[misc.handicap] Stress & School

John.Lynch@p0.f1000.n261.z1.fidonet.org (John Lynch) (09/21/90)

Index Number: 10557

[This is from the Spinal Injury Conference]

Frank, just read where both you and Jeanne are in chairs.  Now who gets 
to take out the trash  :-).  But seriously, when you remodel the 
kitchen, dont forget to lower the cabinets, upper, so you can reach 
more.  Also I have an old time wooden pole with grabbers on the end 
that shop owners use to get cans and other things offmhigh shelves. 
works great.  Also Let me suggest to having drawers, big enough for 
pots, but in the lower cabinests.  Makes it easy to get something then 
having to lean over and dig inside the cabinet.  Enjoy the remodeling, 
but i will guarantee you one thing, when you are done about a year, you 
will still find something you wish you had done differently!
Regards, John

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Frank.Whitney@f1000.n261.z1.fidonet.org (Frank Whitney) (09/21/90)

Index Number: 10558

[This is from the Spinal Injury Conference]

>Frank, just read where both you and Jeanne are in chairs.  Now who gets to 
>take out the trash  :-).  But seriously, when you remodel the kitchen, dont 
>forget to lower the cabinets, upper, so you can reach more.  Also I have an 
>old time wooden pole with grabbers on the end that shop owners use to get 
>cans and other things offmhigh shelves. works great.  Also Let me suggest to 
>having drawers, big enough for pots, but in the lower cabinests.  Makes it 
>easy to get something then having to lean over and dig inside the cabinet.  
>Enjoy the remodeling, but i will guarantee you one thing, when you are done 
>about a year, you will still find something you wish you had done 
>differently! 
Yes, we've already lowered the cabinets and we're using as many  
drawers as possible.  The builder is also trying to place a lazy-
susan in the corner cabinet so that we'll have easier access.  As it 
is right now I'm a quadriplegic and my wife has multiple sclerosis.  
At the present time she's still able to walk with assistance but we're 
trying to plan for the future.  I've made the addition an additional  
2 feet wider to hopefully allow for enough room.  I don't want to be  
saying if only I'd have made the width just a little longer.  As it  
stands now I've already made the room much larger than my old one.  I 
have no allusions that I'll be saying if only I'd have known but I'm 
hoping to keep that to a minimum.  With my wife, I believe that 
probably one of the biggest problems will be her weakness when trying 
to use devices such as you've mentioned.  She already has several of  
these devices which she tries to use but it's difficult for her to do 
so because of her weakness.  I'm hoping that when the time comes we'll 
be able to find the right person or family to move in with us.  One of 
the biggest problems is that my wife wants more privacy than I believe 
will be possible.  I've had to rely on personal attendant care for a 
much longer period of time and I've adjusted to my limitations better 
than she.  As her illness progresses I've been able to help her 
through some of the rough spots and I'm hoping that we'll be able to  
cope with anything that comes up.  I know that it's not going to be 
easy but everyone has to try.
Again thanks for the advice.
Frank.

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