Toomey J Gazette (Vol. 12, No. 1, 1969)
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r@popdel me: &ar*sasm%y eo &tra wpral .uLth tbir luWt*on+; .at@,.. t+r&tn&d'g- . Ltr,p*crrt.- . v*. iaeY e$luL&draf eZia5.. .*a &.pr ~btr,t,.&$f.w ctblr itreaw, vc w&Z1 LI sn~blrtcr @*Pi L+; ** eharr rko b-&vraa.t. indirrred., in ear .way er rmuth!er-, ehrt the^ rimh .to rersitr it. the &.sr&gr.t~dsfmi~~~banrtiau ir $3 .p.es empy Ok msz di~~kiea, 11 p+t ce?.py ttw a*.C*~CS~~L~.I, tc.34. ar:. Bantfiw *rir B#&rt-ala u r. c8utjt&hi e*rt~bCSmk a* oQlq E*dt~*& fiA*tiw e& irceWJll. .Bra%*. gs]ri;bZc tsi s. rrrtis soy 'palzo.. + ml-e~pge&~&.~z~.., rilii rh.9;. i aa~iUOZS,: u;r..lr. 1969 VOL XI1 BOX 149, CHAGRIN FALLS, OHIO 44022, U.S.A. 3 [Twelfth Year] PHONE: AREA 216 - 247-6755 TOOMEY j GAZETTE is an annual journal and infor- TjG Aim: To reach, to inform, and to dignify the mation service for the disabled. The editor and disabled throughout the world. founder is a non-disabled volunteer. The edit- ing, researching, and other activities are cen- Subscriptions: There are no subscriptions. The tered in her home in the village of Chagrin suggested minimum tax-deductible donation is $3 Falls. From this hub, she and the non-disabled per copy from the non-disabled and $1 per copy assistant editor gather material through corres- from the disabled, if they are able to do so. pondence with the world-wide readers. IjG is in- Personal cheques or monies from abroad and Inter- corporated as a non-profit organization under the national Stamp Coupons are easily negotiable. name of Iron Lung Polios h Multiplegics, Inc. All are welcomed: Editor: Gini Laurie Correspondents For This Issue: *Susan Armbrecht, Assistant Editor: Sally Schmidt *Doris Brennan, *Ruth Davis, *Ralph Dosch, *Jim Associate Editor: Joe Laurie Hooper, *Margaret Narris, *Ron Perry, *Jean Art Editor: Paul Schmidt Stange, *Nancy Westman Accountant: Marge Moatz Adviser: Bob Alcorn Programs & Promotion: *Alan Arnold. Jean Bohlin, Artists: *Mickie McGraw, *Bob Tanton Ruth 6 Mike Carltan, Bette 6 Bill Close, Cindy Book Reviewer: *Donna McGwinn Fidler, Joseph Gazruolo, Ginny Hamano, Gail Harris, Jerry Karlouec, Kem Mahan, Judy Raymond, Dr. 6 Mrs. H.B.C. Sandiford. Mary Ann Svec, Meg Varga, *Sue *Quad (quadriplegic) - one whose four limbs are Williams, Janet Williams paralyzed or relatively useless as the result of TjG International: Mrs. John T. Hoover, 51, Bd. injury or disease. de la ~orct.1012 Lausanne, Suisse CONTENTS SPECIAL FEATURES: QuadripZegic Living Cover Ramps for Borne and Car Robert E. Tanton. Jr. Forecast Education 4 Higher education experiences of quads, Education U.S.A., Education Abroad Talking Books 13 . - Profiles of working quads Home and Community The Community That Cased, Rehabilitation Never Ends Friends-Around-The-World 38 Excerpcs from letters of friends-seeking readers in Singapore, England, New Zealand, Wales, South Africa, Korea, Czechoslovakia, Spain, Finland, East Germany, Switzerland Foreign Correspondents Books 48 Reviews by Donna McGwinn of eight books of special interest CompZete index of TjG back issues, page 86 54 Travel Holidaying and living in Elexico Travel Briefs 62 Hobbies Hunting and Fishina.-. Photonraohv.- . .. Writina 66 Volunteering Janet Berry describes her work with the community organization, FISH Equipment Transference equipment, wheelchairs and accessories, typing aids, bathroom equipment, publications Special feature: Ramps far Home and Car Forecast Summary of planning conferences, regional rehabilitation centers, housing considerations and complexities, home care services Oddments and Endments Medical, Potpourri, Benefits, International EDUCATION "I hope to fly again. 43%goingWithout on in hope, life. theeI think is notof my much handicap purpose as ina temporary difficulty. i 'If I thought otherwise, I would start feeling i .. , r . sorry for myself. i ,.. "I don't honestly believe that I'm going to ! get better. It'll be one chance in 10 million I HOPE TO FLY AGAIN that I would.' Thus, Capt. Henry L. Thomas, a 1964 West Point b> J;."cg Ling Dai i ' graduate and a former pilot, soared above the naprinted frox the ' clouds of uncertainty concerning his future as a JO~UOP~1968 ~- quadriplegic. SOUTHLAAD magazine Thomas was an Army helicopter pilot trainee I when he was injured in a water skiing accident in -. Mobile, Ala., on June 11, 1966. I The 27-year-old veteran has joined the increas- .! ing number of determined students attending Cali- ~-- fornia State College at Long Beach in wheelchairs. ' The spinal cord of the boyish-looking sportsman Captain Thomas cruising was injured at the level of the fifth cervical toward the Engineering vertebra when he fell off the skis and struck his Building on campus at head in shallow water.. .~aralvzino him from his California State College chest down. Thomas has use oi oniy the shoulder at Long Beach. In the and arm muscles. He wears an adaptive hand brace, Background is the new ; which enables him to write, using arm movements. faculty office building. %: He also has an electric hand grip, a new medical discovery, which he wears to pick up objects. Thomas spent 15 months in hospitals - six of 1- them at Letterman General Hospital in San Francis- Captain Henry L. Thomas, co, before he was transferred to the spinal cord former pilot and avid injured section of Long Beach Veterans Administra- sportsman, ponders opti- tion Hospital. mistically, from his When he was discharged from the hospital last wheelchair. "I would en- September, Thomas decided to take the path for- courage anyone hesitat- ward, to return to college for a master's degree ing to continue his edu- Lk in aerospace management engineering. He could cation because of a easily have taken the path of least resistance - handicap to try to dis- inertia. regard it and continue." However, one thing almost prevented the West Point graduate from enrollment at Cal State: He I \ did not have the strength to surmount the hills on the campus in his hand-propelled wheelchair. Determined to attend the college, Thomas took and Bellflower Boulevard to the Marine Stadium. his problem to Dr. Ernest Bors at the VA Hospi- "I almost caused a traffic jam. I just wanted tal.. althoush he knew Dr. Bors, known as "the to see if it would really hold up. It did," he father of tie spinal cord inju;ed in Long Beach," said with a mischievous grin. His electric wheel- is opposed to the use of electric wheelchairs. chair operates on two 6-volt automobile batter- The VA doctor advocates that spinal cord injured ies and can run for seven hours without recharg- patients make optimum use of their muscles to ing. prevent their deterioration. Patients with elec- Again with characteristic alacrity, Thomas en-' tric wheelchairs tend to set lazy. rolled at the college for twelve units instead "Since Dr. Bors did not want to prevent anyone of the six units recommended by Dr.George Rhodes, from going to college because he couldn't get VA counseling psychologist. around, he let me have an electric wheelcha~r," "Thomas was highly motivated even when he was said Thomas. Displaying the adventurer in him, first admitted here. He is extremely bright and the former Eagle Scout took a "test run" in his alert," said Dr. Rhodes. "He is a good example new wheelchair from the corner of Seventh Street of the success of the Veterans Administration's Captain Thomas chats with Tyron Powers, a Vietnam casualty,who helped him around in his wheelchair, - when both were patients at Letterman General Hos- pital in San Francisco. 'Is Sylvia Rasenberg, physibtherapist, puts an adaptive hand device on Captain Thomas' right am which enables him to write, using his am movement. Flexing his muscles, Captain Thomas smiles as he pulls 20-30 pound weights in corrective therapy department. 6 rehabilitation program, especially since he is He is lifted to a standing position, a strap is severely disabled." placed around his waist and hooked to a podium- (The Long Beach hospital is the nation's cen- like stand. "It is important that I stand to pre- ter for the treatment of the spinal cord in- vent my body from absorbing the calcium, causing jured; it has a 205-bed unit in the newly built possible brittle bones, kidney and bladder wing. The hospital, now the second largest gen- stones. " eral medical and surgical hospital in the VA Taking this rigorous daily regimen in a matter- system, will, when completed, have a 1,700-bed of-fact manner, Thomas kibitzes with his hospi- capacity. ) tal buddies and jokes about his return to col- Thomas, who was discharged from the Army in lege: "You've heard of the Student Prince? I'm February, can be seen whizzing across the col- the 'Student Clod. ' " lege campus in his wheelchair, stopping to ask a A clod he is not. Much to his own surprise, he student to open the gate leading to the VA Hospi- scored 96, out of a possible 100, in an engineer- tal grounds, and disappearing behind the bushes. ing exam, which he took in the same time allot- He must return to the hospital every other ted the rest of his class, in spite of his hand- morning for medical care and twice a week for writing handicap. both passive and corrective therapy. This con- An honor student while at West Point, Thomas sumes about four hours each visit. He was able hopes to take all his tests competitively with to schedule his classes around his treatment other students in the same given time. In his periods.