The real action

    Sorry for the Blog Lag. As much as I enjoy blogging, tweeting and keeping up with all things social media, 3D life is more than a parallel universe providing material to me. It's all about faith. The logistics are simply details.
    The other night a truck careening through the Midwest carrying a donated wheelchair I arranged to be sent to a kid out west lost touch with the person making the delivery arrangements - me. I, Wheelie catholic, was busy with my day job. I finished what I was doing in the office and realized that out there was a Wheelchair Gone Rogue. I didn't have the truck driver's phone number, nor did he have mine. But he knew I had a blog with an email attached to it. Long story short, let's just say he found me just as I was wondering what to do and he was very glad to find out where to drop off the wheelchair.
    I had a good laugh at the whole situation. The real action is about people. A wayward trucker on a dark road. An extra wheelchair. A little boy who needs a chair. It's about helping each other out, connecting, sharing resources and muddling through what sometimes is an unfair system where equipment, care and/or a multitude of needed objects and people pass by each other, not realizing that a connection might help each other.
    Got a box of extra gloves? Have an unwanted pair of crutches or walker sitting around? A relative who passed away leaving medical equipment? Donate it. Share it. Pass it on.
    People are hurting. We live in a climate where we're frantic about SSI insurance funds running out, where claims for wheelchairs are denied, where folks go under financially piled under medical bills, choosing between food and new wheelchair tires. Like the Allegory of the Cave, we need to look at things from a new perspective and let in what may seem to be an ironic thought, albeit a spiritual one - There is Enough. Connecting it all is often the real problem. Not sharing. Not giving what each of us can. Not opening our minds to solutions. If we can change those negatives to positives, if we can start making things real, there will be less want. Not perfectly done, because we are human, but better.
    I believe that is the faith part. The spiritual part.

Quadriplegic Transfer Into Bed

Doug made a video showing how he transfers into bed independently using a lift.

Intouchables - relationships, caregiving and disability

In the French film Intouchables, a rich quadriplegic hires a young man from the projects to be his live in caregiver. Some critics love it, others say it plays on stereotypes. I think it's great to see issues involving relationships between disabled folk and caregivers out there. Is it a realistic portrayal? Probably not. Just the fact that he can afford a live in caregiver is a dead give away - as if most people can do that! Look forward to seeing it.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Settlement meant to guarantee alternatives to segregation for mentally ill prisoners

A federal judge approved a settlement meant to reduce isolation for mentally ill prisoners in Massachusetts on Thursday.

The lawsuit, filed in 2007, stated that segregation for up to 23 hours a day violated the Americans with Disabilities Act and inmates' constitutional right against cruel and unusual punishment after 11 inmates who were segregated committed suicide in a 28 month period. Eight more suicides occurred in 2010.

The settlement provides for use of alternative placements, psychological help for inmates as well as review of their cases for other options.

Cruising through the 2012 LA Abilities Expo

Found this great video from the 2012 LA Abilities Expo featuring interviews with wheelchair dancers, daredevils and movie stars, technology for all kinds of disabilities and a way to meet up with the disability community and find out great info at the same time.

Frontier airlines fined for booting quadriplegic passenger off plane

Frontier will pay $50,000 in fines in a settlement after an incident occurred where they refused to allow a quadriplegic passenger to fly. DOT found they also failed to provide appropriate assistance in pre-boarding and getting on and off the plane.

Frontier agreed to the settlement without admitting to the violations, indicating its own investigation of the matter was not consistent with DOT's findings.

"I feel like this is a victory for not just me, but for the whole disabled community," [John Morris] told 7NEWS Friday. "It was humiliating. It was a lot to go through. And I just dont want anyone to go through what I had to go through."

"It really broke my heart, because I know what John goes through on a day to day basis, not being able to do things that he certainly would like to, just wanting the opportunity to travel," said his mother, Kathleen Morris, who was traveling with him. [via thedenverchannel.com]

Morris was not pre-boarded, then placed in a seat that was missing restraints. A baggage handler boarded him and Morris fell onto another passenger, his hand was caught and his shoe fell off. The captain refused to allow him to fly since Morris did not have an alternative restraint system with him, although Morris had flown numerous times using the airlines' seatbelt extenders to support him.

I've seen this happen a number of times, where airlines refuse to pre-board passengers with disabilities. Getting to your seat is a nightmare once the plane is full and inconveniences other passengers. It can also result in injuries. I've also seen arbitrary rules put in place by different airline employees, resulting in travel interruption, humiliating scenes and degrading treatment.

Glad that John Morris used his experiences to help pave the way for better travel for all of us.

Shocking video of school torturing disabled student released

On Tuesday, a video showing Andre McCollins, a disabled student, being shocked at JREC was shown in court . He was shocked 31 times over a seven hour period in a single day for refusing to take off his coat. He is described as being "catatonic" on a visit three days later with his mother Cheryl who is suing.

The video, from a classroom camera, had been sealed eight years ago.

A description of the video can be found at MyFox/Boston and follows.

Andre is shown seated at a desk inside a classroom as a staff member asks him several times to remove his coat. He stays still, apparently not responding or removing his coat, until he is given a shock.

He screams and falls to the floor, yelling as he tries to hide under his desk. He was eventually restrained face-down, a helmet on his head, without breaks for food, water or the bathroom.

The video below is graphic and should only be viewed with that in mind.

Graphic video of teen being restrained, shocked played in court: MyFoxBOSTON.com

Further testimony taken yesterday included an expert who stated that the shock treatments harmed the autistic teen.

Beeping Easter egg hunt. for visually impaired kids by KPCC

Irma Gomez shares her excitement for the Easter egg hunt. by KPCC

Mom shares her excitement at Easter egg hunt with beeping eggs for her blind son. 

To read more about it, listen to more sound beeps and see pictures, click here.

Happy Easter everyone!

Quote of the Day

As seen on Facebook -

I'm not disabled, I'm an obstacle survivor.