way mental illness is treated.  Psychosocial treatment such as cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, peer groups, and other community services can also be components of a treatment plan.  Although the commercials on TV about anti-depressant drugs do disclose that pills are only part of a complete treatment plan, people sometimes extract only part of that.  In our society, we seem to gravitate toward a quick fix.  Although these drugs can help a great deal, it usually takes time for health professionals to find the optimum balance.  The fact is that effective treatment of mental illness requires a multi-faceted approach.

I urge you to take the time to do the research about mental illness.  My research efforts have changed the way I think about people in general, and have helped me become much less judgmental toward others. 

Links;  NAMI, Advocacy Alliance (local advocacy), Mental Health America.

Independence

Today’s post is going to get a bit personal.  But for many people with disabilities (PWD), doing as much of our own personal hygiene as possible without assistance is a big issue.  So Fresh Perspectives will try to feature products that are innovative and helpful to PWD.  Again, if you have something innovative to share, please do so.

Today, I’d like to explore independent toileting.  See, I said this was going to get personal!  But I don’t think it’s a good idea to shy away from subjects like this.  In any case, the product being featured today is a bidet.  The bidet is part of most bathrooms in Europe, but in the US, their use is more limited.  For a PWD, however, a bidet can be a gigantic boost to independence.

 

The unit I have attaches a spray device to an existing toilet using the existing seat bolts, and a water and heating unit with a pump sits next to the toilet.  Water is fed from the toilet supply line, and the maintenance of the unit is minimal.  I had a plumber install it in 10 minutes.  The unit cost about $225.  The unit has start/stop, heat and water intensity controls on top of the unit.

Other units that have the pump integral to the bidet seat are more readily available than the unit I just described, and hooking them up may require more work.  Many have options like a heated seat, air dryer and adjustable sprays.  Of course, these units can get expensive.

Here are some links:

Information link – Bio Bidet

Dealer in Bio Bidet products

For me, this product helped me become much more independent with my personal hygiene.  Disabled or not, the bidet is a great product.

Adapting to Change

In this post, I want to talk about a personal experience I’m going through now.  Maybe some of you have gone through something similar.  If so, I’d love to hear from you.

 

Ten years ago, I began using a wheelchair (shown top left) due to progressive Muscular Dystrophy.  My bodily changes are from age than anything else since the MD is progressing very slowly.  Ten years ago, transferring to and from the wheelchair was a snap, and I didn’t need a wheelchair with customized seating or foot placement.  I adapted the things around me to my capabilities.  That includes a correct height commode in a large bathroom area, a 6 way turn around seat in my van (so I can drive from the van seat), an electric bed that elevates, and inventive little toilet clips that hold the seat in one place during transfer (invented those myself).  After 10 years, I have to change what I’m doing.  The transfer to and from the wheelchair is now difficult.  Almost everything changes.

In 1998, I adapted my own seating system.  That includes clipboards without the clips to channel my legs properly.  Now, Leg swelling, potential pressure sores and back ache have caught up with me, and I’m doing a wheelchair with custom seating and leg positioning (shown lower right).  That’s full tilt, recline, elevation and articulating leg rests all put together by a wheelchair seating expert.  It has a heavy duty Invacare base and advanced electronics aboard.  I took delivery last week, and we are in the process of final tweaks.  The comfort level is exponentially better than my current setup!    

Here is where holistic understanding comes in.  People tell me “Well, you got the chair.  Let’s see it!”  Not so fast folks.  I can’t easily transfer in and out of the new wheelchair, so transferring inside my van isn’t possible either.  Also, because the transfer is difficult and the seat is higher, I’ll need a patient lift system in my home.  Now I will drive from the wheelchair, so I purchased a new mini-van which will need to be custom adapted for me.  That means a 10” lowered floor with ramp, hand control, low effort steering and driver wheelchair lockdown among other adaptations.  That is a few months off since I’m using the local Office of Vocational Rehabilitation.  A complicated process is involved in all of that.  I’m not complaining, but these are the limitations that form the process.  I consider myself fortunate in that I have the wherewithal to navigate through all of this and continue working.  By the way, I work as a CFO at a career technical school.

So remember, when you see a person using a wheelchair, there might be many things you don’t see. 

What limitations have you faced?  Drop me a line…..

A Different Direction

Fresh Perspectives blog is getting slightly re-defined, folks.  FP has always promoted understanding as a central learning tool.  Sure, accumulated knowledge is nice.  Translating that knowledge into something actionable?  Now that takes a real grasp of issues.

As you may already know, I’m a person with a disability (PWD).  And I’ve found that many people, especially those of us who aren’t disabled, really don’t have a clear understanding of disability.  Disability is something people don’t consider, that is until it affects them directly.  Let’s face it, our lives are so busy and full of activity that we simply don’t have time to think about what might happen.  So FP will be featuring more posts about understanding disability issues from those of us living with a disability.  I encourage all my readers, whether you are considered disabled or not, to make comments to the posts and email me with questions, concerns, criticism and complaints.  I also encourage guest posts (email me).

One fact that stands out; people with disabilities can be some of the most creative people in the world.  That’s because limitations define us, and by necessity, we must get creative to deal with the limits.  And it isn’t only PWD whose lives are full of limits, it is the human condition.

So FP blog will be a place where everyone can explore those limits.   FP isn’t an advocacy blog, nor is it a place for unfocused venting. 

The reality for most of us, disabled or not, is that life is tough.  Many times it’s necessary to dig down deep, face and overcome fears and simply fight through.  My point is this; the fight is easier when you understand the landscape.   FP won’t be a panacea; rather it’s intended to be a place where we explore the limits we all face in life.

And remember, persons with disabilities are generally not overly courageous or exceptional.  We don’t want pity nor do we want special treatment.  Few of us get rattled when somebody holds a door for us; matter of fact, I’m thankful when someone does.  PWD can work at complex jobs and contribute in the workplace.  We just want people to treat us as people first.  We aren’t defined by our disability; we are defined by our humanity!