Dan
Stell Retires
Dan
Stell (right) admires the cake at the luncheon honoring his retirement.
ASCC Case
Manager Dan Stell announced his retirement effective February 23, 2001.
Dan had been employed as a Case Manager in the Little Rock office since
1982. Previous to his tenure with ASCC, Dan began his state career in
1969 with the Arkansas Rehabilitation Services. His dedication and untiring
efforts will be missed by those individuals he served.
Dan’s
relaxed and steady manner always put people at ease. This attribute has
enabled him to develop the confidence and trust necessary for positive
working relationships with the individuals he has served, as well as with
other professionals.
In addition
to instilling confidence in others, Dan was often considered “the stable
force” in the Little Rock Case Management Office. His years of experience
provided invaluable leadership to many new Case Managers.
“As
a Case Manager Dan was always there to help with a problem and he didn’t
quituntil a solution was found,” said ASCC Client Services Administrator
Patti Rogers. This opinion was shared by clients, coworkers and friends
alike. Dan’s persistence will be missed at ASCC.
The
Commission honored Dan with a luncheon February 22 at the Bella Italia
Restaurant. His wife Annie and daughter Dawn were present as ASCC staff,
former coworkers and friends paid tribute to Dan and wished him well.
On behalf of the Arkansas Spinal Cord Commission, Executive Director Cheryl
Vines presented Dan with a plaque in recognition of his many years of
service to the agency and to individuals with spinal cord disabilities.
Rumor
has it that Dan and Annie are already planning a trip to China in the
near future. Until then, those of us travelling down Interstate 40 won’t
be surprised to see Dan some morning casting a line or two on the waters
of Lake Conway.
Whatever
his future endeavor we know that it will be successful and we wish him
the best!
New
Medicaid Working Disabled Coverage Available
A new
option for Medicaid coverage is now available that will allow SSI recipients
to go to work but maintain their Medicaid coverage, based on their income.
The program is an employment initiative designed to serve as a “bridge”
to enable people with disabilities to gain employment without losing Medicaid
benefits.
The
program was mandated by Act 1197 of 1999 and the staff at Department of
Human Services (DHS) have worked diligently to establish the program,
in accordance with similar federal legislation. The new Working Disabled
(WD) program is Aid Category 10, which became effective on February 1,
2001. Eligibility requirements for this new program include:
-
Are 16 to 64
years old.
-
Are disabled
according to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability criteria.
-
Are employed
in any ongoing work activity for which income is received.
-
Have a net countable
income under 250% of the federal poverty level. This would be $1,739
for an individual, $2,343 for a family of two, $3,552 for
a family of four, etc.
-
Have countable
resources equal to or less than the Medicaid resource level for the
household size. A Working Disabled recipient may have funds in an
“approved account” which may be used to enhance independence or employability
(such as assistive technology or work related expenses
such as personal care assistance). This account must be approved by
DHS
Medicaid
recipients in the WD category will receive a full range of Medicaid benefits
in accordance with Medicaid guidelines. However, there will be a new cost
sharing copayment plan established for those recipients with incomes over
100% and up to 250% of the federal poverty level.
The
copays are nominal, not unlike the cost of a typical health maintenance
organization. For example, a physicians visit copay is $10, emergency
department visit $10, home health or therapy $10 per visit and durable
medical equipment 20% of the Medicaid maximum allowable. Prescription
coverage is also available.
This
innovative new program is not for everyone, but it will provide a great
opportunity for those who want to move back into the workforce but are
fearful of losing their needed medical coverage. It allows those who work
in jobs where there is no health insurance to maintain Medicaid coverage,
up to a certain income.
If you
are interested in applying for the new Working Disabled Category 10 coverage,
you may apply at your local Department of Human Services County office.
If you have questions related to eligibility, you may contact DHS Customer
Assistance at 1-800-482-8988.
See
You On The River!
Dear
Editor:
I am
working with the Arkansas Canoe Club to develop an adaptive canoeing program
for individuals with disabilities. The Canoe Club plans to host two clinics
in different areas of the state this year to teach adaptive skills and
to get persons with disabilities involved in canoeing. It’s a great outdoor
activity that can be done with friends, family or the club on Arkansas’
many rivers and lakes.
Interested
individuals for the first programs would need to have hand strength, upper
body strength and at least fair trunk balance—this would probably include
those with paraplegia below T6.
If you
are interested in this exciting opportunity, at no cost to the participant,
please contact me at 501-361-2539.
See you on the river!
Tammy
Graham, OTR
Fayetteville, AR
From
the Director
By
Cheryl L. Vines, ASCC Executive Director
A dear
friend passed this story along to me the other day and I thought it was
well worth sharing with you.
A group
of frogs were traveling through the forest and two of them fell in a deep
pit. All the other frogs gathered around the pit. When they saw how deep
it was, they yelled down to the fallen frogs that they would never get
out. The two frogs ignored them and jumped and jumped trying to get out
of the pit. The frogs above kept telling them they were as good as dead.
Finally one frog took heed to the yells, gave up, fell over and died.
The other frog just jumped harder and higher. The frogs above kept yelling
to him to stop the pain and suffering and give up. He kept jumping and
finally got high enough to make it out.
When
he got out, the other frogs were amazed. “Why did you keep jumping? Didn’t
you hear us?” “No,” the frog motioned—he was deaf. As he had looked
up from the pit, he thought they were en-couraging him and cheering him
on!
Two
lessons from the frogs:
1. There
is the power of life and death in the spoken word. An encouraging word
to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through
the day.
2.
A destructive word to someone who is down can be all it takes to make
them give up, to kill their spirit.
Speak
life to those who cross your path. Special is that individual who takes
the time to encourage others.
Enjoy
the spring and watch out for the frogs!
With
Thanks
Donations
this quarter from:
Jimmy
Ashley
Grover
Evans
Wanda McConnell
Sandra
Moudy
ASCC
accepts tax deductible donations. The generosity of the many individuals
and families, who over the years have made memorial donations, is greatly
appreciated. Contributions are used to assist our clients through purchases
of equipment and educational resources.
If you
would like to make a contribution, please contact the Commission at
501-296-1788 / 800-459- 1517 (voice) / 501-296-1794
(TDD), or send your donation to:
AR
Spinal Cord Commission
1501 N. University, Suite 470
Little Rock, AR 72207
Time
to Sign Up for Camp!
Spring
has arrived and it is time to get ready for our annual Spina Bifida Camp.
Every year the Arkansas Spinal Cord Commission, in cooperation with MedCamps
of Arkansas, Inc. and Camp Alders-gate, Inc., sponsors a week long session
of camping for children between the ages of six and sixteen at Camp Aldersgate
in West Little Rock. This year’s camp will be held from June
24 through June 29, 2001.
For
those of you unfamiliar with camp, Camp Aldersgate is located in West
Little Rock. The traditional camping activities such as nature hikes,
outdoor cooking, arts and crafts, swimming, fishing, drama and music are
featured. These activities have been adapted so that each camper can participate
to his or her fullest ability.
All
of the cabins, dining hall, health care center and activity buildings
are air conditioned and fully accessible. In addition, from the time camp
starts on Sunday afternoon until camp ends on Friday morning, the campers
are supervised by trained counselors, volunteers and MedCamps med-ical
specialists.
This
really is a time of growth and learning for all of the campers while they
spend a week full of fun-filled activities.
Applications and brochures were sent out in March and acceptance will
be based on a first-come, first-served basis—so be sure to send yours
in as soon as possible!
SBA/AR
College Scholarship Program
For
the 2001-2002 school year the Spina Bifida Association of Arkansas (SBA/AR)
offers four college scholarships of $500 each to graduating high school
students, those who have already graduated or those currently attending
a college, university or vocational-technical school.
Eligibility
requirements are:
-
-
Reside in the
state of Arkansas.
-
Have been accepted
to a college, university or vocational-technical school for the school
year beginning in the fall of 2001.
-
Complete an application
that includes a written essay, proof of acceptance or registration
for the fall semester and letters of recommendation.
-
Applications
must be received by the SBA/AR no later that
August 15, 2001.
All applicants will be notified by September 1, 2001, as to whether or
not they have been awarded a scholarship. Past recipients of scholarships
are eligible to apply. However, first consideration will be given to those
who have not previously received a scholarship.
To obtain
an application, call 501-978-7222.
Mail completed applications, together with supporting documents, to:
Spina
Bifida Assn of AR
PO Box 24663
Little Rock, AR 72221
Don’t
forget to check with counselors at your high school and at the schools
where you might decide to attend for other sources of financial assistance.
Freehand
System for Quadriplegics
By
Tom Kiser, M.D., ASCC Medical Director
When
I see patients in clinic we often talk about recent spinal cord research
and what is new in the medical treatment of individuals with spinal cord
injuries. One recent innovation that can help individuals with C5 to C6
quadriplegia is the Freehand system.
This
is an implantable device that bypasses the damaged spinal cord and directly
stimulates the muscles of your arm by using electricity. A pacemaker-like
device implanted under your skin sends electrical signals to the muscles
of your wrist and hand. For properly selected individuals with loss of
upper and lower extremity movement, it can help restore use of a paralyzed
hand and improve their level of independence.
The
Freehand system provides electrical stimulation that can help restore
grasp and pinch to individ-uals with spinal cord injuries. The device
is an electromagnetic receiver about the size of a pacemaker, which is
implanted under the skin on the chest. Wires run from the receiver to
the muscles we want to stimulate. Up to eight separate muscles can be
stimulated. The receiver is powered by a transmitting electromagnetic
coil, which is taped to the skin over the receiver by an aide or family
member and then connected to a battery-powered power source attached to
the wheelchair. Impulses to the paralyzed arm are sent by moving the opposite
shoulder, which has a telescoping control unit taped to the shoulder.
The
Freehand system can be a powerful tool to help an individual with no hand
function regain enough hand function to do many tasks that previously
were impossible. Some tasks that the Freehand system can help individuals
perform are eating and drinking, brushing teeth, combing hair, writing
with a pen/pencil, using a telephone, inserting a floppy disk or handling
larger objects such as video tapes and books.
Not
everyone with quadriplegia is a candidate for the Freehand system. Your
muscles have to be able to be stimulated by electricity. You cannot have
a pressure sore or an active infection. You have to be willing to participate
in a home program with a surface stimulation unit for one to two months
to strengthen the muscles in your arm in preparation for surgery. You
have to be able to live with your arm immobilized in a cast for up to
six weeks after surgery. Finally, you have to participate in an aggressive
rehabilitation program postoperatively to learn how to use the system
effectively. If you do not qualify for the Freehand system, you may be
a candidate for tendon transfers to help restore hand function.
Presently
the only location in Arkansas working with the Freehand system is the
Baptist Health Medical Center in Little Rock. If you are interested in
being evaluated for the Freehand system, contact the Baptist Health Rehabilitation
Institute Outpatient clinic at 501-202-7520,
and they can tell you what steps to take to be scheduled for an evaluation.
Grief
and Loss Due To Disability
By
Bernie Quell, ASCC Case Manager, Little Rock, AR
 Many
newly disabled individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI) never fully
realize the extent of their personal loss until months after the incident.
Some individuals enjoy a celebrity status while in the hospital. They
are surrounded by family and friends and well-wishers. They are the attention
of hospital personnel and rehabilitation specialists. Staff meetings with
several professionals are held to assess and promote progress, gains and
limitations.
The
initial assumption of many individuals with any catastrophic injury is:
“I can beat this. This is just a temporary setback.” After awhile reality
rears its ugly head, and what was seen as “temporary” becomes a living
nightmare.
At this
time, it is normal to be angry. It is normal to be grief stricken. It
is normal to want back what has been lost. There is the physical loss
of function to the body.
There
is also secondary loss—this is loss due to your dreams of life which may
never occur now. There is the loss of certain activities that you may
never participate in again. There is loss due to immediacy and spontaneity.
Things you used to do on your own now require planning and assistance
from others. Your reality becomes one of being dependent on others.
Many
individuals with SCI get caught in attempting to recreate events that
led up to the incident. Many of their statements begin with “If only .
. . , if only . . . , if only . . . .” Many individuals take their hurt
and frustration out on their family and loved ones. The injury does not
only affect the victim. Their loved ones are grieving also. All of this
emotional pain is sometimes more difficult to understand than the physical
loss.
So what
can be done?
There
are no easy answers. This is a situation where there is no quick fix.
Permanent is permanent. Acceptance is the first step. You were not a fool
to think that all of this would go away and everything would go back to
normal. From here on out, this is normal. It is likely not what you ever
would have chosen for yourself—however, this is the normal you are dealing
with now.
Your
challenge is to work toward accepting your “normal” situation as it now
presents itself to you. Again, it’s not easy. You need to be able to express
your anger and frustration in ways that are not hurtful to yourself or
to others.
Using
alcohol and drugs will not make things better. When you sober up, you
are still who and what you are. Drugs and alcohol help with avoidance.
The key here is acceptance. Drugs,
alcohol and anger usually cover up the true feelings that an individual
is attempting to avoid. Getting mad and angry at those closest to you
does not help you or them.
Maybe
you could talk with a loved one by saying: “I am afraid of all of the
changes in my life. I don’t know if I can handle all of it. All I know
is that I am very frightened.” Honest and open communication with a loved
one or a trusted friend is so very important.
Communication
is a direct link to acceptance, which leads to changes in your attitude.
The worst thing that any person can experience is feeling so alone that
no one could ever understand their situation. There is a lot of value
placed on independence, but the truth of the matter is that we all need
one another.
Allow
yourself the opportunity to express your loss in healthy and helpful ways.
In the right situation, ask your loved ones how they have been affected
by SCI. Steps to aim for include:
Again,
it’s not easy. It is reaching out to others. It is a step toward recovery
of your loss.
Two-mile
Trek to Class Does Not Stop
Wheelchair-bound Student
By
Daniel Childers, ASU Graduate in Journalism
e-mail address: dlc42098@yahoo.com
I will
never forget November 17, 1991. I was cutting deli meat at Bruce’s Market
in Jonesboro, AR when the phone rang.
I smelled
the pressed ham on my hands as I picked up the phone. My father told me
my best friend, Junior Mosley, had been shot in the back of the neck by
his stepfather for defending his mother during
an argument.
Junior
was a sophomore at Jonesboro High School. He was a slender handsome black
kid from the north side of Jonesboro. I remember his big white-toothed
smile. Standing a couple of inches over six feet, he was a quiet individual
who avoided trouble at all costs. He was a promising basketball player
about to start for the varsity team. He excelled in academics as well
as athletics, in case basketball didn’t work out. Well, it didn’t.
I was
confused, angry, anxious and frustrated after I heard the news. However,
I showed no emotions as my father, who was as upset as I was, comforted
me and drove me to the hospital. At 16 years old, I never imagined this
could happen so close to home.
I walked
in the hospital expecting the best. I saw Junior, his head lying in a
pool of blood, and he was unconscious. Just the day before we had played
one-on-one and cracked jokes like most best friends. Now my friend appeared
to be dead.
A doctor
told me Junior might live. I stayed in the hospital the first night trying
to understand the extent of my friend’s injuries. The longer I stayed,
the more confused I became. The only information I received was that my
friend would not die that day, and that he would never walk again.
I visited
my friend. He had a breathing tube protruding from his neck and a feeding
tube poking out of his belly. I told him if there was anything I could
do, to just let me know.
Junior
gradually got better. The tube was removed from his neck and he could
eat solid food. He even had his own floor to himself.
Everyone
went to see him and cared about him. Basketball coaches and the basketball
teams visited him, and elementary schools sent him cards with the name
of every kid in the school. This lasted for a few months until he was
released from the hospital. He stayed in town for a while and then left
for a rehabilitation center in Hot Springs.
After
his move to Hot Springs, the contact between the two of us dwindled from
once per day to maybe one call a week. I visited him in Hot Springs, and
he appeared to be getting better.
He is
a high quadriplegic and has minimal use of his hands. He can’t write or
brush his teeth without a prosthesis.
After
the shooting, Junior was mad at the world and he was sour most of the
time, but who wouldn’t be after that trauma?
He stayed
in Hot Springs for about five years, and came to Jonesboro for holidays.
Junior moved to Little Rock when he was done with rehab in Hot Springs.
Our
conversation went from once a week to about once a month. We still called
each other on birthdays; we always remembered those days.
One
day Junior called. He said he had been sitting at the house by himself
watching television. “I heard a knock at the door. I asked who it was
and someone said David. I looked out of the peephole and noticed it was
one of my friends, so I opened the door.
“He
came in with three other people, two guys and a girl. The girl asked if
she could use the bathroom, and I said yes. Next thing I know, my friend
hit me in the back of the head. I turned and he stabbed me in the eye
and then three or four times in the back of the neck.
“If
that wasn’t enough, the girl was taking my stuff and the two other guys
were saying ‘don’t move or we’ll shoot you.’ I said where can I go in
this wheelchair?”
After
that, Junior decided to return to Jonesboro. Since his return, I have
realized the importance of missed friends.
He lost
his sight in one eye and looks pretty much like he did before the shooting,
although he is about 40 pounds heavier and is hunched over in a wheelchair.
He lives
in a one-person house with his sister and three of her kids on his disability
check. Junior enrolled at ASU this fall and he rides his wheelchair almost
two miles to and from classes.
Allister
Mosley Jr. begins his two-mile journey to Arkansas State University from
his home
in north Jonesboro. Despitemany difficulties, he continues topursue a
college degree.
Photo by Daniel Childers
“I decided
to go to school for a few reasons. One, I don’t want to sit at home doing
nothing. It gets very boring and depressing. Two, It makes me have a sense
of self worth. It’s something positive. Three, I really need an education,”
Junior said.
Junior
never fails to call on my birthday. This year, he bought me my favorite
present, a cordless drill. I told him he didn’t have to get me anything.
He said with that one-of-a-kind smile, “I know, but every time you come
to fix my stuff that is the only damn tool you are missing and that is
always the one you need.”
I see
him on campus regularly and we admire decent looking women and talk about
old times. Sometimes we discuss the squirrels leaping from tree to tree.
The next day we might talk about playing ball like we did at the City
Water and Light Park on Cherry Street. Whatever the topic, we always have
something to say.
Since
his return to Jonesboro, Junior’s attitude toward life has changed for
the better. “Well, I thought for a year about the things I have been through.
The only thing worse could be death and I have been close to that a few
times,” he said. “I am just happy to be here and look forward to school
the next day. That’s my philosophy—live life day by day and you’ll be
happier, and I am.”
So,
if you are driving on Aggie in the rain and see a black guy in a wheelchair
taking his time riding down the middle of the street, remember he has
already ridden at least a mile. His wheelchair only goes eight miles per
hour and he probably will be on campus in about 10 or 15 minutes, and
you can bet he’ll be there.
He’s
lived through hell, and is riding through the high water to get to class.
Reprinted
with permission courtesy ofThe Herald of Arkansas State University,
December 5, 2000, page 4.
Internet
Life
Yes,
the days are getting longer and warmer. Spring time is right around the
corner. April showers, cool sunny days, flowers in bloom, picnics, spring
cleaning, travel, romance! Sounds inviting—especially that romance part.
If you’re interested, you may want to check out these web sites:
Sexuality
information, education, counseling, therapy, medical aspects and other
resources are available at http://www.sexual
health.com.
Romance
tips, advice, communication solutions, personal stories and other related
information can be found at http://inlove.org.
If you’re
planning a trip, especially on commercial carriers, visit these sites
for valuable tips:
Good
and bad experiences of dis-abled travelers at hotels, airlines and restaurants
are related at http://www.geocities.com/Paris/1502/.
Look
for travel information, links, and discussion groups for people with disabilities
at http://www. access-able.com/.
More
travel information, discussions and resources are available at
http://gimponthego.com.
If you’re
thinking about trading your old wheelchair in for a new model (don’t ya
wish), you might want to visit http://www.wheelchairjunkie.com. There
you’ll find critiques, information and discussion about specific
models of chairs from users themselves to help in your decision process.
So,
where have you been on the Internet? We would like to hear from you at
courier@arspinalcord.org .
Watch
What You’re Doing!
By
Don Bragdon, London, AR
About
three months ago I burned my knee with boiling hot water while sterilizing
my catheters on the stove. I have been doing this for over five years,
but this was the first time I spilled the water.
Not
watching what I was doing, I had rolled over to pull the pot off the burner
when it started boiling and the hot water spilled on my knee. I didn’t
know I had burned myself until I got in bed and pulled off my stockings—the
skin came off with them! A spot about the size of a dollar bill had burned,
and it’s still not complete-ly healed.
Now
I put a heavy piece of plastic with a double thickness towel under it
over my legs when I’m boiling water (a plastic garbage bag with a thick
towel will work). That way, it will deflect the water off my legs if I
spill any. Also, when I’m in my shop welding, I put a rawhide apron on
my lap in case I drop anything hot.
The
problem in injuring yourself is not thinking what could happen. You have
to watch what you do!
ADSA
Trap Shoot
The
Arkansas Disabled Sportsman Association (ADSA) is sponsoring a Trap Shoot
on May 5, 2001. The cost of this event is $10 for each participant. You
do not have to be disabled to participate in this event. All participants’
names will be placed in a hat (one for disabled/one for nondisabled) and
teams will be drawn from them. Trophies will be awarded and snacks will
be provided. The $10 entry fee will cover the cost of the clays and shells
for the round.
Fishing
outings can be scheduled if any members are interested. Dove, squirrel,
deer and duck hunts are being scheduled for the fall, but dates have not
yet been set.
ADSA
hopes you will participate, and would like to ask that, if you have any
suggestions or ideas of events, please feel free to call 870-933-5254.
Check
Out These Books!
The
McCluer Education and Resource Center on Spinal Cord Injury has added
a number of new items to its collection. If you are interested in
checking out any of the resources, please call the Resource Center at
501-296-1792 or 800-459-1517.
It’s spring and time to get in shape! Three good books on fitness include:
Toward
Fitness: Guided Exercise for Those with Health Problems
provides clearly described exercise and sports programs specifically tailored
to overcome individual physical problems such as obesity, diabetes, back
pain, advanced age, long inactivity, loss of limb and after effects of
a heart attack, to name a few of the disabilities affecting a great majority
of the population.
Physical
Fitness: A Guide for Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury
offers a solid foundation in understanding the importance of physical
fitness and the ways in which persons with SCI can achieve, maintain and
enjoy keeping fit. Several SCI levels are covered and variations on how
the desired exercises and sports activities can be accomplished are included.
Conditioning
with Physical Disabilities
provides conditioning activities and programs specifically designed to
help you enjoy and benefit from regular exercise, regardless of your disability.
It was written to expand the knowledge base on strength conditioning for
you, coaches, and professionals.
SPINAL
COURIER
Published
quarterly by Arkansas Spinal Cord Commission
Cheryl
L. Vines, Executive Director
Thomas
L. Farley and Dee Ledbetter, Coeditors
Commission
Members: James Miller, Chair; Sheila Galbraith Bronfman; Joe McNiel; Russell
Patton, III; Sandra Turner
The
Arkansas Spinal Cord Commission does not discriminate on the basis of
race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age or disability in employment
or the provision of services.
Visit
our website at: www.state.ar.us/ascc
or e-mail us at: courier@arspinalcord.org
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