Everytime I think of the most glowy, fabulous woman in a wheelchair I think of Ali Stroker. Armed with her gorgeous beach girl look (with a splash of Broadway chic), Ali made history last year becoming the first person in a wheelchair to be cast in a lead role in a professional musical, starring in The 25th Annual Putnum County Spelling Bee at the Paper Mills Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey.

Why she’s fearless

Injured when she was 2 years old in a car accident, Ali, now 24, is one of those people in wheelchairs who’s refused to think of herself as having any limitations just because she injured her spine, and I absolutely love her for it.

With her big lead role, Ali’s completely shattered the theater-acting glass ceiling for actors in wheelchairs; pulverized it, obliterated it, adios. Now thanks to her, there’s no excuse for any disabled actor to think anything is impossible when it comes to their career. Ali’s career upstroke was not only a boon for her, but a boon for thousands of other disabled actors. So great!

And to be completely girly for a second, she’s also one of the most fashionable woman in a wheelchair that I‘ve ever seen; which isn‘t hard of course with her long curly blonde hair and big Julia Roberts smile, but oh my does she know how to dress for her wheelchair. Stylish, perfectly fitted cropped jackets and mid-thigh dresses, making sure to pay attention to the shoulders…oh this girl has got it.

What’s next?

Since her break-out musical role, Ali is moving on to even bigger and more exciting things. She will be one of the featured 14 contestants on the upcoming Oxygen show, The Glee Project, a competition singing reality show returning for a second season and premiering June 5th. Good luck Ali, and kick (virtually) some reality show contestant butt!

Watch the video!

- Watch Ali’s interview for the The Glee Project

When I started playing the clarinet in 5th grade, it was like the heavens parted in my brain – I became exponentially better at math within the year, not to mention falling in love with playing. The reeds, the cork wax, the delicate scales, I was obsessed (and 3rd chair). When I broke my neck, realizing my fingers were going to be paralyzed too, it was a sad sad day (especially when my Mom sold it at one of her garage sales).

But I gotta say, saying goodbye to my love of music was one of the stupidest things I’ve ever done after my injury. Maybe in my wildest dreams, jerry-rigging a clarinet (to work for my quad hands) would maybe work, but not all instruments are impossible to adapt. Take for example what Robb Madison, a T8 paraplegic, has come up with to still use his drumset.  I’ve seen some expensive drum mods, but this, almost anyone can do.

Since Robb can no longer activate the bass drum with his leg, he devised a way to hold three drumsticks to mimic the bass drum sound. He holds one stick in his left hand and two sticks (one with a larger rubber end) in his right. When he drums with his right hand, he applies the sticks to his drums just so, making sure they make contact with the drum separately (so you can distinctively hear the bass sound). And he’s also created several other smart drum stick variations to make up for his diminished mobility, including creating a drumstick with cymbals built into it.

And if you thought it was impossible for a quad of any level to effectively play a guitar, you gotta watch this video from blues master Tom Doughty, a C7 quad from the UK. He’s mastered the skill of “lap strumming,“ where you set your guitar on your lap and play.

And wow, watching him is so impressive, he hits so many notes (!) and his voice – absolutely beautiful. Who would’ve thought all of this instrument playing is possible despite paralysis?

Watch the videos

- Robb Madison shows off his drumming technique

- Tom Doughty lap strumming on his steel guitar

If you haven’t heard about Eric Legrand by now, you’re either not a college football fan or you don’t have a spinal cord injury, either way, you’re missing out on one heck of a story (and it‘s not a sob story either).

Eric was on the Rutgers football team when he broke his neck at the C3-4 level during a game in 2010, becoming paralyzed from the shoulders down in an instant. The entire sports world was in shock and his story (as they always are when an injury of an athlete is caught on video), was all over the media, and it still is for good reason.

Why he’s fearless

Although Eric’s story – a football player breaking his neck mid game – has been seen before in thousands of now ex-football players, his story certainly doesn’t end the same. Despite still being very much a quadriplegic, Eric was signed by the Tampa Bay Bucaneers last week, a dream he must have thought was certainly gone, to become their official sports announcer. Wow Tampa Bay. I really love you right now.

And although yes, it was a symbolic gesture (he received a jersey and helmet to seal the deal), it’s a very cool thing. How many of us with spinal cord injuries have had to settle with knowing that so many of our dreams will never come true? (raises hand) It’s a tough pill to swallow.

And Eric, despite his dream now being a variation of his dream, he’s still putting himself out there in this crazy world as much as he can, living and being the fearless SCI survivor that he’s become. He’s even returned to the field where he was injured for two special occasions, and remains consistently positive.

What’s next?

Now home from rehab (and still dating the same girl from before his injury. Gotta love that), Eric is keeping his body in shape as best he can, readying himself for the cure we all hope will come, and for the upcoming football season.

Dominate that mic, Eric. Show the world that paralysis doesn’t put a cork in us.

Watch the videos

- Eric Legrand’s football accident

- Eric’s press conference after signing with the Bucs

Thanks to a very helpful ex-boyfriend, I had the very lucky chance to travel like crazy in my 20’s. Road trips to New Orleans, Seattle, Toronto (with a pit stop at Niagra Falls), NYC/D.C. and Gettysburg, I saw the glory of the US from my van’s passenger window; all the open plains, wacky pit-stops in-between civilization, and it was awesome. And I learned a ton of valuable wheelchair travel tips along the way.

I learned to always make two packing lists (“regular” stuff and “medical” stuff) whenever I traveled, always saving the hard copy on my computer so I could use it for my next trip. And I learned to make sure my wheelchair and shower chair were in working order before hurrying up and taking off (because medical equipment will always break down when you’re on vacation don‘t ya know).

Also, being a creature of habit who likes her “things” no matter where she is (Crystal Light water flavoring, warm water, heated neck warmer at night, eye mask and ear plugs), I made sure to pack all of these in our luggage and van too, easily accessible even at 75 mph. I hate traveling in discomfort, and there’s no excuse to have to nowadays.

When I flew in a plane the first time as a wheelchair-user (5 years after my accident), I was deathly nervous. I didn’t want it to be a hassle, or rather “be” the hassle. I was hoping, praying it’d be quick and seamless. And once I showed up at the terminal, I saw just how easy the whole process would be. Was I Relieved? Very.

It’s really too bad this video wasn’t available, showing how to board a plane from a wheelchair back in my early days of being injured. This video shows the process of getting a wheelchair-user on and off a commercial jet, and it shows just how easy and streamlined the process has become. Weird note: The video was filmed in the U.K., so you watch the man in the video board the plane last (which would never happen in the U.S.; too crowded for transfers)

And you must watch this other travel video made by Mark, of a seasoned traveler and paraplegic from Minnesota, who made a 6 minute video showing the entire air travel process, from checking in, going through security, and finding your rental car once you’ve landed. He also shares an amazing car rental tip that every wheeler out there needs to know if they want to save money (and get a free car upgrade!) the next time they travel.

Watch the videos:

- Mark’s airport wheelchair travel video

- Watch a wheelchair user board a plane!

In this video from AttitudeTV, a slick Aussie disability video production company, two top Aussie wheelchair tennis players (one who is a low quadriplegic) have a ball creating a 6 minute video explaining everything about wheelchair tennis. They explain the rules, which are extremely few. Tennis is an adapted sport that’s very similar to the able-bodied version with only ONE rule change: You get two bounces.

The low quad host also shows off the custom hand splint uses in order to hold the racket (duct tape is a must!) to make sure the ball goes further than the racket when he serves. And they interview some of the top female Aussie players right now, letting you catch a glimpse of adorable camaraderie between players as well as bask in the sound of their lilty accents. And if you haven’t heard of Ben Weekes before, you will once the Paralympics come around this August. Not only does he look like a GQ model, he’s real and boy does he have an inspiring story (and he can even play with one bounce).

And Tim Gilmer, the Editor of New Mobility magazine, is busy dusting off his golf cart up in Oregon too (where he also runs an organic farm with his wife). Tim, who’s been injured since 1965, loved golf before he got hurt and has been playing the game, only adapted, for the last 30 years. Watch this video to hear his story, and to watch how easy a golf cart set-up for a paraplegic can work (once you get the hang of it).

Watch the videos!

- Aussie Tennis video
- Tim Gilmer plays golf

If you use a wheelchair and want to work out, there are options a plenty. Whether you use free weights, a wheelchair-accessible machine or have devised something a bit more creative, the only thing limiting us in achieving our workout fantasies is our imagination. And Erik Kondo, a T4-5 paraplegic and self-defense expert, has perfected a pull-up from his wheelchair (and it’s not your usual pull-up either).

Everyone hates pull-ups, don’t they? I remember having to do ten in sequence in 5th grade, failing miserably and dropping to my knees with my arms on fire. Despite that sad little memory, I can relate to Erik in wanting to stick to what he could do before his injury (even if it’s not the most pleasant thing in the world). If you can still do it, even if it’s a modified version, go for it all the way. It keeps us mentally healthy!

In the 1:13 minute video, you’ll see this very strong paraplegic do a pull-up with his wheelchair still attached to his body. Crazy cool! I imagine his wheelchair is light, but then again his arms are pretty big. And by the look of his swift repetitions, it looked relatively easy for him to complete them (people who are good at something always make it look easy). Erik keeps his wheelchair attached to his body by using a bungee cord (he must have cut off his seatbelt like me!). Definitely don’t try this at home kids (unless you have a spotter of course). Watch Erik’s video here

And if your arms aren’t as huge as Erik’s, you can still do some do some effective workout routines from your wheelchair. If you check out Nick Solomon’s video (a C5 quad from Washington D.C.), you can view one of the most basic yet easily accessible work-outs from a wheelchair, which has been dubbed: The Theraband workout.

They look like long rubber bands, but these “bands” gives some of the best resistance training you can find for concentrated muscle areas, which is something those with cervical injuries need to do. Nick shows how you can tie them anywhere in the house, even in your car, making it easy to slip in a workout whenever you have a few minutes. I personally love these things (and have three!). Watch Nick’s video

Have a spinal injury? What’s your favorite workout routine?

Not even confetti and champagne can make paperwork enjoyable. And when you’re paralyzed, watch out for all the “fun” that comes your way when you go to use your office. You thought paperwork was fun before? Try doing it with paralyzed hands…

What’s great about a home office is that you can set up everything exactly the way you want it.  And there are two quadriplegics who’ve made videos of their home offices and how they work for their mobility.  Here are two of my faves!

The first video comes from Bonnie, a female quadriplegic with one of the most organized offices I’ve ever seen. She’s a C6 quadriplegic and has baskets with handles on them throughout her office (easy to grab).  The baskets organize everything and she puts them on-top of her desk or places them in the desk drawers (so she can pull them out easily too).  In the baskets she stores everything from pens and papers to even her sprinkler remote controllers.  And for her wireless keyboard, she taped put a cloth loop onto it to mimic a handle (and used clear packing tape to adhere it to the back).

The second video comes from Mark Felling, a C5-6 quad and founder of Broadened Horizons. Before his injury, Mark was an engineer – and he’s created some amazing things since his plane crash One of the coolest things he’s made is an automatic height-adjustable desk.  The desk is moved using a remote control, so you can adjust the height depending on the chair you’re using.  This desk is ideal for anyone who uses a standing frame or a standing wheelchair regularly.  You can stand up your chair, then raise your desk to the level you need it.  In the video, you’ll also see how the middle section of the desk rises higher than the rest of the desk,  making it easy for someone in a wheelchair to see the monitor.

Working hard isn’t easy, but if you watch these videos you’ll have an office setup that at least works just for you, making it possible to work just as hard as everyone else. Oh joy

Watch the videos!

- Bonnie’s “Office Accessibility & Organization” video for people with hand paralysis
- Mark of Broadened Horizons shows off his automatic height-adjustable desk for wheelchair-users

Back in the day late at night in my dark bedroom, my only solace used to be the light coming from my TV and Talk Sex with Sue Johanson, Canada’s awesome informational sex show hosted by Sue, a lovable retired nurse. Canada has always seemed to produce the best sex shows (anyone remember Bliss?) so I was thrilled when I saw this in the Dating & Sexuality section of SPINALpedia.  A few years back she did a review of the IntimateRider, the movable chair that gives men with spinal cord injuries more position options in the bedroom.  Watching Sue talk about an adapted sexuality tool in all her Canadian glory made me squee beyond repair.

I’ve known quite a few guys with spinal cord injuries who’ve loved their Intimate Rider, including my friend Bill who’s in this video, talking about how the chair has improved their sex life. He loves the thing! Every guy with a SCI needs to “get back into the swing of things” after their injury if you know what I mean, and this chair makes that happen. There is no other tool I can think of that brings this level of sexual independence to SCI men. Naturally, Sue loved the thing, and she even gave it 4 flaming hot briquettes on her “Hibachi of Love” scale (so you know it’s good).

In regards to having sex after a big life-changing injury, Gary Karp is an expert.  He’s a paraplegic and psychologist who specializes in sexuality and he’s done an entire series of disability videos on sexuality.  My personal favorite is his video on guilt and able-bodied partners feeling guilty for having full sensation.  Sometimes, when a person with a disability  begins a relationship with someone new and their partner is able-bodied, if’s not uncommon for them to sometimes feel guilty, thinking they’re getting more out of it then the person with the disability is…

But if you watch Gary’s 2 minute video you’ll see how he quite beautifully explains how feeling guilty is silly.  He says it’s OK to feel that way, but hopefully they’ll see that satisfaction can still be achieved. He also talks about how the person with a disability needs to restructure their top 10 must have’s in bed to figure out what they now enjoy the most after their injury.  It you’ve ever wanted to know more about mutual satisfaction when one counterpart is disabled, then this video is a must see.

Watch the videos!

- Talk Sex with Sue Johanson reviews the IntimateRider

- Gary Karp’s video on able-bodied partners feeling guilty for having full-sensation

Livin’ proud and loud, ruz2g, a.k.a. Russell Bell, is a C5-6 quad from Milwaukee, WI with a whole lot of personality. He recently discovered how to upload videos to the internet and hot damn is there some amusing stuff coming out of his Earth Proof Productions. Injured at the age of 23 after diving into Lake Michigan, this rapper/cook has learned a lot of tricks over the years. And his reacher video, showing how to use that handy metal extender that’s our lifesaver in so many situations, ranks up there as one you should definitely watch.

He uses a reacher with a tenodesis split, which he can operate by simply moving his wrist (a cool contraption for people whose fingers are paralyzed). And it has your typical claw-end that you’ll find on most reachers. In ruz2g’s video, he shows off his how he can take down china from the cupboard. And he performs how he can pick up pills off the floor, which he says “with practice you too can learn how to do with practice.” Not easy, and yes picking up pills like that would take forever, but he’s right!

Reachers however are not magical. They can’t pick up a case of beer, a bowling bowl, or kitten. But I bet if it was possible, ruz2g could do it. In my years of reacher-use, I’ve had many a moment where I’ve nearly thrown my reacher out window after it couldn’t help me with that I was trying to do. Or it was unreachable, reminding me of my favorite line that I’ve yet to think of as a writer, “I need a reacher for my reacher.” But hey, nothing is perfect.

What I love about Bell is that he has no qualms showing the intimate aspects of his everyday life (and sometimes doing it without no shirt on). His how-to videos on doing chores around the house are a huge benefit to the disability community. Check out his videos – laugh, learn how to make fried chicken, why he’s pissed at Snyder Pretzel Pieces, and maybe get inspired too.

- Watch ruz2g’s “Reaching out to Quads” reacher video!

- Check out ruz2g’s full video collection

Amazing technology can be right under our noses, or it can exist in far off places without us having a clue. Just like the fancy cell phones that are available in South Korea years before they hit the US, adapted technology can be just as mysterious, especially the kind of technology that gets people with disabilities behind the wheel again. But the technology out there is amazing and it can make all the difference between being independent, and not.

From voice-controlled blinkers and modernized hand-controls (that look like they were built into the interior of the car) to modified trucks with wheelchair lifts, if you have enough money and enough smarts, almost *any* vehicle can be adapted. A great example of such an advancement a video by Dan Harvey, a C4 quad, who drives his mini-van using his wheelchair joystick using the EMC AEVIT 2.0 system. If you watch Dan’s 6 minute video here, you’ll see how one of the most advanced adapted driving set-ups looks when in action.

As you‘ll see, the driving set-up allows him to gas, brake and turn on/off the signals all via his joystick. The video is cool to watch because you can see how the steering wheel moves without him even touching it the entire time he’s driving (just like a player piano!). The video also shows how a microphone is used to activate the other important controls as he’s driving too, like wipers, horn and cruise. It can take months, if not years, for people to finally land a set-up as amazing as this. Watching this video can show you exactly what to expect and what’s out there if you’re in the market.

And on the other end of the spectrum, a video aptly titled, “Menox Hand-controls.” This video shows a young man with paraplegia explain his very sexy hand-controls controls for his 2006 Infinity G35 Coupe (he jokes, “There was NO way I was going to drive a mini-van after his injury). It’s a quick 1:30 long video showing how they look when you’re sitting in the car. Damn, wish I was a para! This car is sweet.

Watch the videos!

- C4 Quad Driving with Joystick

- Menox Hand-controls