This channel is a place to share all the information I wish I had when I was first paralyzed. It's for anyone just starting their journey with a disability, anyone living with disability that just wants to feel like they're not alone...or for anyone who is interested in what it's like to live life in a wheelchair. My goal is to help people in wheelchairs live HEALTHIER, be HAPPIER, and feel AWESOME about themselves!
I subscribe to Coloplast because it looked like I might need to cath after a serious urinary issue about 2 years ago. And if Empowered Para likes Coloplast, it must be a good product. This week, they posted about a Bladder Emergency Kit. So I wondered what you keep in your backpack on your chair? These items that Coloplast listed on their post.?
Hey there , I think you do an awesome job as a mother , it's not easy even for fully able bodied parents at times so hats off to you. You asked us to rate you so as a male I find it a bit awkward rating another male but I guess about 8 - 8.5 for your son and you are easy to rate , a solid 9.5 pushing for 10. So cheers to you and keep up the great work as mum and youtuber. :)
I'm a'thinkin' that your Accessibility rating of a place is more generous than mine. A pool without a lift a resort is kinda an important factor, no push button doors (ever since COVID, almost every store/restaurant we go to here in Winnipeg has these) as well as the long distances between buildings, so based on your video, I would rate it as a 6.5 of of 10. But maybe as compared to more of the world, maybe I'm being too hard on this place. Hopefully you will get the chance to review more places in the future, and we will all understand this better.
Do you use wipes before catheterizing? I tried BZK wipes and they were too harsh for me. Any suggestions on what to use before cathing to cut down on the UTIs?
A question please. I keep seeing ads for “Epidural Stimulation for SCI”. I’ve been told by a knowledgeable woman that if one has spasms, then it isn’t a “complete” injury. But I can’t see how this Epidural Stimulation would work. Any thoughts from you guys?
@@EmpoweredPara Thank you. Ahhh, I saw a presentation on this a couple of years ago. They were talking about re-routing and connecting the nerves around the damaged part of the Spinal Cord. I’m assuming that’s what you mean. Now I’ll hunt around and see if there are any case studies or actual cases where it works. I’m especially interested where the injury occurred a significant number of years ago.
@@EmpoweredParaI stayed up most of the night reading on this, and have come to the understanding that it is still very experimental on humans, has tons of very serious things that can go wrong, and is bloody expensive! But, thank you for always teaching me and answering my questions. Live well Brittney!
This was a fantastic video. I love how funny this could be at times. Sex should have laughter. You demystified the whole thing and just presented it as a loving, joyful thing.
It’s been a l-o-n-g time since we’ve ventured out to a concert or indoor sports venue. But next time we go, I’m going to have to pay more attention to the placement of the Accessible spaces. Maybe things are getting better and seated patrons don’t get their view blocked by standees in front of them. And, even though I “understand” why there is only one adjoining space for an A-B person next to the Accessible Space, it still irks me that the family of someone in a wheelchair can’t sit together. The gut feeling that I get is that society (venue operators, etc) thinks that chair-users don’t have families and that the one A-B space is only for an attendant/caregiver/PCA. As I write this, “irk” doesn’t seem strong enough.
I truly hope you know what wonderful people you are growing in your home - they really know what family is, what unconditional love is, and will overflow with resilience and empathy throughout their lives.
@@EmpoweredPara Yep when we got hurt deployed, we'd have to learn the 1st song we hear waking up in the hospital. We'd sing it, & tell our story ONCE and never again.
Hope you had a good time but.. nah; i'm into punk, heavy, HC and you know.. "something with balls". Things like Ice-T and Body Count, La Excepción, 7Notas 7 Colores and.. that's it. I'd grew up with Jello Biafra & The Dead Kenndys, Iron Maiden, GBH, Exploited and.. "other things"; but, it's true that the rap/hip-hop have the word of the punk, but they don't have the balls/our balls. We, the punks.. are the Marines of the left, and the SHARPs are the Airborne of the left, everyone else are.. well, i don't wanna be homophobic but.. you know... land Army.. bah.. .you know!? If i had kids.. i would expose 'em to the most true and energetic music (punk/Rn'R) that i know, but, thank God that i'm not a parent; i think that you're a great mother, a good person. Hope that you two had a great time on that concert.
Would you like if some women with breast cancer wants world to have breasts cancer. So that they know how she feels? And how will you feel if some women with burnt face told you that she wants your face because she appreciates more than you and will take care of that face more than you,how you feel?. She will wash that face 7 time and take care of that face more than you What's if someone wants your hair and they say you don't deserve it because you don't know how hard world treats you when you don't have hair. You are taking it for granted And what about eyes . Can blind person deserves your eye's because they appreciate more?
I'm sure each of those people feels just like I feel at times and would be the first to say how normal these feelings are. Feeling these things is NORMAL, acting on them is not. I would never tell someone that is able bodied that they don't deserve to walk. I just feel those things sometimes when I'm frustrated. The point of this video is to help people dealing with negative emotions feel less alone, not to make them feel ashamed for having them, like you are trying to do with this comment. I'm not ashamed for feeling these emotions and I'm definitely not ashamed for being honest about them and trying to help others work through them. You are entitled to your opinion and I appreciate you sharing how you feel even though I disagree.
they have pre lubed catheters, lubed with sterile water, so you dont have to lube Cath.. its a little sterile water packet that you press and the water goes into the packet holding the Cath. makes it a little easier
I think I understand the point you are getting across about taking the opportunity to go to events and activities with your kids that you know are accessible. But I think in some ways you are too hard on yourself. From what I can see, you are one heckuva good mom, and you do lots of stuff with them. Kids are young and can do things that no sane parent can do with them. You’ve worked hard, with skills you’ve developed, and determination, to make an awesome life for yourself and your whole family. I think your children are darned lucky to have you as their mom!!
Wow, I can’t believe that parking garage owner thought about putting an Accessible Parking Stall right next to a horken big concrete pillar. From your Cooking in your Kitchen video and your Cushion video, it looks like your chair is pretty small, and yet this stall is still too small. I constantly “discuss” Accessible Parking stall widths with landlords, with so-so success, so I joined the Board of an Association because maybe I’ll have more success with them.
@@EmpoweredPara Well, that’s just utterly sad Brittney. Landlords/Architects/Engineers should be compelled, or be smart enough themselves, to hire a Disability Consultant to test these spaces, corridors, etc when they are designed and built.
@@EmpoweredParaThe latest group (a non-Profit) I’m a Board member of, does Accessibility Plans and Accessibility Reviews of existing buildings. Only here though.
I'll give 10's across the board. Glad you both had a good time. I would love to do more. but accessibility does not exist here. Doesn't matter small mid-western town nothing is happening anyway
@@EmpoweredPara Hey Dear One!! I love Trance, 80's rock and Pop, actually 40's and 50's Swing type, Sax and piano Jazz, Electronica, New Age and actually most Pop tbh. 😁 I'm DIVERSE! Hehe
From a man's perspective. I am married with kids and my wife is a 3 time cancer survivor. There has been many times in our marriage where I wasn't fulfilled sexually and at times it made me really frustrated. I will say that I never explored or considered cheating on my wife because of it as she is my best friend and I would expect the same from her if our roles were reversed. She got cancer about 5 years after we were married and right when she was pregnant with our second, so I had no way of knowing that she would have many health problems. You, however, were paralyzed before you were married, so he knew what he was in for and he should have realized what he was in for. All that being said, no person is worth anyone's time or effort if they won't respect you or the relationship enough to not be faithful. You have a great man at your side. Keep your head up and thank you so much for your vid!
Respect that you got out of your comfort zone to go with your son. I'm afraid it would make my ears bleed. Truly not my thing but some love it & that's great. I gave up going to concerts.. Parking is expensive and spaces are inadequate, Seating was not good for the price we paid for tickets, bathrooms are deplorable! If you want something to eat or drink it's like paying for a 5☆ meal and getting a watered down, flat soda and a Luke warm bratwurst on a stale bun. Yuck. But what really gets to me is when there are people in front of me who stand up and block the view so that all I see throughout the entire event (concert, hockey game, baseball game, etc ) is somebody's backside! That's the worst! If I wanted to watch on the screen, I'd save my money & watch at home on TV where I'd have saved tons of money & have a clean bathroom with no line to wait in!
Yes those are all annoying aspects of concerts. I have been to two concerts in the last month and they have been way better than the ones I attended in previous years! Maybe things are improving or maybe I just got lucky lol. I tend to be like you, though, and want to save money and watch at home lol
@EmpoweredPara I hate to be a downer, and don't mean to be. I'd love to go have fun. I just feel that many times venues don't take our needs seriously enough. I always take time to leave comments but feel they go unnoticed. So I no longer patronize them. Not sure what more to do.
Didn’t know you had a son every video it’s of your daughter plus I really would like to know your opinions on this concert hopefully it is accessible for you
Hello, try making a video on the challenge of life in a wheelchair for a day with your friends and show them how to move from a wheelchair to a bed, toilet on the floor, etc.
I am your sister from Yemen. My living conditions have become difficult and my situation has worsened. I and my family are suffering from very difficult things. By God, I did not speak except out of hunger and distress. My mother, my brothers and I lessons and tears. We are in a situation that only God knows. God is sufficient for us, and He is the best disposer of affairs for those who brought us to this situation. By God Almighty, this call was written out of distress and distress. Poverty, my world, they have felt it, so I ask you. By God Almighty, Lord of the Great Throne, I would eat what I had at home. By God, my brothers, it is my brothers to sit at home. Who doesn't have food? By God, we are in a very difficult situation. We have 6 people entering the house, my father died, and there is no one to support us and live in it. We live in a rented house because we cannot pay the rent we owe. ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' '''''''' ''''''''' '''''''''''''''''''' ''''''''' '''''''''''''''''''' '''''''''' '''''''' ''My brother, my first words are: By God, I will not lie to you or deceive you. I am a Yemeni girl displaced from the war. My family and I live in a rented house in Al-Shahrab. There are 15,000 Yemenis between us, and we now owe 45,000 for 3 months. The owner of the house is not a merciful person, I swear to God, my brother. He comes every day and insults us, talks about us, and moves from house to street because we couldn't pay him rent. The neighbors saw us crying and came back. They came back to talk to the neighbors and we got the weekend off. So we swore to him by God. He will take us out into the street. Have mercy on him and us. Our country is due to this war and we do not find food for our day, and my brothers and I live a difficult life. Our father passed away, may God have mercy on him, and we have no one in this world who was with us in these harsh circumstances. My younger brothers went out into the street and saw the neighbors eating and standing at their door to offer them bread even if they broke it. And to Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. They closed the door, took them out, and came back crying. They are dying of hunger. No one has mercy on them and Eid returns. I have earned a living, and now if one of us helps us with a kilo of flour, I swear to God, I will die of hunger. My brother, I am a stranger to God. Then I ask you to help me for God's sake. I ask you, by God, to love goodness and help me, and if you can, write to me on WhatsApp on this number 00967736246190 and ask for the name of my card and send it, and do not delay, and may God reward you with goodness. All the best for you, my brothers Sagar. Look how they are, help us and save us before they throw us in the street. You will be lost or die of hunger. My family and I ask you by God if you are able to help us, do not delay, and may God reward you well..`/--~«~-♡~♡~♡~~•~•~♡ ~♡~♡~♡~♡~♡♡♡~: ::” ~:~¡~¡~¡~;I..!i.i.i.i.i. i.I.|-.............،❤😮❤...
Thanks, Brittney. Newly diagnosed with a "small" syrnix so learning all I can to know what my next steps need to be. Having had the MRI just recently means this is my baseline, so I don't know how long it's been there - but I can definitely pin some new-ish heart rate, BP symptoms on it. Thanks for continuing to do so much for our community. J
I don’t quite know how to word this. I have a contemporary that I went to school with who has been injured and is now quad. I am ashamed to admit that I’ve never visited him because I’m uncomfortable with the fact that I am fully able-bodied and he has his cross to me almost like the analogy I could come up with of a survivor crash from a disaster.. what do they call it? Survivor guild? I think I can’t get past it. It may be irrational but nonetheless, I do feel guilty. Really probably do not know how to deal with that headspace.
That's a normal feeling. If he is was a good friend then I would say "suck it up" and go visit your friend not matter how uncomfortable. But if he was just an acquaintance then don't worry about then visit lol.
And your videos are commercial-free on Patreon. I don’t think of it so much as a Subscription Service; I see it as a way to show how much I appreciate what you are doing for the community. You fulfilling a need. Me fulfilling a promise.
@@EmpoweredPara Brittney, I promised you a long time ago that I’d support your efforts in any way I could, and Patreon is the current way. Now I gotta go finish watching the “Coping with Negative Emotions” and try to figure it out. So confusing.
With regard to that quote although I’m fully able I often have people say to me for example you’re used to driving long distance and my answer is always. I just learned to deal with it. There is a difference. I’m sure you agree.
@@EmpoweredParaYeah, I only thought of it as a way to get an answer to a quick question. I’m off it now. Wish I’d understood it better. I need a course on Social Media platforms. Or I need to play with these more…..
I have some news for you, Britney. You actually very articulate and deliver your message succinctly And logically, so don’t you be 2 self-deprecating young lady.
Make a video of the challenges of life in a wheelchair, such as how to transfer from a wheelchair to a bed, bathroom, sofa, car and others with your fellow wheelchair users, taking turns.
I am still fairly new to this so yeah I would love to be able to walk again. But then I realized all the nice people that I have met since I have been in my chair. I would not have met these amazing people otherwise. I could complain every day about the crappy chair I have, but it does not change the situation. So I just do what I need to do.
"Do what you gotta do" is a decent motto lol. It gets me through some of the toughest times. When all else fails, I just do what I gotta do. What other choice is there!
I miss a lot of things. It’s been 2 years since I became paralyzed, ( I am 53)but I have only been home 1 year. Where I live it’s a small rural town not many places are accessible. I stay in a medical bed 90% of the time. When I go to the doctors people look at me 😢 and I struggle. They are judging me not knowing my situation. I try to be positive not rosy glasses. I am grateful for my husband because he does things that most don’t. Would I do the surgery if I could ~I would, but realistically I know that would not be an option. I hate being sick because I unfortunately can’t use the toilet. I noticed the cramps are worse now so I am grateful when really the sickness is over.
I cut a square hole in my chain guard to see the gears. Made a huge difference. There is also an option of electric thumb gears which helps. I have quad paws and can still use the thumb shifter. We also used cut off pool noodles where my legs go for padding when they spasm. Have a blast on your new bike!!
Thank you so much for this video, I know it's two years old now, but I only found your account a few weeks ago. I don't have a physical dysability but a lot of the topics you talk about resonate with me, like the anxiety or the things your cousin said about being grateful people wanted to work with her because she needs accomodations although that doesn't mean she's any less good at her job. It's always encouraging to know others struggle with the same things and see how they succeeded by pushing through.
Welcome! So glad my content resonates with you! We really are so much more similar than we think, whether we have disabilities or not, much of our experiences are universal!
