You Can't Get Blood From A Stone...Or A Disabled Person

I know this sounds incredible...

....but it is absolutely true.

I know of two disabled individuals, both of whom were more than happy to contribute their blood.

And were told they couldn't.

The reason why?

They couldn't transfer from their chairs to a bed.

Come on now!

Really?

A lot of disabled people are shy about contributing to anything, or feel that they won't make a difference by doing so.

Giving blood is the perfect opportunity to make a difference!

And I know there are solutions to this, other than a transfer!

I know because I get my blood taken about once a month.

In my room.

In my chair.

So there must be a way to gather blood in a similar fashion.

Come on, Canadian Blood Services!

It's in you to give Alberta's disabled community this opportunity!

Your Partner In Life

Gimme A Brake!

It may just be me.

But I have a strong feeling that it's not.

Growing up as a proud Albertan in the late '70s and early '80s, I  remember that the two wheelchairs I recieved during that time, one of which was a classic Everest & Jennings model, had this amazing quality to them.

They were durable.

And the parts were of good quality. The brakes braked.

And they had a shelf life of at least eight to ten years, give or take.

I remember I had a Stainless brand chair similar to this one..

...that lasted ten years.

The reason I bring all this up is that for the last couple of months I have been dealing with a loose brake on the Quickie chair I have now. It has been fixed once,through an authorized government vendor, but with the least amount of pressure has a tendency to bend forward, severely impeding my ability to brake the chair while riding in it, or even the act of getting into the chair. A runaway wheelchair is the bane of every disabled person, as serious injuries can result from a chair rolling away from someone as they are getting into it.

So I wonder...

Are wheelchairs now just cheaply made?
Are there better wheelchair parts availiable that just aren't bought because the government finds them prohibitively expensive?

Food for thought...

Your Partner In Life

Good For You, Sir!

Absolute proof positive that it is never too late to follow your dream. Who knew this 74-year-old bartender had it in him? A true discovery! Way to go Frank The Bartender! Kudos to Facebook group Frank Sinatra Forever for posting this. Have a great night everyone!

Your Partner In Life