Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is always there, an intense burning in my forearms and butt.... today it seems a little more intense for some reason.

Most days it's just a mental challenge to ignore it, go on with life and not let it dictate how my day is going. Today I plan on putting some music on and taking an hour to relax my mind, use some good visualizations  and try to get some relief....

For those of you who experience this type of pain what are some of your solutions?

Monday Morning Quarterback

I wanted to thank the coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers Mike Tomlin for listening to my letter last week and starting Dennis Dixon at quarterback and Isaac Redman at running back with the first-team offense.....I also have to say I clearly did not know what I was talking about, lol.

Hopefully Dennis Dixon just had a bad night, but his two interceptions will certainly keep him from the starting quarterback job while Big Ben sits out his suspension. I thought Isaac Redman did well so who knows if he will see much playing time at running back.

If the third preseason game is a dress rehearsal for opening day, we Steeler fans are certainly in trouble. I cannot believe the team had Four Personal Fouls in the first half alone... That's just bad football. The Steelers lost to the Denver Broncos 34 to 17.

My Fantasy Football Starters

I am not too happy with my fantasy football starters, in last night's draft I started 14th..... so the pickings were pretty slim by that point. This is the first year I am doing fantasy football through ESPN. It seems like fun and after all.... it was free. Do any of you play fantasy football? What are some of your players?

Here is my team:

QB Jay Cutler, Chi

RB Ryan Mathews, SD 

RB Brandon Jacobs, NYG

RB/WR Dez Bryant, Dal 

WR Larry Fitzgerald, Ari 

WR Vincent Jackson*, SD 

TE Aaron Hernandez, NE

D/ST Falcons D/ST, Atl 

K Rian Lindell, Buf

Service Dog Update

I just spoke with a representative from Susquehanna Service Dogs yesterday afternoon and I will be traveling to Harrisburg sometime in September to look at several Labrador retrievers. I am excited about the possibility of getting a new service dog but also sad at the same time.

My current service dog Nala is 12 years old and not doing the best healthwise. There have been several times recently that I needed her assistance and she was unable to complete the task, which is very sad. She served me well the last 10 years, but it's becoming painfully obvious that I need a replacement service dog.


The next Labrador retriever to come into the house will have a very big harness to fill.... Nala was a great service dog, Susquehanna service dogs do a fantastic job training and preparing their dogs to assist individuals with disabilities. I only hope the next dog can live up to the legend of Nala.

If anyone would like to make a donation to Susquehanna Service Dogs you can do so online Here

Making Phone Calls From Gmail -- InformationWeek

First Impressions: Making Phone Calls From Gmail -- InformationWeek

I made my first test call using Gmail this morning and it was extremely easy as well as an acceptable call quality. If you have a Gmail account you may want to give this a try, making phone calls throughout the United States and Canada is free.

There are some really nice features as well, call forwarding (you can receive the incoming call at your home, or cell) when I receive a voicemail it comes to my cell phone in the form of a text (the voicemail is transcribed).

I used my blue parrot headset but your laptop speaker and microphone would work just as well. What's nice about using the blue parrot headset is, I can be 66 feet away from my laptop and still be connected to my caller. Give it a try, it may save you on your cell phone bill.

Last Hunting Trip KS

This Kansas mule deer was the last with my compound bow. My two friends Dave , Matt and myself took a trip out to Kansas on a self-guided hunt. On the last day of the hunt Dave and Matt managed to push a group of mule deer doe over to me. I was hoping for a mature mule deer buck, but there was not a horn in the group.

I hope to post some new  crossbow hunting pictures soon! Hopefully something with a large rack!

My First Deer with a bow

This was my first deer taken with a bow, I was in my teens and hunting with my good friend Mark. It's an old Indian bow, I'm surprised I was able to take the deer with it. It was a 40 pound draw weight shooting  full-sized arrows.  You could actually watch the arrow travel to the deer...... My how equipment has changed.

Back on the Horse

I promise not to whine in today's Post, thanks for all the comments yesterday. I had a mini meltdown but I'm back now....

After getting cleaned up yesterday I got back into my freshly sanitized and detailed wheelchair and went shooting at Falcon Archers. I had to qualify for a local hunting organization that manages suburban deer populations.

First of all the weather was perfect to be outside yesterday, not too hot even for me. My brother John and I got to the range early in order to shoot our crossbows a little before qualifying. The Parker crossbow that I use (Buck Buster) makes me smile every time I shoot it.

I was hitting the bull's-eye every time at 20, 30, 40 and 50 yards !  When it came time to qualify, I was not nervous at all because I have confidence in my equipment and abilities. It was an easy round to shoot and I did successfully qualify.

So after the meltdown yesterday,  my day actually turned out very well. I will be able to hunt a few local properties in suburbia (easy access for my wheelchair) and I could not be happier! I'm looking forward to the upcoming season, meeting new guys who archery hunt and hopefully tagging a mature Buck and a few does.

Okay It Is about the Wheelchair Today

Ugh, if you think you're having a bad day ask yourself this......Are you currently peeing on yourself ?  I wish I could answer no to that question but unfortunately my tubing became disconnected and I am wet....

Now it's not like I am consciously whizzing on myself, there's nothing I can do to control my bladder or control the fact that the tubing became disconnected from the urinary bag.

Logically I should not be upset about it, I have no control over it, there is nothing I can do to fix it.  I have to wait till someone transfers me out of my chair, gets me cleaned up and back into dry pants.... but let's face it I'm really upset about it, in fact I would say pissed off... but it's more like pissed on,  and I'm doing it to myself. I'm sure there are some people with a certain fetish, who would enjoy this...... but I find it extremely upsetting.

Ugh, some days are definitely better than others in the real world/fantasy world of this quadriplegic.

For-Profit Education: ABC News Goes Undercover

For-Profit Education: ABC News Goes Undercover to Investigate Recruiters at the University of Phoenix - ABC News

I think this type of behavior from recruiters is absolutely criminal, they prey on individuals who are seeking an education to better their employment potential and create a better way of life.

The University of Phoenix is not the only for-profit institution in education, it's just one of the largest. There are several schools in the Pittsburgh area that I believe take advantage of students seeking a better way of life. They sign the students up with massive amounts of federal loans with a high-pressure sale.

It's not long before most of the student loans are in default and students are left with a "degree" that cannot transfer to any other institution. These so-called educations are not cheap, you could easily attend a state university like Penn State or the University of Pittsburgh for the same price. The problem is the students that these for-profit institutions are accepting are usually rejected by the state university system..... What are your thoughts on these types of schools? I'm sure you've seen the advertisements "what are you waiting for call now!".

Winter Classic 2011 Washington versus Pittsburgh

I just received my ticket selection to this year's Winter Classic between the dreaded Washington Capitals and the spectacular Pittsburgh Penguins !

I will be sitting in section 106  which looks like an amazing view from the seating chart.... Unless the weather is bad and I get a great offer from another Penguins fan to purchase my seats (all you Washington fans can suck it) !

It should be a fantastic game, I'm looking forward to watching some of the greatest players in the game take the ice outdoors. Who's ready to play some pond hockey?

Steelers Are 2 and 0 In Preseason

Last night the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the New York Giants 24 to 17 in their second preseason win. I had a few friends stop over to watch the game and discuss the upcoming fantasy football draft....

Ben Roethlisberger played for the first time last night and I have to say I was not very impressed with his performance. He completed six of his eight passes but managed to throw an interception with a badly underthrown ball....That's about where he left off last year if you ask me.

Dear Coach Tomlin,

I would like to see the third string quarterback Dennis Dixon (10) get some starting time with the first team in Denver on Sunday. I like his mobility, his arm and the ability to make things happen. It would be nice to see how he does against Denver's starting defense. The same goes for running back Isaac Redman, put him in with the starters and see how he performs!

Also, is there no one on the team that can kick the football into the end zone on kickoffs? I think it would be extremely beneficial to our special teams (preventing touchdowns) if our opponents started their offense on the 20 yard line.... just saying.

Sincerely,
PittRehab

Penn State athletes invited to White House

Penn State athletes invited to White House It's nice to see athletes from Penn State University being honored at the White House. What's even better is the athletes happen to be fencers from Penn State!

I fenced for Penn State three seasons from 1986 through 1989 and was actually varsity captain. Granted it was at a branch campus but I still enjoyed being a collegiate athlete....

I'm looking forward to seeing how Penn State does in football this season. Even though my Masters is from the University of Pittsburgh I will always be a Penn State Alumnus first!

Pittsburgh Power Football

Pittsburgh Power Football I would like to welcome the newest sports team in Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Power arena football team. They will be playing eight games this year at Console Energy Center. Hopefully they follow the Black and Gold traditions of bringing Championships to Pittsburgh! Good luck on your season.

Veterinarian Visit

This morning I have a veterinarian appointment for Nala, suddenly she is not able to hear.... This came on rather quickly and I'm very concerned and want to see what the problem is. Hopefully it is some type of ear infection that can be treated with antibiotics.

Over the past 11 years she has been the best service dog I could ask for. She is getting up there in age I'm just hoping this is not permanent. Fortunately she responds to some hand signals as well as verbal commands. What makes it difficult is when she is sleeping beside my wheelchair and I cannot wake her up, as a result sometimes I'm trapped in place, lol

Have any of you ever experienced sudden hearing loss in your dog? Any thoughts?

Extremely Happy! I am now a Season Ticket Holder

I just got off the telephone with Kathy from the Pittsburgh Penguins ticket office and I am the proud owner of a 20 game season ticket plan in the inaugural season at console energy center for the Pittsburgh Penguins!

Years ago I had a season-ticket package and left it go....... if I have to sell an organ that will not happen again.

I will be in section 230 N above the Penguin goal........ Being a Penguins fan the last 25 years has given me a lot of pleasure, and I'm really looking forward to attending as many games as possible this year!  GO PENS!

How much is a kidney going for these days ?

K-9s on the front line: Four-footed officers take on the role of good will ambassadors

K-9s on the front line: Four-footed officers take on the role of good will ambassadors I always enjoy reading articles about working dogs. I think it's amazing what a well-trained dog can accomplish and I also believe we are only touching the surface of their abilities....

My Review of Gander Mountain® Airmesh Boonie With Face Mask

Originally submitted at Gander Mountain

The Airmesh boonie has a sewn-in airmesh face mask that's secured behind your head with Velcro®. When not needed, just stuff it inside your hat. Imported. RealTree AP HD® Green Camo. One size.

Gander Mountain® Airmesh Boonie With Face Mask

Nice Boonie

By Pittrehab from Pittsburgh, Pa on 8/18/2010

 

4out of 5

Pros: Dries Quickly, Comfortable, Breathable

Cons: Snug fit could be bigger

Best Uses: Warm Weather

Describe Yourself: Enthusiast

Early October archery hunting or spring turkey is the best use of this hat in Pa

(legalese)

Wednesday's Ramblings

It's hard for me to believe it's almost the end of August already, is it me or did this summer fly by ? I have so much planned for September and October that I'm excited to see fall come this year. October has always been my favorite month, the perfect temperatures, the perfect fall foliage and of course the start of hockey season, football season and archery season!

About two weeks ago I talked about the Muslim Mosque controversy in New York City at Ground Zero. Since President Obama talked about the issue recently it is becoming a hot topic again and may play into the elections in November.

Why did the Pilgrims come to America?  To escape religious persecution, our country was founded on the belief that people could practice their own religion....

I believe the mosque has every right to be built. I'm not going to backpedal and say it may not be the wisest decisions, like Pres. Obama said. They own the building, they have every right to build a mosque. What are your thoughts?

If you are against building the mosque, please explain why, I'm interested in hearing your opinion.

Hunting Day Pack

If you are a hunter you probably love your gear and gadgets! Which means you have to have some place to put all of your treasures (crap to everyone else).

That's where a quality camouflage day pack comes in. Being a quadriplegic I'm no stranger to backpacks connected to the back of my wheelchair. By the way, my L.L. Bean backpack looks as good as the day I put it on my chair two years ago!

The easiest way to attach a backpack to my wheelchair is with plastic wire ties attached to the backpack straps, so that my carabiners can clip onto the wire ties.

The next step is determining what type of gear goes into the day pack and almost as importantly, what section of the day pack the gear is placed into. This is especially important when the backpack is behind you and you're directing someone to get into your bag. I always use specific zipper pull's so that I can say it's the zipper with a coin on it etc.

This is my list, yours will be slightly different and personable I am sure.

1. Buck knife 110 folding blade

2. Drag rope, I may not be dragging the deer but somebody has to.

3. Hand towel , always useful after field dressing.

4. Hunting license and pencil

5. Black diamond headlamp

6. Plastic wire ties, that's how I attach my adapted brace to my wheelchair. It's also easy to attach the deer tag to the animal.

7. Cocking rope for my crossbow.

8. Basic first aid kit

9. Laser rangefinder

10. Extra batteries

It's a simple list of essentials, it does not include raingear, hunting blind, crossbow and quiver, snack's etc... Just items in the day pack.

My list used to be much different when I was able-bodied and able to stay out all day or even overnight. Notice there is no GPS unit or survival gear or even a firestarter, that's what hunting close to houses and close to the van will do for you. What are some of your items?

Pod Camp Pittsburgh 5

I will be doing a session on Sunday, September 19 at Podcamp5 on Dragon Naturally Speaking and other voice to text software. This will be my first year attending Pod Camp but I'm really looking forward to meeting with area bloggers and going to a few sessions myself.

If you're curious to see exactly how Dragon NaturallySpeaking works or were wondering if voice to text software was for you  then come on in and ask questions.  If you are planning on attending the camp I would love to have you stop by and say hello!

Steelers Pre-Season, Players Received a Visit from Wounded Warriors

Tonight at 7:30 PM the Pittsburgh Steelers will be playing the Detroit Lions here at Heinz Field in the first preseason game of 2010. But the bigger news this week was a visit to training camp from some wounded warriors from Walter Reed. You have to admire these men and the sacrifices they made for our country.

Jimmy Buffett provides entertaining journey for mellow crowd

Jimmy Buffett provides entertaining journey for mellow crowd I am a lifelong Jimmy Buffett fan and have been fortunate enough to attend many Buffett concerts but I can no longer join the crowd. The weather is the main reason I am not wearing a coconut bra and attempting to Limbo using the recline feature on my permobil wheelchair. You see, I can no longer tolerate being outside in the 80+ degrees of heat.

I have many fond memories of his concerts and it always brings a smile to my face when I know Jimmy and my fellow parrot heads are in town! Did you make it to the show? Did you find your lost shaker of salt?

Parker Crossbows and BMF Trigger Activators

Before I purchased my Parker Buck Buster 175 Crossbow I did a lot lot of research because let's face it I'm definitely a type "A" personality.  Parker crossbow's carry a lifetime warranty and are made here in the United States of America.

When I was looking at crossbow's I could not help comparing function and price. I looked at several brands and could not find anything as well made for this price point. But what really sealed the deal for me was when I seen this crossbow in action at the cabelas archery range. It holds extremely tight groups and is blistering fast.

After the first few times shooting it I knew I had a quality product, capable of serving me well for the next several years. What I didn't realize was what a great company Parker is. I contacted the company through e-mail and explained how impressed I was with their products and that I was returning to hunting after 11 years. Parker responded by donating a dozen carbon arrows to help get me started hunting this year!

I feel the company is definitely made up of hunters who understand why we archery hunt. Hopefully I will be able to post some successful outcomes with these carbon arrows.... Thanks so much Parker!

The generosity does not stop there, the same thing happened with BMF Trigger Activators! I received an e-mail from their CEO and she is sending me a free trigger activator for my shotgun! You have to love American companies who understand the value and importance of hunting in the great outdoors.

The Amazing Treat Machine

Ok this is just to cool, I know every dog out there wants one of these for Christmas!

Falcon Archers

I was recently looking around on the Internet for archery clubs in the area and found Falcon Archers .  The club was established in 1955 and sits on 23 acres of land. It's only 15 minutes from my place.

Last night was their membership meeting, so I went  and became a member.  It looks like a fantastic place to shoot my crossbow, the grounds are really wheelchair accessible. The clubhouse has thresholds, but my portable ramp made access easy. The indoor shooting range has a few steps going down but again my larger portable ramp should take care of those....

I met some really nice guys who made me feel welcome.  I'm looking forward to going out and shooting sometime soon.

70th Anniversary of Sturgis

This week kicks off the 70th anniversary of Sturgis. I have never been to Sturgis but always wanted to go, I'm not sure how wheelchair accessible the campgrounds are.... anyone know for sure?

One of my favorite all-time television shows Sons of Anarchy will be returning in a little less than one month (Tuesday, September 7). I am really looking forward to season three and the episodes filmed in Ireland..... I wonder if it's too early to set up my DVR to tape the show?

Trigger Activator

I received an e-mail asking how I am able to pull the trigger on my crossbow without the use of my fingers. It's very simple, I use a BMF Activator that I purchased at cabelas. This is one of the best trigger activators on the market, and I would not hesitate to recommend one.

I also plan on putting one on my shotgun when the time comes! It's nice when an item is designed for everyone, even hunters with quadriplegia!  

Things Take Time

It's funny how things take time to sort themselves out. Before my injury I was an avid bow hunter to put it mildly. A more accurate description would be rabidly obsessed with the outdoors and hunting.

It's taken 11 years for me to get strong enough both mentally and physically to really want to get back into hunting. Last month I took a Successful Bow Hunter Course and was recently interviewed for the Pittsburgh post-Gazette regarding my experiences at the class.

During the course I met with the instructor, his name is Paul and he is a really great guy. My wheelchair was never an issue for him or his instructors and he made the course accessible for me. He also introduced me to the right people (Jim) in the area that could facilitate getting me back into bow hunting again.

I now have a few confirmed disability hunts in the area! So this fall I will be back in a ground blind with my Parker 175 crossbow. Imagine whatever hobby or passion you have and suddenly you can no longer do it independently.... (It's okay I'll wait while you ponder). Then after let's say 11 years it suddenly becomes possible again, how excited would you be? Yeah, multiply that by 50 and that's how I feel right now.

The only downside is my credit card bill is astronomical but let's face it camouflage and the necessary gear is expensive, and yes I said Necessary! LOL

ipods In the Classroom

ABC news has a video regarding schools receiving stimulus money to purchase iPod touch's for students. The iPods would be used as e-book readers, e-mail and organizers.

While I can understand the debate over using stimulus money to purchase the iPods, I have to say I think it's a great idea to use technology in the classroom.... What are your thoughts?

BBC News - Huge ice sheet breaks from Greenland glacier

BBC News - Huge ice sheet breaks from Greenland glacier

How many frozen margarita's could we make from all this ice? I need a bigger blender... just saying

Bluetooth Headset Microphone

I recently purchased the Blue Parrot B-250 XT Bluetooth headset microphone and after charging it the initial 12 hours finally got to put it through its paces using Dragon NaturallySpeaking.

The headset was easily paired with my laptop, and feels lightweight and comfortable to wear. The instructions are easy to follow and I have to say I am very happy with this purchase.

The noise canceling microphone is producing much better recognition than using the built-in microphone on my HP laptop. While completing this blog I had zero recognition errors! I usually run about 95% accuracy. But now I'm free to move around (66 feet from the laptop)...lol Lay back, recline to do weight shifts and still talk!

The microphone is designed to work with cell phones or computers so I need to try it with my cell phone one day this week. It also comes with a car charger for on the road truckers.

The package says after charging for 12 hours the headset will produce 16+ hours of talk time and 150 hours of standby. I can't imagine I will need that type of time frame, but it's nice to know I could use the headset throughout the day without worrying about asking someone to charge my microphone.

500-pound alligator wrested from Hilton Head lagoon | islandpacket.com

500-pound alligator wrested from Hilton Head lagoon | islandpacket.com
Thats one big gator, one more reason to vacation on Plymouth harbor... I have never seen a Gator in Ma, whale's yes, gators never

Favorite Wine

I will be the first to admit that I know very little about wine, but I know what I like when I taste it. 12 years ago I was fortunate enough to find this little winery in Plymouth Massachusetts. Every time I vacation there a few cases always seemed to follow me home.

I like to share this wine with good friends over the course of the year.... rationing it out as it were. Hopefully the weather will turn cooler soon for an evening fire and some wine tasting under the stars on the deck.




My favorites in order of preference:

Mayflower White

Blackberry

Raspberry

Blueberry

Cranberry

Something tells me I should've bought more wine! What are some of your favorites? What's the one wine you reserve for only your special friends?

Opponents Of Mosque Near WTC Site Plan To File Lawsuit - NY1.com

Opponents Of Mosque Near WTC Site Plan To File Lawsuit - NY1.com What ever happened to freedom in this country........ they bought the building, let them build the Mosque!

Pod Camp Pittsburgh 5

I will be attending this years Pod Camp Pittsburgh this September. It will be the first year for me and I'm looking forward to meeting some of the Pittsburgh bloggers that I have been reading the last several years.

Last year's event had almost 400 people attending, I'm really looking forward to being a part of it this year, learning more about social media and socializing with some like-minded individuals. Have you ever attended an event like this?

The Breakfast Club 25th Anniversary

Can you describe the ruckus ? It's hard to believe but the movie is 25 years old and releasing an anniversary edition today.

I am a big fan of The Breakfast Club. It's one of the movies that I can watch over and over again. In 1985 I was starting classes at Penn State University when this movie came out. I'm not sure which character I identified with, it was probably a conglomeration.

They really don't make movies like this anymore, think about it .... Animal House, The Blues Brothers, Caddy Shack, St. Elmo's Fire. What are some of your favorite classic movies?

Penguin Season Tickets

I received a call from my good friend Dave saying he was recently anointed with a 20 game season ticket plan for the Pittsburgh Penguins! That's great news, but the fantastic news is he wants to split the season with me!

That means dear readers I will be going to 10 Penguin games this year.... And if you're wondering, yes I am on the list for my own season-ticket plan, I'm currently 27th in line. Until I receive my much anticipated call you can find me in section 211 N behind the goal, check out the great view of the ice.