Weekdays are impossible for me to bring van so will have to be weekend if I'm involved with van.!!
Can do Wed's if just for muscle required.!
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Weekdays are impossible for me to bring van so will have to be weekend if I'm involved with van.!!
Can do Wed's if just for muscle required.!
Glad to see Irving's getting plenty of help here :)
I have to rule myself out for the moment because a crisis with my elderly mother is taking most of my time.
Once sorted, I will be available to help dispose of surplus coffee and biscuits etc.;)
Bill
It's only because Irving lists all the decent stuff he has available for us to nick in his signature.
I thought this might be of interest to you Irving,
SiriProxy on Raspberry Pi Home Automation Control - YouTube
As you start to move back in to a domestic environment there are plenty of people on here with the tools/skills required to do a bit of electronics design/coding/soldering etc to help you with adaptions and I'm sure most people that posted on the arduino thread would find it much more rewarding putting together a couple of circuits that will help improve your quality of life instead of making VU meters or LED cubes.
Hey, who's calling me a waste of time!?!Quote:
Originally Posted by Chas
Irving, it's a bit of shocking news to come back and find, I'm very glad that you came through the initial accident alive and it's good to hear that things are progressing steadily for you.
Just remember, when all else fails, ask yourself - WWTSD? What Would Tony Stark Do? If your answer doesn't involve giant robots and a goatee then you're not setting your goals high enough!
went out for the whole day yesterday. first visited the accessible flat i'm going to be renting til house done. its in Islington. Its ok if a bit clinical, more hotel room than home. Then into the office to say hi to the guys and let my OT advise on changes, mainly auto-door openers on loo doors and a height adjustable desk. finally home for supper before coming back to RNOH about 11pm.
Planning dept have advised that lift shaft would not be approved as it rises above the hipped roof even tho it wont be visible from the road and want the shaft more internal to the building which wastes huge amounts of floor space :confusion:
Went for a driving assessment yesterday at QEF in Carshalton. Had a full physical assessment of arm mobility and an eye test. then went outside to try an adapted 'drive from wheelchair' Kia Sedora.
Push-pull lever for accelerator/brake took a little getting used to, but after 10min had got the hang of it. initially tried an electronic mini-steering wheel which drives a motor geared to the steering column 2:1 but found that too much spinning and tiring (and at £20k stupidly expensive) so tried using the normal steering wheel with a tetragrip -a 3-pronged thing you put your hand/wrist into. that worked fine and i was driving round the test track easily. great confidence booster!
It's nice to hear how you're progressing Irving..... I can only imagine how much of a confidence booster it must have been. Here's hoping there are plenty of these positive moments into the future!
Btw, for what it's worth I can only empathise with the issue you seem to be having with the planners.... I really think they have waaaaay too much say in our lives!
Keep Well,
Andy
Irving, that test drive sounds fantastic. I am so pleased that you are beginning to find solutions to a problem that at one time seemed impossible. I have also noticed that you have resumed your helpline service on the forum. Keep it up. G.
wow i've obviously missed something here and will go back and do some reading... to think that you can drive when i think back to the first few posts you made is amazing. nice to see things looking up for you fella
Sometimes we go backwards....
Woke up Wednesday with pressure sores on left heel and right ankle due to leg muscle spasms during night (something you have to live with as a side effect of spinal cord injury). :sour: Meant I couldn't put shoes on and therefore couldn't practice bed to chair transfers so had to settle for 30min on weights machine.
However, after some debate was allowed go swimming and managed 14 lengths in 45 minutes, 3 more than last time.
Now have discharge date of 16 April, will be moving to accessible flat in Islington which I'm having to rent for a few months while house is being adapted, that's if the planning authority ever get to agree with anything remotely sensible - their current obsession with the rear roof line (which is invisible from road) means my lift has to be in the middle of the living room :eek: :mad:
Irving many years ago i was working on a job where they had a disappearing floor type lift. It was a circle that covered the base area of wheelchair, a square pole that sat against the wall. if it was up or down the upstairs hole was covered. The chair clipped into the floor, chances are this would not meet todays regs? but was siple lift solution for the home without taking tons of space up.
Things move apace. Just as you get used to the daily routine its time to move on!
Rehab phase 1 is over, I have a full-time carer and next Thursday I leave Stanmore for a temporary rented wheelchair accessible flat in Islington until my house is ready. Going to be a whole new learning curve moving out of the safety of the institution back into a world I sort of have some control over...
Can your personal butler operate a lathe and hand solder smd components?Quote:
Originally Posted by irving2008
I hope you got the important questions in at the interview. :)
Apparently these aren't standard capabilities, and you don't get to choose your carer....Quote:
Originally Posted by D.C.
Well, as of last Thursday 18th we're in the flat. We being me and my carer/PA Anett (Hungarian, single, 37, trained masseuse & cute size 10 :) ) nearly didnt get here as hospital transport was booked for 1pm, turned up at 6pm, got lost and drove like a nutter, surprised my head still on my shoulders!
Internet flakey as via tethering on phone an signal not great... but landline & bb arriving next Wednesday.
Been out n about in Islington (Upper Street) a few times now. Quickly learnt that no suspension on power wheelchair and pavements/cobbles/potholes are hard on the neck n shoulders.
Forgot to add, my friend Suzi, a lovely Yorkshire girl, is competing in her first triathlon (the Driffield Sprint) and is raising money for the spinal charity Aspire. Please consider donating at:
https://www.justgiving.com/Suzi-D/
Just a quick update as been a bit off colour last few days with yet another infection. Really knocks you back but feeling stronger now.
Having my own wheelchair adapted vehicle makes a huge difference. Got a KIA Sedona conversion that allows my wheelchair to be driven in the back and up to the front passenger location. So much better in terms of comfort and sociability than the van conversions that stick you up the back 'out of sight, out of mind'.
Starting to try and get some elements of normality into my life...
Went to Regents Park last bank holiday weekend for lunch and a pootle round the lake, managed to get out in the sunshine (that was Spring wasn't it?). Ice cream never tasted so good, if somewhat messy :) This weekend had a bbq in garden, again was nice to get out in the sun. The 'lake' is still there lol.
Been to cinema to see the new Startrek movie, enjoyed it but only give it 8/10.
Sacked my architect, planning issues were as much due to conflict of personalities as planning policy, interviewed and selected a new one who seems much more on the ball. Still its going to be at least another 6mo before I move back home.
Finally got the police report on my accident - only taken them 6 months though legally they are required to make it available within 12 weeks. Can't say more at the mo, but was amazed at the level of incompetence and inaccuracy in there (one example of many: report says it was daylight at the time yet sunrise is actually over 45min later) so filing official complaint, not that its going to make any difference.
Need to do arm/shoulder exercises to build upper body strength but only get 1 hour physio a week, so want to get a wheelchair-accessible multigym and hand ergometer (like an exercise bike for arms) but commercially available units are too big for home and stupidly expensive. Working on some ideas around using the weights stack off a cheap (~£390) multigym and getting someone to fabricate a frame for it. Also looking at ideas for modding a cheap bike trainer resistance unit for the ergometer on a custom fabricated stand. All input welcome!
Glad to see you're out and about and things are finally progressing. How is the movement in your fingers now? If you need anything soldering let me know, I'm good with an iron down to 0603 size, after that I use the iR oven or reflow station :)
Fingers move after a fashion, but are useless for anything practical. On LH I can 'open' middle, ring and little finger but cant close them and have no control on index or thumb. on RH much the same but have some 'open' control on index and can twitch the thumb. things may improve over the years but have to assume not.Quote:
Originally Posted by Philly
Thanks for your offer. Right now soldering stuff isnt on the agenda, my immediate focus is getting a multigym and a hand bike exerciser setup - the latter I want something that'll give me rpm, time and effort (watts) readouts, probably using an Arduino/touch screen. So looking for input/ideas on how to do it (I have a few) and then help fabricating it.
Been a while since I posted here. Not much change to be honest, though hopefully will have some movement on planning permission in next couple of weeks.
In the meantime I've drawn up some plans for a hand ergometer (see here) as not been able to find anything suitable at a sensible price. Its a slow process, I can manage no more than a couple of hours on the computer a day (on a good day).
I haven't strayed into the general chat board for ages so I've only just seen this thread. Sorry to hear about your accident Irving and I hope your still improving. I can't believe planning has taken so long and been so difficult, do these people have no heart?
Thanks...
Nope, they don't and still ongoing... hopefully will have it in next 8 weeks... but whether I can afford the needed changes is still a big issue so might all be moot anyway :(
In myself I'm getting to grips with this new way of life.... but it isn't easy...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wobblycogs
Just a little update, life continues much in same vein, been up n down last couple of months but getting out n about more and making best of the end of summer. Still trying to build upper body strengh but plateau'd a bit on that and struggling a bit to make progress.
Had a little wobbly at 7:05am yesterday - 1 year to the minute....
Still fighting Harrow on getting planning permission for house adaptations, hopefully we'll have won that battle before the end of the year, but will probably be June before work is complete.
Still, keeping positive.... :)
Woohoo :joyous: :victorious: great news - at the Harrow Planning Committee meeting last night the Members overturned the planning officers refusal recommendation and unanimously voted to approve my plans!
Such a weight off my mind! I was physically shaking with relief. And against official protocol I got to speak, they actually voted to overturn two procedural clauses to allow it. I wasn't expecting that so had to wing it for 3 minutes, but it was good :pride: And the planning officer came over as a Muppet who couldn't even get her facts right! :rolleyes:
Now we can move on! The tenders came back over-budget, but I can work on that!
Still will be another 8 months before I go home tho :grumpy:
Congratulations, that must be a real weight off your mind.
The builder we use on our place also works in London, he does good work at a fair price, would you like me to PM you his details?
Yes please, can't hurt & we might re-tender. 2 quotes came back close but 20% over-budget and the third was £150k more!
Great news Irving:thumsup: over the years I have been through a few planning appeals and they all cost a lot of time and money. Some of the planning officers look as if they are fresh out of college. ..Clive
That's great news Irving, lets hope you can get a decent on budget quote and get things moving now!
Well done Irving. It pays to be tenacious and stick to your guns. Keep working on the builders and I am sure you will get the job done for your budget. G.
So, some further news.
At the planning committee meeting on Nov 20 as reported previously they voted to overturn the refusal - actually because of procedure, now its recommended for grant its open again to objections. So it had to be deferred till this months meeting on Dec 18 for vote for formal grant. Anyway, the Chairman opened the issue and reminded the committee what was previously agreed and without further ado asked for a show of hands; it was unanimously agreed :joyous:. but then the planning officer piped up "we haven't discussed any conditions". At which point the legal officer said "You've voted, so you can't add conditions afterwards". So we have permission to build a generic side and rear extension, rear dormer and general external alterations with nothing to stop us as regard size, materials, etc., since there's no condition that says we have to conform to the approved drawings. Serves them right! :yahoo:Of course we won't be taking too much advantage of this...:whistle:
Wel done Irving, about time too, but still a nice seasonal happening. G.
Haha that's awesome! What a Christmas present. You should clad it in stainless!
That's great news. How long do you expect it to be until you've got everything built and ready?
Meeting builder this pm to agree pricing (fixed) and timescales (with penalties for late completion) but looking at 7-8 months realistically :(
Hope it's not like this
Yahoo News UK & Ireland - Latest World News & UK News Headlines
Eddy, Health and Safety gone mad again by the looks of it. Still the Parkour and Skateboarders might just make good use of it even if the disabled person living there doesn't.
Hi Irving, I was sorry to read of your accident and hope your getting better each day. I had to go right to the start and read every post, so please keep us updated with your building / adaption work progress and most importantly your own wellbeing. I have a disability myself and know just how some days can get you down, but keep your pecker up and I just remember there's some great members on here willing to help.
Wishing all the best. Mike
any update irving?
I've been remiss about posting news...
Well the house adaptations are ongoing - will be completed in October, so far so good. pretty much on time, but burnt most of the contingency already but still got some to play with. House is being pretty much gutted and rebuilt on 1st floor, and has no roof at all but the steelwork for that goes in next week.
.
Won another small battle with Harrow highway's dept, who initially refused our second drop kerb on the grounds it took away too much grass verge and 'policy' is to retain grass verges. But they would allow us a new central drop kerb, which is of course wider. So we pointed out that the new central drop kerb actually reduced the amount of grass more than a second drop kerb adjoining the neighbours one. Eventually common sense dawned and they agreed it. I despair sometimes; just so much petty bureaucracy due to 'policy' that they never question the 'rote' answer.
.
In the meantime we are renting a house in Mill Hill big enough so nothing had to go into storage.
Irving, good to hear things are going ok with the conversion. Having spent many years in the building trade I always advise people to at least double any contingency budget they have as you never know what hiding behind the plaster. Hopefully the weather will be good and the builders can get on with the works. Good to hear your LA has seen sense and done the right thing in the end.
All the best. Mike