IamA quadriplegic female AMA!

How are you typing this?

I weave a stylus through my fingers and I just type things out on my tablet.

Are you still in contact with the driver? Does he regret it?

I am still in contact with the driver. I consider him a good friend. He regrets it immensely idk how he lives with the guilt.

That's fantastic that he/she is a good friend - I hope that person will always remain so in your life.

I think we'll always be linked. We changed each other's lives so it's not something you can easily walk away from...or should I say roll away from.

How is your dating life?

I'm actually on a dating site right now. The way I see it, it's my best shot at finding someone who is willing to take me disabled and all. However, I'm too much of a weenie and haven't met anyone in person.

There are guys out there that will date someone in your condition :) I dated a quadriplegic girl, did everything from carry her up and down stairs to get to my room to feeding her. Unfortunately, her condition gave her severe confidence issues and she smothered me to death by flipping out any time she couldn't get a hold of me for 5 minutes :( Just be yourself and know that you are worth someones time. They will come!

Well that's very strong of you to date someone with an injury. I'm glad there are still decent human beings in the world.

Aw. Don't worry- there's always that one special person...It just takes time. Best of luck I'm rooting for ya! :)

Thank you!

We used to talk on POF. For about a week or two. Then you went MIA.

I'm sorry. I get so busy sometimes that I do go off the grid for a bit. Glad to hear you're a redditor though.

[deleted]

Thanks for the compliment. I hope I do

You will find someone. You're interesting and gorgeous. I'd date you, but I feel I'm a bit young lol.

Age does play a huge factor. That's sweet of you though.

What qualities/habits/traits are you looking for in a guy/girl? Have these changed after your accident?

I'm just looking for someone patient who can carry on a conversation. Someone who understands (or at least attempts to understand) my situation and won't push me to do something I'm uncomfortable with. They have changed. Before I was just looking for someone to have a good time with, now I want stability.

What do you miss doing most?

Probably getting up on my own. I miss being able to do all my hygienic maintenance and grooming on my own. I pretty much miss my own space.

I'll take that up vote! Thank you

What's the story about your first name?

I know, it's a sexual name and it's was a source of torment through out my childhood. My aunt named me, and now that she's passed I'm happy I've gotten dubbed by her. I'm Hispanic so in Spanish it's pronounced Ana-lee.

So.... Ana for short?

Lily is my nickname.

I can just imagine going to a business conference and seeing someone with a name badge that says "Analy". I would definitely talk to you. And no, not about sex.

Well it's a good ice breaker.

"So, was that how you were conceived?" [to self: "fuck"]

I'm afraid to ask.

I imagine reading that name badge and wildly blushing. Not knowing how to proceed with my life... Hahaha

I know. My name's golden.

Are you unable feel sensation or simply incapable of movement?

Are there any hidden benefits to your situation?

How has this affected your sex life? Do you have the urge? Have you had sex since the accident?

How has your personal interaction been with strangers and people you would have dated before the accident?

Do you rely on your mind more, i.e. do you educate yourself as a means of stimulation?

Edit: THANKS FOR THE GOLD! I am an incomplete spinal cord injury so I feel below my injury but it's distorted. Front of the line passes are always a plus. I also receive disability which is a huge help. My sex life is nonexistent. The urge is affected by the injury so I'm not missing much. I have not had sex since the accident because it takes someone I have complete trust in for me to feel comfortable. Unfortunately I broke up with my boyfriend since the accident and most of my "friends". I've started school since my accident and I've depended a lot on the kindness of others. I am not shy though, I'll ask for help most of the time. It's always awkward to see guys I've had chemistry before the accident because you know the dynamic has changed and for me to expect things to be the same is foolish. I am more artsy than anything else. I love learning about new things but I'm no Stephen Hawking. I spent a lot of time adapting to my disability so that I could draw, paint, and model again. I'd rather do that than anything else.

Really interesting to hear how real you are about it. What caught my eye most was that you are interested in modeling. Is that something you have done since the accident or something you're wanting to do? If you have, what was that like?

I should have phrased it differently. I meant model making. I was in school for architecture when I was in the accident.

Lol - you should be an art model! We always have trouble finding models that can hold still :)

HA! Shoot ill try anything once.

Don't do heroin.

Noted.

I had a motorcycle accident almost 7 years ago. I injured my spine at C1, C4, C5 and T1-T4. Go big or go home, right? My paralysis starts at T2 or right at the armpits so I lucked out big time. I hit a guardrail and got tossed over to a 20' drop onto rocks and nastiness. I like to joke if there had been grass and flowers and fluffy bunnies on the other side, this whole thing would have turned out a lot better :)

I just started going to a chiropractor in my area who advertised he was able to treat people with SCI. He's convinced he'll have me walking again, I'm not convinced. I'm just there for pain relief and maybe a little extra feeling. Dare I hope for trunk control? I dare, I dare :) But that's about it. I always thought a chiropractor wouldn't go near the mine field that is my spine but I was wrong.

It sucks at any age to be injured this way but especially at a young age, like yourself. I hope you're able to find happiness in your life and make the most of what you have. I've had a hard time doing that myself so it's not as easy as it sounds. Am I rambling yet? I think I am :)

What advice do you have for me as a relatively new SCI.

Sry for hijacking this.. As an incomplete C4-C6 from Germany my greatest advise would be to pick up a sport. I don't know if someone has talked to you about this and if you were a sporty person before your accident, but even in a wheelchair there is still a whole lot you can do. I started playing wheelchair rugby three years ago and its totally awesome. The documentary Murderball about the sport is really recommendable. Anyways, all the best for your recovery!

Murderball is a really good documentary. Right now I just do gym workouts but if I could I would do shadow boxing.

Just kidding about the fetus by the way.

How long did it take you to adapt to your new way of life? Have you adapted yet? Two years isn't so long. Did you go through depression afterwards? If so, how bad was it? Are you still going through that if you did? Anyways, I wish you the best. This must be one of the toughest things in the world.

We'll I consider myself lucky. Originally I couldn't move my arms but that came back which has helped immensely In adapting. I'm still finding new ways to make my life easier but for now I use a lot of adapted equipment to compensate for the lack of my finger movement. I had a month post rehab where I would cry inconsolably because I couldn't do my hair and makeup but I snapped out of it. I'm much stronger in character than I thought I would ever be. I'm getting along slowly but I'm pretty proud of where I'm at today. Thank you for the good wishes.

Originally I couldn't move my arms but that came back

This made me really happy to read. What kind of mobility/dexterity do you have with your hands/arms? Do you/the doctors think that more body prowess will come with time?

I lack finger movement and triceps. I can't raise my arms above my head. I'm realistic, I know that I might not get movement back but I hope I do. My doctors have always said that every SCI is different. I have met people with worse injuries than mine and they have been able to walk years after their injury. I am now relying in med science to get me back up!

Are there any promising studies/procedures in the works that you know of?

Stem cells are always being studied. I'm currently part of a clinical trial that taps into the spinal cord's memory. Doctors are testing the theory that the spinal cord can function with little help of the brain. They do this by opening the passages by shocking the spine.

Hi there, my friend was in a mountain bike accident and broke his C4 as well, he's into his 3rd month of rehab and is getting movement back in his arms but still can't use his fingers or triceps like you.

As we're in the UK I'm not sure what trials are going on. How do you go about being part of clinical trials for spinal injuries and such? Could you point me in the right direction?

Thanks for the AMA, your a stronger person than I would be!

Try clinicaltrials.gov Anything that has to do with spinal cord injury will pop up.

You are strong, and I'm sure you'll just get stronger. Off topic: So I read the article and you were in Burbank. You live around there? They have the best Bob's Big Boy in the world. I know it's weird, but I'm a huge fan. I'm originally from San Diego and Bob's were everywhere. I live in San Francisco, and there aren't ANY. Not even a few hours away. I go there every time I'm in the area. Take care!

I actually just moved near Six Flags. Bob's Big Boy is pretty tasty.

hi. I am a c6 myself I have often thought of doing an AMA... maybe someday

You should! It's just another way of bringing awareness to SCI.

I am an inventor and engineer and would like to ask you a few questions privately on a project I am trying to get together to help people like you. if you have the time.

I'd be honored!

I have been working pieces of this solution for a long time . there is a lot of technical speak here. the condensed explanation is an IR laser pointer that tracks the motion of your eye, and a robotic arm can follow it and you can give it commands through a hud . there is no reason why other systems you are using now cannot be part if it. But here is the explanation. I am trying to get people to help me get a kickstarter going so we can at least show proof of concept. Your input would be to know if such a system would be helpful.

My name is Lionel I have a low budget animatronics and costume shop, I am mechanical/electronics engineer . I have decades of experience in building .. well some really crazy stuff. I can send you links to my work. I fought in battlebots and have made electronically enhanced costume stuff for Adam Savage.and have done some low budget movie work and have several patents in my name for other laser hardware.

The premise is simple, using the Iris tracking system that has been around since the 80's to help people who are "locked in" be able to communicate with only eye motion to type on a keyboard. The technology has come a long way since then and it can be found now in cameras that track your iris and autofocus based on what you are looking at. The Idea was to marry that technology readily available to the X/Y microservo/stepper or a magnetic mirror device that I came up with and an IR laser (class 1 eye safe certified by FDA/CDRH) I also developed for a military trainer (and have patent on)

Okay so I will try an explain what happens here. Imagine a pair of glasses with a hud display over your right eye that has the super micro camera (from an Iphone or other) that is tracking your iris, there is a camera (micro ccd unit ) that is mounted in direct line to your right eye , the hud display is a full color image of what your right eye would normally see. but with some augmented extras. In the midst of this system is the laser. Now the laser is on an X/Y stepper, when on it tracks exactly where your eye is looking as it translates in real time . there would be a little dot in the center of your vision , the laser dot tracks where you look, Look at a doorknob, the laser dot is there shining off of it. It follows your vision. Now then we have a laser pointer basically attached to your eyeball. what do we do with it?. Well with simple photo sensors on a robotic arm you can now shine the laser dot on soda can on a table. the robotic arm tracks to it. the arm follows wherever you are looking. Very simple but there is a lot more here. The hud is designed to offer a number of options here, with your left eye you would be able LOCK the laser into place with blink commands and the eye tracker would still be active and give the user a cursor to choose options out side of the "work area" I imagine the cameras view as a circle, And around that circle would be a ring of choices and controls for the robotic arm , and you could choose them just by blinking. But it gets better still in that you can now use this same laser (capable of gigabit communications) to do things, Beyond being able to control your tv/electronics like your remote does, You can also setup receiver plates (photodiodes/tsops) to do things like turn on and off lights, turn on a tap. Anything you could control with a remote, you could control with this. you could send point to point data if you wanted, But lets take a moment and talk about the hud and the cameras. The hud is meant to extend a persons mobility by allowing them to see what they need to see without moving. The eye tracking hud would allow them to change which camera they use so they can see behind them. looks left and right , other cameras to help them navigate with them mounted to their mobility device would allow them to see how far the curb drops off The robotic arm/hand could have the camera/laser combo that they could micro control. that could reach out (tracking the laser dot) to book on a table , then once in place switch to the laser/camera in the hand and read the book, And perhaps with practice , turn the page. The system would be an easy build with a good coder it probly could be done in Raspberry PI or any quad core ARM processor (snapdragon?) There is so much more the system can do. but there you are

This would be amazing! I know I could use something like this. Even something as easy as pointing is lost with my disability. Now what would you do with someone who wears glasses a Ready?

If you need a test dummy I'm up for it.

[deleted]

Your unborn child. Give me your fetus' stem cells! It would definitely be a light weight manual wheelchair with special E-motion wheels so that a quad like me could actually maneuver a "normal" wheelchair.

What does one of these fancy wheelchairs cost? I'm willing to pitch in.

That's very generous of you! But they're really expensive. A chair like that would cost about 10 grand.

That's very generous I don't know what to say

Power assist wheels huh? That's such a good idea.

Yeah that's the only way I'll ever be in a manual chair.

Fight on homie.

Will do.

I personally wouldn't mind being in a relationship with someone who is in a wheelchair. I see how some people just couldn't be interested because they can't handle the responsibility of taking care of you. But for me I feel like if I love the person enough I will always be there to take care of them and do whatever I can to make them happy and comfortable. It would make me happy to have someone who trusted me enough to take care of them and help them just live their life. I hope you find someone who deserves your kindness and love and that they can see past your disability and see the person not just the chair. Good luck to you and stay strong.

Those are the characteristics that I'm looking for in a partner.

I met a woman two weeks ago who met and married her husband after he was in a motorcycle accident and became a quadriplegic. They have 5 kids. You'll find your guy.

That does bring a little bit of hope. Maybe I won't be forever alone.

So in a partner are you afraid that they would baby you have you ran into that behavior before

I am afraid that they would baby me. I did run into that behavior with my ex but I know that it's coming from a good place.

How do you take baths? Do you ever drink alchohol?

I use a special waterproof chair. My family bathes me. It can take up to two hours. I do drink but I never get plastered.

"Oh my God guys I'm so wasted I can't feel anything! Oh wait. That's normal."

^sorry

Story of my life.

I'm so going to Hell for laughing at that.

I'm laughing with u

From the point of view of a care aide who had worked with quadriplegics before; I think it's awesome you are reaching out to share your experience and thoughts.

Thank you for doing this. I know you probably get a lot of intrusive questions regarding your disability. I just want to say thanks for being so open and answering questions.

It's my pleasure. I know that disabilities always invoke curiosity for those who are on the outside looking in. I just hope that I could help people become aware of the constant struggle we go through. Thank you for helping people like me. I know it takes a lot of patience. Idk how you do it!

Keep being awesome :-)

When I go to work (regardless of who my client is) I try to imagine the every day challenges and frustrations they face and try to ease that. You have to put yourself in the other persons place and remember that when they are frustrated or short tempered it's most likely not about you. Also, in my experience, disabled people are very resilient and are often quite introspective and capable of immense compassion.

I truly hope you have many healthy happy years ahead of you and that you find ways to challenge yourself.

Thank you very much. I really appreciate it. Patience is truly a virtue, one that I lack and have been lucky enough to have a caregiver that makes up for it.

If you could walk with your hands would you cut off your legs? Or would you not want to in case you can be cured.

I've thought about that often but if you can use your arms, there's nothing you can't do in a wheelchair. I'm actually UCLA's test dummy for a cure. My hopes are all set in medical science.

Do you ever fear your buddy will fart in your face?

Cause if I was immobile like that, my buddy would definitely fart in my face. :D

Nah, probably a guy thing.

You haven't met my sister.

Bladder/bowel/sexual function?

Bladder: I Cath. I retain urine until a temp Cath helps me expletive my urine. Bowel: suppository Sexual function: it's there I'm just not using it.

What method do you use to answer the questions on this AMA?

I'm able to use my arms and wrists so I weave a stylus in between my fingers and I just type things out on my tablet.

My dad recently injured his spine from C3-C5 after a bad fall, which also initially left him paralyzed from the neck down. He has since gained back pretty good movement in his right arm and some core strength. He also just started moving his toes! Just wanted to ask, do you still see improvement after a few years from the injury? For us it's only been a few months, but we were told to expect recovery up until 2 years. Despite the extreme difficulties you and my father face, I believe that one day soon there will be a cure. Keep your head up.

Eventually we all get to a point where our body has healed. He will get more improvement for sure. Usually everyone regains an extra level. Look into clinicaltrials.gov. I'm staring at UCLA

What disability culture are you connected with? I spent years with MOUTH magazine, Ragged Edge, Callaghan and New Mobility. They are dropping like flies. What's new, do you read if anything?

Honestly, I'm not very good with keeping up with reading material that has to do with my disability. I spend more time in support groups or looking up advances in theSCI field. I should get into reading more often.

LOL, MOUTH, and Ragged Edge and Callaghan were never about advances in SCI. they were about humor in the face of oppression and the gauntlet that can be living everyday with nondisabled folks who can be pretty wacky about disability. http:/www.mouthmag.com and http://ragged-edge-mag.com/
try them out for fun. Studies reveal an average increase in lifespan of 15 years for disability activists/advocates. Enjoy!

Well thank you, I'm always up for a good laugh!

were you drunk that night also?

I was drunk but unfortunately I can't remember how much. I hit my head hard enough to forget the majority of the night. It's probably for the best.

First time I see you mention the brain: I assume you did not suffer any brain damage with lasting consequences?

No lasting injuries no. I forgot a lot of things initially but it came back.

No lasting effects on the brain... I'm glad for you. Knowing you've been in a car wreck, that must be the biggest silver lining. Thank you for doing this fantastic AMA.

I'm more than happy to. I know I'm really lucky so I just appreciate life that much more.

How has it been financially with all the new things you need to accommodate your situation and was/is it hard paying off your medical bills?

Financially it's been a little rough when it comes to changing my house to accommodate my needs but my medical bills were payed by my friend's insurance.

I know I'm late...I've read through and didn't see these asked (or I skimmed too fast).

Will his insurer cover future medical expenses that may be incurred due to the accident?

Was there any resistance from them accepting liability as you had been drinking that night?

Any kind of financial settlement?

I used to be a paralegal for ambulance chasers so whenever I see anything about auto accidents, it's the first place my mind goes. Which is exactly why I got away from those types of people (I know drug dealers who are more respectable human beings than PI lawyers).

Oh wow I bet. I did get screwed a little. My settlement was not enough but his insurance paid all my bills, and continues to do so.

Proof you are the woman in the article please?

To the people downvoting me - Downvote me all you want. People fake this type of ama all the time to troll your emotions, god forbid I try to mitigate that.

Look me up on FB otherwise idk how else to prove it's me.

Well, your name is in the article, can you take a picture of your ID and blank out everything else but your name? If you want to keep that private send it to the mods.

The thing is, is we've had a wave of fake AMAs, and anybody can link to a website/Facebook page. It'd be best if you can tie yourself to the person in the article.

Hmm I can try and take a picture of my ID. My disability makes it difficult. I can assure you it's me though, for what it's worth.

Unfortunately we cannot take someones word for it. I'm not saying you're a fake, just trying to uphold our strict proof requirements as we've had some nasty trolls fake this type of good-natured, heart-warming topic before, and as long as I'm a mod here, I won't let that happen to this community again.

If you need help or any tips feel free to ask, I deal with this all the time and I'm sure we can figure something out.

I'm on it Will post proof right now

[URL=http://s963.photobucket.com/user/Perezanaly/media/image_zps66763ad5.jpg.html][IMG]http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae112/Perezanaly/image_zps66763ad5.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Are you in a wheelchair/other medical assisting device? If so, perhaps a picture of you (blank out your face if you like) along with a sign that has your username? Feel free to send it directly to us at AMAVerify@gmail.com to remain confidential.

I've edited my post and added an extra link. I'm sorry I'm not too computer savvy.

That's perfect, thanks!

No problem. Keep up the good work!

http://i963.photobucket.com/albums/ae112/Perezanaly/image_zps66763ad5.jpg

My cousin was in an accident whilst in the army anout 20 yrs ago. I remember how hard it seemed and imagined that it was something she would never get over. Boy how wrong I was. It took a while for her to readjust to both civilian life and her situstion, but she learnt how to write again and went back to university. She got two degrees and worked her ass off. She has a very influential job now and earns more money than anyone I know. Her partner is an awesome guy and he works overseas a lot, but she is totally independent now. They are also planning to start a family. She is one of the strongest, most succesful and humble people I have ever met. A true inspiration.

You sound positive about life and that is awesome. Stay strong.

Hearing success stories like this always gives me hope. Thanks for sharing.

whats it like having the word "Anal" in your name? Serious.

Well childhood was rough but I was not easily bullied. Now I just use in as an ice breaker.

Are you sexually active? If so is the experience very different than it was before the accident?

No I am not I'll keep you posted

Have you ever thought of doing any public speaking? Especially to high-schoolers?

Yes, I have actually! I always think that when they see a physical consequence of drinking and driving, it makes more of an impact.

Do you watch Push Girls? If so what do you think of it?

I do not but I've been meaning to look into it.

You totally should. I'm also recently paralysed and watching this show has helped me adjust to my new life. The first season's on Youtube if you want.

Oh great! Well welcome to SCI Not the best community' to b part of

Why weren't you wearing a seatbelt? Do you wear seatbelts now? When you're riding with someone in a car, is it scary?

Thank you!

Most likely it was because I was intoxicated. Yeah I actually have to wear four now to tie down my chair. At first, it was. I felt like every car was going to hit us but I'm used to it now.

How is your sense of humor about all of this? Is anything "too soon" for you? I dated a nurse who was a caretaker for a quad. She explained digital stimulation when I was eating meat loaf. We're not together anymore. Ha!

I like to joke around about my disability but I never know the thin line where it stops being funny and starts being awkward.

Dood you get any sort of physical therapy? If so, how did it feel before/during/after?

Before: "Let's do this!" During: "holy crap what did I get my self into?" After: dead

Perfect PT description.

Thanks. I tried to be as detailed as possible.

How incomplete is your level now? What treatments were used on you? How much time did you spend rehabilitating?

I was in a swimming accident when I was 12. My spinal cord was bruised around C4 and C5. I was a complete quad but recovered most of my upper body with various treatments. It's taken me many years to adapt and really wish I'd had a guide of some sort. If you have any questions feel free to ask.

I'm only bruised at C4-C5. They used electrical stimulation and just working out the body. I spent two months in rehab but I continue to go to the gym.

No questions but I wanted to say you are good looking.

Well thank you!

I don't know exactly how to ask this without sounding like a creeper (so bear with me) but will you be able to feel anything during sex? The physical act of it may become more difficult (yet still possible), but I am curious about the sensations you may or may not have any more.

I still have sensation but it's distorted.

Describe "distorted" please.

Not normal from what you feel. Half numb half sensitive and then there are parts where i don't feel temperature.

[deleted]

My typical day starts with me getting out of bed after my hygiene routine is done. I'll wash my hair and will eat one meal. I then either go to school or therapy and come home to do homework. Two of my family members put me to bed and complete the rest of my hygiene routine. And yes pain is normal unfortunately but my medication helps ease the pain.

How likely do you think the injury would be if you wore your seatbelt? Did you normally wear your seatbelt, or was this a one-time event?

I'm pretty sure I would have been fine. My friend just dislocated his shoulder so I'm sure it wouldn't have been so serious. I was always really good about wearing my seatbelt. I wish I could remember more about what happened that night, but unfortunately I don't.

OMG, you're so beautiful. :) Marry me? haha

Do I get a ring? Lol

Lol. Duh! You might even get the whole shop. ;)

Alright! I hit the jack pot!

How long did it take you to get back in a car again?

My rehab made it a point to get me back into my "normal" life so about two months post injury.

What was your view on people in wheelchairs prior to your accident? Has this view changed?

What is the most drastic change you've noticed in friends as a result?

Before the accident, I would assume that people in wheelchairs were born that way. I wouldn't really think twice about it. It's definitely changed. It's a true sense is empathy. I kind of want to come up to them and say "I feel you". Unfortunately, I lost 95% of my friends. They were there for me while I was at the hospital but that's about it.

I don't think i would be able to handle the feeling of being locked in. How extreme is the feeling of being unable to move your body? I get really panicky just thinking about it.

You learn to deal with it but at first it was really difficult. Although sometimes while I'm laying in bed, I do go through panic attacks

Do you have pictures of the crash scene? What the car looked like afterwards?

I don't but I'll ask my friend and see if he has any. If he does I'll post them.

Can you describe the "feeling" of paralysis? For example, when you try to move your big toe, does it simply not execute the motive command? Does it feel as if there is an impossibly heavy weight on it? Or, is there such a disconnect between your motor cortex and your lower appendages at this point, that even conceptualizing movement below the injury is difficult?

I also just wanted to say that I am terribly sorry for your injury. I have read the works of Christina Symanski and Clayton Atreyu, and they outlined the true reality of paralysis in agonizing detail. I hope that a cure for SCI is found soon. But, until that day comes, I hope that you use your new perspective to create in a way that was impossible before; in a way that inspires people, whether it be in a good way or a bad way.

Paralysis does feel like there's weight on you lower body. No matter how much you try to move, you just can't. It feels like your body fell asleep..that pins and needles kind of feeling. Thank you for your positivity

Are there any types of experimental procedures available that doctors could try to help your condition? Are there any options available such as stem cell experimentation, bionics, an exoskeleton suit, or anything they may want to try with an available guinea pig?

I'm up for testing at UCLA. Hopefully I will get a lot of function back. There is a lot of trials that I'm willing to try, however, many of them are in different countries and idk how much faith I have in them.

I know Siri is a far cry from Jarvis, and the Ironman suit would be overkill, but I would think we could develop a basic exoskeleton by now that could help with basic motor function. You would make a bad ass R.E.S.C.U.E. You are very pretty.

I would also think (though I have no idea) that since our nervous system uses electrical impulses, that we could 'bridge the gap' of damaged areas with the use of technology. I mean, think about what a computer/tablet/smartphone is physically, and then think about all the things it can do. It has to be possible.

For sure. I wish that I could use exoskeleton but you must be a para. Thank you for the compliment. There has been advances, like the one you described, for amputees. I'm sure we are not far off from a cross over to SCI

Just 20 years ago you had to use pay phones, ask for directions, go to libraries for basic information, send handwritten letters via mail, and countless other analogies I could think of. Look at how far technology has come. I think the medical files is about to explode with new innovation. I wish you the best of luck. You are the cutest girl I have seen all day.

Thank you very much. I know I can't wait to see the future and what it holds.

Probably too late but I read in a comment you were in architecture prior to the accident. Are you currently going back to school for architecture or something else? If your in architecture how has your approach to design changed, how has your design process changed? Just an idea on the drawing you should get a bamboo tablet to draw directly into Photoshop or other programs. I to am studying architecture in grad school I'd be curious to see some of your work so I can critique it. Jk!

Ahh! I'm so over critiques! I'm going back to school for interior design although my ultimate goal so to go back to architecture. I view everything now through ADA regulations. I don't know how some buildings think that they're actually wheelchair accessible. My head always goes to "How can I make this easier?" I'm way ahead of you! Bamboo has really helped get back into designing.

May I inquire for some photo's of how it is all looking now? I know you already provided proof for who you are. Just a curious cat here!

I'll post one up ASAP.

I lived in the SCV for a year and I'm flying in tomorrow for a visit. has anything changed in the last 14 months?

The metro is almost finished but there's a bit of construction on Soledad buy otherwise everything is still the same.