The TASC Net Newsletter June 2012
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T H E A S S O C I A T I O N for SP I N A L C O N C E R N S NEWS & VIEWS FOR PEOPLE WITH A SPINAL INJURY BY PEOPLE WITH A SPINAL INJURY Nga Panui me Nga Whakaaro mo Tangata i Mate Tuaiwi Na Tangata i Mate Tuaiwi www.tasc.org.nz April / May June 2012 Inside this Issue Bilateral Tendon Transplants Celebrating TASC’s 21st Robert Stubbs modified bike Gathering Road Trip Twins and in a Wheelchair Parafed News Plus lots more! Newsletter Sponsored by: Contracted to ACC for supply of specialised home based care for spinal injured persons We provide caregiver teams throughout Contracted to ACC for supply of home based services the North Island & upper South Island President’s Report From the office Welcome to our winter newsletter. I hope everyone has by now had their flu in- We have a very full newsletter this is- jection. That time of year has arrived for us to suffer from coughs and colds. sue– lots of great current stories. What we don't need is our members getting pneumonia. As always if you have anything that you TASC celebrated it's 21st with a birthday luncheon at Fisher house in would like to contribute to the next issue Highbrook, Auckland. We had a lovely meal with old friends and new, about 40 please just forward to the TASC office people attending. Sadly, a number of people couldn't attend as they were on and we will endeavour to publish it. bed rest. 21 years, the time has passed so quickly, and how many people have The fortnightly Back on Track sessions we met with spinal cord impairment in that time. Six people received life mem- that TASC holds on Thursday after- bership awards for their contributions to TASC over that period. Congratulations to those members. Thank you to everyone who attended, it was great to see noons at the ASU dining room have you. been well attended of late —the new patients realise they can learn a lot from TASC was started by Robert McIsaac and his intrepid committee who needed a people who have a few more years ex- vehicle to take ACC to task over 24 hour attendant care for tetraplegics. Once they achieved their goal TASC was reformed into the buddy organisation. After perience of living with a SCI. a rename and a rewrite of the Constitution, the former Tetraplegic Action Sup- Also the outing have been popular, even port Committee, became The Association for Spinal Concerns. Tetraplegic was though the weather is sometimes no longer applicable, as many of our members were now paraplegics, who also against us during the winter months.. need much support. As the years have gone by we have also strived to keep in Roll on Spring. contact with our members in the regions, from Gisborne to Cape Reinga. This The art classes on a Tuesday afternoon was proven recently when Anita and Gavin travelled to Gisborne and Taupo to are also proving popular with some meet our members in those areas. great work being created. Thanks to the I recently travelled to Singapore for a Mouth and Foot Painting Artists confer- tutors Murray and Robin. ence, with 12 or 13 other New Zealand artist. We had three days of workshops In April we said a sad farewell with the morning and afternoon with very knowledgeable tutors. Then an exhibition with art from all of our artists, which was open to the Singapore public. 70 artists passing of Val Brownhill, a former com- from Asia and Australasia were there mixing and mingling, working, shopping mittee member. Val will be remembered and site seeing. Thanks to MFPA for looking after us for the week and getting us by us all as a wonderful caring lady and home safely. our condolences go out to her family. As always our office is always open to DISCLAIMER:The views expressed in the TASC Net are those of its contributors. one and all so please call in. They do not necessarily represent the policies of TASC. Cheers from Anita and Ann TASC bequests Are you planning to This is the first codicil of (full name)…………………………………………………………………………….. update your Will? (Occupation)……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. (Address)……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. In response to a num- To my Will dated the ……………………. day of ……………………………………………………………….. ber of inquires we re- I give, devise and bequeath (free of all charges and duties) to TASC, the sum of $.................................. ceive about the process (or) …………………………………. nominated property (or) ………………………………..% (proportion) of to update a Will, we are my residuary estate for the general purpose of the Trust / for the following purpose of the Trust, namely including in this newslet- ………………………………………. ter the wording required I DECLARE that the receipt of the TASC president or Financial Advisor of TASC shall be a full and suffi- for a codicil. cient discharge to my executor for the same and my executor shall not be bound to see the application A codicil is an adden- thereof. dum to an existing Will In all other respects I confirm my Will DATED this ……………………………….day of ………………………………………………………………. stating your desired in- SIGNED by ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… tentions. Any person In our presence and attested by us in his/her presence: wishing to add to a Will, 1……………………………………………………………… such as their desire to Occupation…………………………………………………. include TASC as a Address…………………………………………………….. beneficiary, could use 2……………………………………………………………… the wording below as an Occupation…………………………………………………. instruction to their Solici- Address…………………………………………………….. tor or legal advisor. 2 2 make sure that there is no infection and your thumb Bilateral Tendon Transplants stitches came out. They then put you back in your casts for your remaining three weeks. It is advisable from my The Journey point of view to keep as busy as you can through those weeks. Then when the 3 weeks are up you are off to Bur- Began in 2011 Wheelchair Rugby WRC where I meet wood or the Auckland Spinal Unit for your OT and up with a couple of mates who shook my hand to say Physio’s treatments for approximately 2 weeks depending “Gidday”. on your regained function. Then back off home to your family to enjoy the benefits of your new grip in many Looking back now I don’t know if it was disbelief or shapes and forms and a new lease on life. somebody having a bad hand day but their grip was phe- nomenal. So my next thought and question was “What the I would like to thank all the staff at the Units and the OT’s hell did you get done to your hands?”. Then began the and Physio’s for all their help towards my recovery. They journey of appointments at the Spinal Unit to see and get were fantastic. questions regarding bilateral tendon transplants. I went to the clinic at the ASU to have an assessment, which to One of the hardest things I have found so far is to change their delight and mine, I was found to have perfect arms the way I have done things for 26 years and to retrain my- for the surgery. After the consultation the bad news came. self with the help of the OT’s and Physio’s to use my new I would have to wait at least 18 months till the surgery but found grip on life. through persistence and a lot of luck I was called up in I totally recommend this procedure because as you go on April after only 4 months to have the procedure done. So in life a lot of things get harder to do as many of us will as you do, you have moments of apprehension leading know up to any surgery and what are your benefits going to be. Chris Harvey is a C6/7 complete tetraplegic who has So a little about the surgery. ACC and yourself have to been in a chair for 26 years. work together to put in place the care you are going to need. This starts with a hoist to put you into bed and your PS. Enjoy the benefits this will give you in the future. chair. My personal management was bed baths but they will probably get you onto a commode for showers and bowel cares. You also need a power chair as you are not allowed to weight bare on your arms. And last but not least a van with a hoist to get you around or a mobility cab. But it isn’t bad as I found out after surgery - you can still move your forearms up and down and side to side. Also you will need a nurse or care giver as you will need at least 55 hours attended care, 7 hours home help and how many over night stays to get you thru your 3 weeks at home unless they want you to stay in a care facility. First week after your surgery the casts come off to A big thank you to all our supporters UPCOMING GATHERINGS West Auckland New Lyn RSA Wednesday 25th July South Auckland Papakura RSA Wednesday 15th August 11.30 am onwards - Come and join us in our 21st year. Complimentary drink with lunch. Also to all the staff at the Auckland Spinal Unit where TASC is based for their continued support Call the TASC office if you would like to be there. 3 3 his head he can’t sleep or stop till it is Any Dream is Possible a project happening (much to the frustration of his wife Karen at times, but she knew this was a good idea!?).