Disabilities-R-Us

Created by and for people with physical disabilities.

Getting Active

Jun 03, 1998

This is an archival transcript of one of our past meetings. We don't have scheduled topical meetings anymore, but we're not opposed to the idea of bringing them back if someone is willing to commit to hosting them on a "long term" basis.

Participants already present:
  HandiBot
  lisiado
  Lily
  CincyKid
  ChanServ
  In
  ellie
  HelloKit ([email protected])
  DocKeaggy
  In-
ellie: in have got mirc installed yet
Lily: i almost put my fist thro mine, today
In-: ellie no installed Daniel's program
ellie: great excercise lily
* HelloKit walks sometimes, and other times does aerobics.
Lily: thx, ellie:)
* DocKeaggy plays basketball and golf
ellie: i excercise my right arm alot
DocKeaggy: smooth
ellie: glass to mouth..glass to mouth
DocKeaggy: hehe
Lily: same here, but my left
HelloKit: I also enjoy swimming, but don't get to often.
DocKeaggy: these meetings are fun:)
*** jrt has joined #disabled
In-: I exercise my arms, hands, & mouth
DocKeaggy: hey there debbie
Lily: glad your enjoying this, doc:)))
jrt: hello sorry that i am late:)
In-: hi jrt
Lily: hi, jrt
DocKeaggy: no worries
ellie: hi jrt
Lily: np, jrt
jrt: cant say in irc,lol
HelloKit: lol Debbie!
HelloKit: You naughty girl you...
In-: lol
DocKeaggy: hehehe
Lily: lol
DocKeaggy: smooth
jrt: sorry :)
HelloKit: In what ways, if any, do you adapt your physical activities to your disability?
HelloKit: And no Debbie, I don't mean your idea of exercise... ;o)
jrt: umm, none really, dont liked getting poked in the eye:)
DocKeaggy: hehe
In-: lol
HelloKit: I use slightly slower music for aerobics so I can keep up with the beat without giving myself a heart attack.
* jrt will behave:)
*** Laura3 has joined #Disabled
DocKeaggy: like what kit, slow dance:)
DocKeaggy: hi laura
Lily: can't do aerobics, fall over...which is messy
Laura3: hi
jrt: Hi Laura:)
HelloKit: No, not that slow... just not as fast as what most people use.
In-: Hi Laura
ellie: cant do anything...which is even messier
DocKeaggy: hehe, just messin'
DocKeaggy: I see
In-: me either ellie
jrt: I love aeroobics, but get puffed to easy
Laura3: probs with connecting sorry where are we?]
DocKeaggy: Kit, I was only playing, I practically have to use slow dance to do arobics
Lily: nowhere
In-: u too, Laura
DocKeaggy: I stink at them
HelloKit: For swimming I have to wear inflatable water wings or I sink ;o)
ellie: i guess this meeting is not for me
jrt: now I could swim all day, just need a pool:)
ellie: i come here to forget my disabilities not be reminded of them
Laura3: I fear water but would like to try a whirlpool again
HelloKit: Yeah that's my problem too Debbie... lol
In-: ellie r u para?
DocKeaggy: I'm not disabled, so I really shouldn't be here either.
ellie: what difference does it make
jrt: we are all here trying to help one nother ellie:)
In-: sorry ellie, didn't mean to be nosy, I am
Laura3: we do a lot of brainstorming too
DocKeaggy: but I am here:)
ellie: oh im sorry in didnt mean to snap
jrt: another
In-: paralyzed that is
ellie: i have ms
In-: ellie me too]
In-: that stupid key
Laura3: I know
In-: how long have u had it ellie
* DocKeaggy takes the ] key off
ellie: 7 years
jrt: thats okay ellie:)
Laura3: I have probs with it as well
Lily: problem is, we all have such different ones, meetings make me feel different, other times i'm just me
HelloKit: Ellie we don't have these meetings to dwell on our disabilities or feel sorry for ourselves. The purpose is to share ideas and information which can be helpful for us to live normal lives.
In-: I have had it for 25
ellie: we cant live normal lives
DocKeaggy: and I''m here to say hi to friends
ellie: isnt that the point
DocKeaggy: :)
jrt: hey ellie i look at it l;ike this, 'what is normal'???
In-: yes we can ellie, I do, and have used chair for 19 yrs.
Lily: and u do it well, too, doc!
ellie: i know what normal is...its what i want
DocKeaggy: hehe. thnx
*** Laura3 has left #Disabled
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HelloKit: No, not at all. I live as 'normal' a life as possible and don't let my disability dictate what I will and won't do.
*** Laura3 has left #Disabled
DocKeaggy: ellie, being like everyone else isn't all there is to life
In-: there are alot of things I can't do that I use to, just thanful for what I still can do ellie:))))
ellie: no but its a good start
In-: glad u r here doc:)))
DocKeaggy: thnx
jrt: being happy and getting the most out of life is what its all about
DocKeaggy: yup
In-: I agree
In-: Laura, did u have prob. with Daniel's program too?
HelloKit: Do those of you who do exercise have anything that you have not yet figured out how to adapt or work around?
In-: don't mean to change subject
DocKeaggy: ya, this thing that I spent 75 bucks on:)
Lily: but we have to accept the reality of some limitations....like i cudn't climb a ladder, for eg
Lily: lol
jrt: well I do get a sore lower back, but have found using one of those ab roller things helps put less strain on my back
*** Laura2 has joined #Disabled
Laura2: ok
DocKeaggy: that's what I have, an ab roller, I haven't figured it out
DocKeaggy: debbie, how do you use those things?
DocKeaggy: hi Laura
Lily: doc, did you buy something from the shopping channel?
DocKeaggy: yup
DocKeaggy: my mistake:)
Laura2: lol
*** Ray-1 has joined #disabled
DocKeaggy: hi Ray
jrt: lay on your back with your legs bent up and use your arms to pull yourself up
Lily: we bot one, but the dog ate it
Laura2: hi ray
In-: ellie, do u get tired easily?
In-: hi ray
jrt: Hi ray:)
ellie: yes in
Lily: hi, ray
ellie: i have to pace myself
Ray-1: Hi all.
In-: me too ellie,
ellie: hi ray
DocKeaggy: thnx deb, I've been trying to use my stomach muscles for that ooops
Lily: me, too
jrt: :)
In-: same here, which I find it hard to do
ellie: getting through a days work is enough excercise for me
jrt: ellie have you tried water areobics??
*** rose^ has joined #disabled
DocKeaggy: hi rose
Lily: hi, rose
ellie: nope dont fancy the humiliation
Laura2: I can become tired easily, not always
jrt: Hi rose:)
In-: where do u work ellie?
In-: hi rose
rose^: hi everyone
ellie: university of northumbria
ellie: hi rose
DocKeaggy: are you a professor?
In-: u a teacher
ellie: yes
Laura2: hi rose
DocKeaggy: smooth!
DocKeaggy: you kick butt, you know that?
DocKeaggy: :)
In-: I had to gived up work 19 yrs. ago ellie
HelloKit: How many who do not exercise would like to find some way to become more active?
ellie: sorry to hear that in
In-: Laura, do u have MS?
Laura2: I would
Laura2: no in
jrt: can you do much walking ellie??
Laura2: CP
In-: me too
ellie: no icant walk or stand
ellie: paralysed
Ray-1: I've sort of been forced to.
In-: u use chair too ellie
ellie: yes
jrt: sorry just tgrying to think of a low inpact exercise:)
ellie: just got a new chair
DocKeaggy: brb
Laura2: I can crawl, but my knees are arthritic
In-: Laura, u use chair too don't ya?:)
Laura2: or something similar
Laura2: yes
Laura2: it could just be spasticity
Laura2: but I think it's more
In-: I crawl when I fall to go to the phone to call someone to pick me up
Ray-1: I work at a computer 8 hrs a day and yesterday I started having real bad leg cramps. Too much inactivity.
jrt: pity they dont have riding for the disabled for adults over there:/
In-: I hate spasms, and my legs r starting to get like that now, so thnk will have to go soon
HelloKit: I have that problem too, Ray, but lately it seems like every time I decide to get up and away from the computer, I hurt myself :o/
Ray-1: I have CP like you do, Laura.
Laura2: has anyone tried parrafin for spasms/stiffness/pain?
*** CincyKid has left irc (Leaving)
Laura2: you do?
In-: nope
Lily: night all
Laura2: wow I met A girl yesterday who did too
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In-: ellie, do u have to take alot of meds?
ellie: night lily
In-: nite Lily
Laura2: night Lily
rose^: night Lily:o)
*** ^Raven^ has joined #disabled
HelloKit: Are there any specific activities you'd like to be able to do? Do you have any ideas for adapting them?
ellie: no not anymore in
^Raven^: hihi
ellie: just for my bladder
rose^: night all
In-: what do u take for that, I take septra
ellie: night rose
In-: nite rose
*** rose^ has left #disabled
Laura2: I'd like to try horseback riding again
jrt: one activity I am going to do again very soon is start horse riding:)
ellie: i takd dilantin
In-: nite everybody, getting real tired, take care ttyl
ellie: or oxybutanin
jrt: night in:)
ellie: nite in
^Raven^: night 2
*** ^Raven^ has left irc (Leaving)
*** In- has left #Disabled
Laura2: last time I became to stiff and I not sure how to reduce that
*** In has left irc (In)
jrt: what horseback riding???
Laura2: yes
ellie: goodnight all
jrt: night ellie:)
*** ellie has left irc (ellie)
jrt: ummm unortunately the more you ride the less stiff you get, thats about the only cure I know for that laura:)
jrt: unfortunately
HelloKit: If you don't know what you'd like to do for exercise, how does your disability limit what you can do? Does anyone else have suggestions for these people?
jrt: I know I am going to be stiff and sore for weeks when I start to ride again
DocKeaggy: back
DocKeaggy: my suggestion is experiment
jrt: wb doc:)
DocKeaggy: thnx
Laura2: my spasticity increased a lot when I was seven
HelloKit: Are there any other tips or tricks you'd like to share, or questions you'd like to ask?
jrt: yeah even the siplest thing to some people might be a major advance to others, and there are lots of different ways to excersize, that may not be the norm
Laura2: what experiment, doc?
jrt: simplest
Laura2: I'm going to by a finger exerciser that increases fine motor control
DocKeaggy: Kit asked if you had any suggestions for people who'd like to excercise.
jrt: I say get out ther and give what ever you are comfortable with a go
Laura2: I know:) slow typing
Laura2: trust yourself
Laura2: be gentle with yourself physically
jrt: even sitting doing muscle exercises is better than doing nothing at all
Laura2: try to find a balance, which is harder than it seems
Ray-1: Are there any exercises anybody can recommend to strengthen leg muscles?
Laura2: I do stretching
Laura2: do you have spasms Ray?
Ray-1: Yes, they started recently.
jrt: um, try putiing a plastuic bag filled with something weighty, and sit and try and lift the bag with your leg
Laura2: try to stretch a little past the point when you feel it kick in
jrt: the bag is round your ankle:)
Ray-1: Hey, that's good. thanx.
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Laura2: what if you can't sit in a position that's conducive to that ellie?
HelloKit: Velcro ankle weights work well also.
Laura2: ok
jrt: Hi Lily:)
Lily: hi
DocKeaggy: brb
Laura2: and move slowly, Ray. Spasms are exacerbated by quick movement
Ray-1: Dumb question: Where would I find those weights, Hellokit?
HelloKit: oops
Laura2: lol
jrt: anyways people, sorry i have to get going but john will be home soon, he has to go to the dentist, but I will be back later:)
Laura2: ok Deb
Lily: bye jrt:)
jrt: byes for noe:)
HelloKit: Not sure Ray... when I used them it was at school, the school bought them.
*** jrt has left irc (Leaving)
Laura2: me too
Lily: we have some, bot at a sports store
HelloKit: I would guess a sports store or something.
Laura2: ok cool
Ray-1: Great, thanks.
HelloKit: Well, I think we're about done for the night. Anyone object to turning the logs off?
Lily: btw, judi says hi, her puter died on her
Ray-1: No and thanks for all the info, everyone.
Laura2: no carly
END