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Mark Zupan adirides.com | stealthproducts.com ADI Ad Final.indd 1 11/27/15 2:10 PM CONTENTS VOLUME 27 NUMBER 270 March 2016 life beyond wheels FEATURES 14 LIVING THE GOOD LIFE Where do wheelers live? Anywhere they want, including Iceland, Hawaii and even a sailboat, writes CORY LEE. 21 OUR FURRY (AND OTHERWISE) FRIENDS Readers talk with ROXANNE FURLONG about pet dogs, cats, rescued backyard critters and a friendly spider. 40 BEACH CHAIRS Hundreds of beaches throughout the U.S. have beach chairs available to rent or borrow. MICHAEL COLLINS helps you plan a truly accessible vacation. Photo Courtesy of Iceland Unlimited COVERPREPARING FOR DISASTER 26 From Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy to the wildfires of California and floods of South Carolina, there’s been one thing in common: The Red Cross hasn’t understood disability, and that has put lives at risk. PAUL TIMMONS reports that there’s progress. Meanwhile, WID policy analyst ALEX GHENIS says climate change is coming, and the time to get ready is now. Cover and Contents Illustrations by Mark Weber DEPARTMENTS 4 BULLY PULPIT 12 EVERYDAY ADVOCACY 6 LETTERS 35 UNITED SPINAL NEWS 8 NEWS 46 OUTDOOR TRACKS 10 SCI LIFE 48 RAISING A RUCKUS 11 EAT WELL, LIVE WELL 52 CRIP BUZZ BULLY PULPIT life beyond wheels MARCH 2016 NEW MOBILITY IS THE MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF PRESIDENT & CEO: JAMES WEISMAN VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLICATIONS: JEAN DOBBS EDITORIAL Heal, Heel! EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: JEAN DOBBS Since writing about my pressure wound battles EDITOR: TIM GILMER Keeping pressure off the area and having to have my left leg amputated MANAGING EDITOR: JOSIE BYZEK SENIOR EDITOR: IAN RUDER below the knee in August 2012, I’ve heard from means just that – no pressure. SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: BOB VOGEL many of you who have had similar experiences antibiotic daily may be best for you. Consult making travel easy for individuals with spinalEDITORIAL cord disabilitie SUBMISSIONS:s with persistent pressure wounds. They come [email protected] and they go, and too often they come again. your doctor. But other factors can put you Just a week ago I discovered a wound on my at risk for infection. Edema, for example. As I write this, I’m sitting in my recliner with my foot heel (my only heel), which caught me off guard. elevated — one of the most efficient strategies CUSTOMER SERVICE I’m still not quite sure what caused it. But I know for reducing swelling and speeding healing. Toll-free 800/404-2898, what I must do to get rid of it. But no matter what you do, healing will ext. 7203 This wound is serious, not because it is big not occur with inadequate blood supply. If you or deep (it is neither), but because of its loca- suspect this, go immediately to your doc- tion. Foot wounds, particularly heel wounds, ADVERTISING SALES tor and ask for an ankle-brachial index to be are especially dangerous. They are as far away 718/803-3782 performed. This will let you know if you need from our heart as a wound can get, so blood NATIONAL SALES MANAGER: to see a vascular surgeon to discuss options to supply sufficient for healing may be a problem. MEGAN LEE, EXT. 7253 improve your circulation. They are also most prone to swelling, since they AD MATERIALS: Keeping pressure off the area means just DEANNA FIKE, EXT. 7250 occur at the lowest point on our bodies. And that — zero pressure. You may think a little they are often in contact with bathroom floors PRODUCTION offloading may do the trick, but nothing is bet- and harmful bacteria. As if that isn’t enough, ter than zero pressure — even if it means taking PRODUCTION MANAGER: DEANNA FIKE the heel has relatively little flesh, so the bone is to bed (or getting a new, specialized cushion). close to the wound and vulnerable to becom- CIRCULATION The final requirement is eating enough pro- ing infected. tein to stimulate healing. Quite often, the main CIRCULATION MANAGER: So what can we do when a wound suddenly BEVERLY SMITH reason for non-healing wounds is inadequate appears in a troublesome area? There are five CIRCULATION COORDINATOR: protein. If you are doing everything else right MARIA KURTZ essential requirements for a wound to heal: but are still not healing, you need to get serious freedom from infection; adequate blood sup- about eating protein. For healing to begin and POSTMASTER: Send address changes to New Mobility, 120-34 Queens Blvd, #320, Kew Gardens NY 11415. ply; no or minimal edema; freedom from pres- carry through to completion, you will need to Subscription rates: $27.95/year; $35.95/year in Canada; sure; and adequate nutrition, especially protein. $67.95/year international via airmail. eat 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of New Mobility (ISSN 1086-4741), Volume 27, Issue 270, is If only one of these requirements is missing, the body weight daily. Believe me, that’s hard to do, published monthly by United Spinal Association, 120-34 Queens wound will fail to heal or take months or even but absolutely essential. Besides protein-rich Blvd, #320, Kew Gardens NY 11415. Copyright 2016, all rights reserved. Reproduction without years to heal. meals, handfuls of nuts and protein supple- permission of any material contained herein is strictly prohibited. We welcome comments; Staying infection-free may require immedi- ments may be needed to get there. we reserve the right to edit submissions. ate antibiotic treatment. If you are prone to I’ll let you know how I do in my next column. Periodicals postage paid at Flushing, NY and additional mailing offices. developing infections, taking a prophylactic — TIM GILMER www.newmobility.com 4 NEW MOBILITY CONTRIBUTORS life beyond wheels MARCH 2016 CONTRIBUTING EDITORS FINN BULLERS MICHAEL COLLINS MIKE ERVIN A fierce critic of how the American Red Cross serves people with ROXANNE FURLONG disabilities, Paul Timmons was recently appointed the Red Cross RICHARD HOLICKY Disability Integration Coordinator. When asked how that hap- PRISCILLA MALTBIE pened, he quotes a Star Trek proverb, “Only Nixon could go to ALLEN RUCKER China.” Timmons lives with his wife, Kelly, aboard their yacht, the ROBERT SAMUELS Tumbleweed, Too, which is anchored in St. Johns, South Carolina. ERIC STAMPFLI Follow his progress with the Red Cross at www.portlight.org. ELLEN STOHL BOB VOGEL LOREN WORTHINGTON Fine artist and illustrator Mark Weber says his main goal is to keep growing as an artist and visual communicator and to eventually COMMUNITY PARTNERS take over the world — or perhaps a small cul-de-sac somewhere. KIM ANDERSON Until that happens, he will continue to live and work in the port city CHRISTIAAN “OTTER” BAILEY of Wilmington, North Carolina. His art has appeared in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Chicago Tribune, The Atlantic, The Washington MARTY BALL Post and many more. He has been a contributor to NEW MOBILITY since TIFFINY CARLSON 2013, when he illustrated the idealized world of “Criptopia.” LAWRENCE CARTER-LONG RORY COOPER JASON DASILVA DEBORAH DAVIS A psychologist residing in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gretchelle TOBIAS FORREST Dilán says acquiring a T5 spinal cord injury after a 2012 gun shot JENNIFER FRENCH accident gave her a “new perspective.” Since then, she founded ALLISON CAMERON GRAY Vivo Sin Barreras (Living Without Barriers), which is affiliated MINNA HONG with United Spinal Association as the Puerto Rico chapter. She MARK JOHNSON also founded a quarterly publication for people with SCI/D and their caregivers called La Voz Corre (Spreading the Word), found GARY KARP online at lavozcorre.org. NANCY BECKER KENNEDY BRITTANY MARTIN LINDA MASTANDREA LYNN MURRAY Although Mississippians are pros at preparing for hurricanes, ASHLEY LYN OLSON Christy Dunaway says Katrina was beyond anything anyone SCOTT RAINS had ever experienced. She was director of LIFE, Mississippi’s TEAL SHERER network of Centers for Independent Living, when the hurricane MITCH TEPPER devastated the coast and the experience forged her into one of the nation’s finest advocates for disaster relief policy that REVECA TORRES includes disability. Dunaway lives in Jackson, Mississippi, and ANTHONY TUSLER chairs the National Council on Independent Living’s Emergency KARY WRIGHT Preparedness Subcommittee. MARCH 2016 5 LETTERS Reveca Torres is breaking down barriers for everyone with a disability.