Craving Freedom

What do you crave?

Chocolate comes to many minds. Worldly goods, power, peace of mind, love. . .

but have you ever come face to face with immobility?

Perhaps you broke a leg, or sprained your back. Maybe a virus forced you to cancel your appointments for the day and you felt chained to your bed. . . or worse yet, the toilet.

Then you glimpsed–only began to feel–what it is like for people who lack the freedom to move about at will.

Now imagine your love for the backcountry. Or fabulous cobblestone streets in an old town. Or the dance floor. Or the beach.

And you’re physically impaired. You can’t get there anymore. Not on your feet. Not in that manual wheelchair with the portable sling seat. Not even in your power wheelchair.

Now what do you crave?

Freedom!

You crave, if not for your body to work again, to be free from the constraints of gravity. To be free from the obstacles of the physical world. To be free, even, from the help of well-meaning people. To be free to move about at will.

Here are some examples of modern technology at work to facilitate this freedom.

Henry Vivet with his newfound freedom*

*View the Extreme x8 in motion here.

(Please note, OT Interactions is not in any way affiliated and takes no kick-backs or payments from any of the items highlighted/linked to herein)

View some very cool options over here and over here, too.

Some wheelchairs even climb stairs, stand up and manage terrains.

Amazing creations from University of South Florida. (Click below caption* to go to the article and credit for photo)

You love the Segway, right? Research at *USF has a wheelchair that is similar in responsiveness, but to torso movements!

Now the problem is money. Can we do something about that?

Applause to the folks from Go Baby Go for their amazing work using commercially available children’s toys and adapting them for children with mobility challenges AND KEEPING COSTS DOWN!!

Photo credit: Alan Calvert, Coordinator for Web and Social Media, College of Public Health and Human Sciences

Countless others are doing amazing things to facilitate mobility with little to no money. Keeping the physics, body ability, mental ability and particular desires and challenges in mind, people are designing safe, effective tools to facilitate mobility. Let’s celebrate their dedication and ingenuity–

Home-made Bumbo Wheelchair from http://www.firstwheelshouston.org

and, perhaps, instead of fighting that chocolate craving–

exhert your energy toward facilitating freedom for folks who really need it.

Please, share your links and pictures here, and any links to health care coverage policy changes you’re advocating, and help meet the constant craving. . . for FREEDOM!

Advertisements