By: Jocelene Ramnanan

By The mobileWOMEN Team

We at mobileWOMEN.org found that this Valentine’s Day sparked it’s usual passion but also this time, it sparked a passionate conversation regarding love and relationships. It all started when one of our contributors found herself among a group of single mobileWOMEN, discussing the viability of marriage when having a disability. These women conveyed that they didn’t know any other women that were married and weren’t even sure if marriage was a possibility for them.

After a few of us discussed creating an article about marriage, we realized that there are many dimensions and aspects of love. Marriage wasn’t necessarily the only road to happiness and love comes in many shapes and forms.

Fortunately, our mobileWOMEN team members have broad range of circumstances when it comes to relationships and love, so each of us agreed to share our experiences and thoughts on the subject. We decided one article was not enough to cover this complex topic so we have created a series of three posts based on the following:

Part I - Relationship Status: Different Perspectives from our mW Team

Part II - Looking for Love: Tips on Finding Your Significant Other 

Part III - Celebrating Love in All Forms

We hope that you will enjoy the series and share it with others that you feel may find it beneficial. Ultimately, our best resource is one another so please share your thoughts on our Facebook page. We are so grateful for all of you. Let’s embrace the support that we can give each other and the love felt within our community!

By mobileWOMEN Team


We at mobileWOMEN.org found that this Valentine’s Day sparked it’s usual passion but also this time, it sparked a passionate conversation regarding love and relationships. It all started when one of our contributors found herself among a group of single mobileWOMEN, discussing the viability of marriage when having a disability. These women conveyed that they didn’t know any other women that were married and weren’t even sure if marriage was a possibility for them.

After a few of us discussed creating an article about marriage, we realized that there are many dimensions and aspects of love. Marriage wasn’t necessarily the only road to happiness and love comes in many shapes and forms.

Fortunately, our mobileWOMEN team members have broad range of circumstances when it comes to relationships and love, so each of us agreed to share our experiences and thoughts on the subject. We decided one article was not enough to cover this complex topic so we have created a series of three posts based on the following:

Part I - Relationship Status: Different Perspectives from our mW Team

Part II - Looking for Love: Tips on Finding Your Significant Other

Part III - Celebrating Love in All Forms

We hope that you will enjoy the series and share it with others that you feel may find it beneficial. Ultimately, our best resource is one another so please share your thoughts on our Facebook page. We are so grateful for all of you. Let’s embrace the support that we can give each other and the love felt within our community!

In this post, we are covering the second post of our "love" series:

Part II - Looking for Love: Tips on Finding Your Significant Other

We asked our members the following questions:

a) If you are in a relationship, how did you meet? OR If you are looking for love, what methods have you tried to meet someone?

b) What advice/tips would you give another mobileWOMAN looking for love?

By Amy Saffell   
I’m always up for a new adventure, and throughout my life, I’ve tried out all kinds of sports and recreational activities. It wasn’t until six years ago that I skied for the first time, and I’ve been hooked ever since. I grew up in Atlanta and knew that Shepherd Center organized ski trips for people with disabilities. It took me a while to be settled enough in my career to take a big trip since there’s not much skiing in the southeast, but I eventually took the plunge. I recently got back from my sixth time skiing, and each time I go, I can’t wait to get back. 
   

By mobileWOMEN Team

We at mobileWOMEN.org found that this Valentine’s Day sparked it’s usual passion but also this time, it sparked a passionate conversation regarding love and relationships. It all started when one of our contributors found herself among a group of single mobileWOMEN, discussing the viability of marriage when having a disability. These women conveyed that they didn’t know any other women that were married and weren’t even sure if marriage was a possibility for them.

After a few of us discussed creating an article about marriage, we realized that there are many dimensions and aspects of love. Marriage wasn’t necessarily the only road to happiness and love comes in many shapes and forms.

Fortunately, our mobileWOMEN team members have broad range of circumstances when it comes to relationships and love, so each of us agreed to share our experiences and thoughts on the subject. We decided one article was not enough to cover this complex topic so we have created a series of three posts based on the following:

Part I - Relationship Status: Different Perspectives from our mW Team
Part II - Looking for Love: Tips on Finding Your Significant Other
Part III - Celebrating Love in All Forms

We hope that you will enjoy the series and share it with others that you feel may find it beneficial. Ultimately, our best resource is one another so please share your thoughts on our Facebook page. We are so grateful for all of you. Let’s embrace the support that we can give each other and the love felt within our community!

Let's dive in to Part I - Relationship Status: Different Perspectives from our mW Team

By Lucy Lawrence

By Patty Kunze, RN, BSN and Roberta Palmer, RN
 

Frank & Patty Kunze 2013

In 2009 I became paralyzed from an auto accident. I thought that was one of the most difficult phases of my life. Learning how to function from a wheelchair, how to go from a totally independent woman at age 48 to now living life from the sitting position, forever. But wow, was I ever mistaken. In July, I lost my caregiver, my spouse of 29 years, my other half of my being, to cancer and I became paralyzed all over again. I was paralyzed due to grief while sitting in a wheelchair. We all experience sadness, but what happens when the source of the grief is your spouse, who happens to be your caregiver. The Rollin’ RNs decided to tackle this huge topic.

First off, let’s review the emotional stages of grief that we can all go through which are shock or disbelief, denial, bargaining, guilt, anger, depression, and acceptance/hope. I also feel there is one more stage that occurs before acceptance/hope and that is a state of being extremely overwhelmed. I will explain my feeling of being overwhelmed later but these stages are in no order and may occur anytime during the emotional rollercoaster.

Disbelief occurred in 2007. I begin my story in 2007 when my husband was diagnosed with malignant melanoma, the worst of all skin cancers. We had been married 19 years at this time but I couldn’t believe my husband was diagnosed with malignant melanoma. He had a small mole on his back that began to itch. As a nurse, I looked at it, gave my assessment (one that NEVER included cancer) and suggested we have it examined by a physician. The physician looked at the mole and said, “No big deal. We will remove it when it’s convenient to you.” It was removed shortly afterwards and then we were called to his office and given the news. Malignant Melanoma. Immediately after the surgery and recovery, we moved forward again, a tiny blip in our road of life. No biggie. Then in 2009, our auto accident occurred that left me a paraplegic, paralyzed completely from mid-chest down. Another stage came into being, guilt. Our SUV was being driven by my husband and even though the accident was not his fault, he felt guilt by not protecting me when the truck T-boned us by running a stop sign.

Photo by Lawson Filho

We at mobileWOMEN were thrilled to connect with athlete, model and advocate, Samanta Bullock from all the way across the pond! Always curious about dynamic women around the world, we asked Samanta to share her story and then answer a few questions to learn more about her passion and motivation. In Samanta's words:
 
"With a background in fashion, I am passionate about inclusive fashion and leading a healthy and active lifestyle. I live in London and am sharing my knowledge and life experiences to raise awareness of inclusion, fashion, and healthy lifestyles.

I have been in a wheelchair since 1992 and played wheelchair tennis from 2003 until 2009, representing Brazil and winning a doubles silver medal at the 2007 Para Pan Am Games. I am living proof that a wheelchair does not have to be an obstacle to achieving any of my goals.

Born in 1978 in Osorio-Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, my life changed forever at the tender age of 14 when a bullet wound left me paraplegic. Before my injury, I was a model and was very active, playing handball and tennis. Since my accident, I have worked in politics, played tennis at the highest level and performed in the 2012 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony, among many other achievements.

I can now look back proudly at what I have already achieved since my accident and have every reason to feel optimistic about the future. I have had the chance to participate in London Fashion Week, Fashions Finest, International Dubai Fashion Week, Spoken London Fashion Week and London Alternative Fashion Week. I have also been in fashion shows in Portugal, Brazil, Spain and Turkey.


As part of my journey to make fashion more accessible to everyone and the disabled population be more represented, I have been speaking in a number of conferences, events and schools. Fashion has the power to normalize things and embrace equality. It has been hard work, pushing for inclusion but a meaningful one and I am making it part of my journey.

I invite you to be part of it, to work in the direction of more inclusive world. To make this new generation understand that all differences are welcome. Be with me, your opinion and presence are needed and I am happy to share my journey with you."

mW: Thank you for sharing your powerful story with us! You have obviously gone through a devastating injury yet you have been able to accomplish so much since then. What helped to you to get through the tough times?

SB: The thing is, I have been working every single day for years now, even when I am on holiday (vacation), I am making content. What you see is the result of a lot of work. I don’t focus on the big picture, I do one thing at time. The days I am in pain, I try to do my best on that day and see what is the best thing will help me to get through, sometimes it is a bath, other times it is to go swimming, have a nice tea, talk with someone that I love, meditation etc. It depends, but it is day by day, hour by hour.

mW: What advice would you give someone with a recent injury or disability?

SB: When the injury is recent, all senses and motions are still raw. We have a grief period; it is necessary - our past died and is reborn. Just believe, “all will be fine”, “all will be fine”. Relax and go step by step. Here is the process to rediscover what we can do such as pee, feelings, transfers, etc, celebrate each little conquer. Live day by day.

mW: What compelled you to be an advocate for inclusion?

SB: I was tired of being left out, to be carried around, with places that were not accessible, to get on buses on my bum because they aren’t accessible, to have buses close the door in your face, or not stop for you. I was tired of all this, missing accessibility and representation. For example, restaurants won’t be accessible if they don’t see the wheelchair user, as a consumer. We are not represented, why will they change?

Photo by Lawson Filho

mW: Why did you choose fashion as a tool to promote inclusion?

SB: Because I think fashion has the power. Everyone wears clothes. Fashion also empowers and gives us the confidence that we need.

mW: Do you have any recent projects that you would like to share? 

SB: I am helping fellow mobileWOMAN, Louise Sertsis from Advanced Freedom, design her wheelchair bag, the HandiPac, by giving her feedback. I think it has enormous potential to help people with Multiple Sclerosis and other different limitations, regain their freedom.

Samanta with the HandiPac

I am doing my fashion shows and also, I am responsible at VisABLE People for the models division. They are the world’s first initiative to create mainstream, professional opportunities for actors, presenters and models with disabilities. I have been with them for more than 10 years now and we decided to have a part of the agency just for the modelling element from now on. It is so exciting! I am also launching my new website with a lot of upcoming news so stay tuned!

mW: What are your hopes and dreams for the future?

SB: That we have the same rights as anyone else. That it doesn’t matter if you have a disability or not, you can go through a shop and buy something that fits you, that you have the right fitting room to try it, that the staff are comfortable with you... I mean, just to be treated as equal.

Photo by Lawson Filho

By Amy Saffell

Amy Saffell (bottom right) armed with GoPro & crew

People with disabilities are significantly underrepresented in the media, both on camera and in media jobs behind the scenes. In Nashville, through a partnership with the adaptive sports and independence nonprofit ABLE Youth (www.ableyouth.org) and Nashville Education, Community and Arts Television Network (NECAT) (www.necatnetwork.org), change is happening! NECAT, a public access television station, has so far trained about a half dozen of ABLE Youth's teenagers and the Executive Director to run everything in the studio, from cameras to floor directing to technical directing to audio to sets and lighting to being on camera and are now television producers with the public access station.

In the control room.

Rosemarie, Ryan Eder & The Access Strength

By Rosemarie Rossetti

Exercise is a top priority for me and my husband, Mark Leder. We have been regular members of the YMCA in Gahanna, Ohio since it opened in 2004. In the cold months, I am there about twice a week and less frequently in the warm months. I was involved with their adaptive fitness program in 2005 and had fitness instructors that helped me to learn how to use the equipment, in the gym, more effectively. In 2006, I enrolled in the warm water Pilate’s class and hired a swimming instructor in 2015 who taught me how to swim laps, using five different strokes! Also that year, Mark and I hired a personal trainer to show us how to use additional exercise equipment, creating a program for each of us to follow.


As much as I enjoyed all of these activities, they came with challenges and frustration of trying to access and use much of the standard exercise equipment designed for non-wheelchair users. The difficulty that I have had working on exercise equipment, especially early on, was transferring from my wheelchair to each of the pieces of equipment. I would notice black and blue marks on my legs on occasion, at places where my leg would hit a seat during the transfer. There were only a few pieces of equipment that I could use from my wheelchair. I also found it cumbersome to put pins in the weights to adjust the equipment and sometimes even the lowest weight setting, was too difficult for me to lift.

I’m excited to announce that there is a new piece of universal design exercise equipment now on the market that is without the obstacles that I (and many others) have encountered in the past! It was designed for people of all abilities, including people like myself, who use a wheelchair for mobility. I have known the inventor, founder, and CEO of IncludeHealth, Ryan Eder, for many years and am amazed at the technology that he has created.

Ryan started as a design student at the University of Cincinnati when he happened to notice a man in a wheelchair, working out at the gym. After observing him, Ryan noticed that the gentleman spent more time transferring and adapting to the equipment than actually working out. This moment became the focus of his senior thesis which led to designing the inclusive workout system, The Access Strength. Ryan describes his 10-year journey here.


This strength training equipment is not for the home gym but rather for rehabilitation centers, hospitals, orthopedic, and care centers. The Access Strength inclusive functional trainer allows a person to do hundreds of upper and lower body exercises from a seated or standing position.

 I was fortunate to have worked with Ryan, from the early days when he was designing this equipment. I find it easy to use from my wheelchair and especially like the feature to increase and decrease the weight that I lift by simply turning a knob. The adjustments are in five-pound increments. This equipment fuses inclusivity, fitness, technology, data, and healthcare integration into a digital health platform focusing on physical medicine,
rehabilitation, and wellness.


IncludeHealth is an internationally awarded digital health company leveraging technology, data, and design to transform health and wellness. Offered through a monthly subscription, The Include Platform pairs HIPAA compliant cloud software with accessible fitness equipment to produce better outcomes with lower barriers and costs through features such as outcomes-based data collection, automated documentation, cloud collaboration, and inclusive design.

With $6M in development to disrupt the industry, The Include Platform has garnered over 20 issued patents and 18 international design + health awards including winning Best in Show in the International Design Excellence Awards twice! Other one-time winners include Apple, Nike, Microsoft, and Tesla.

So you are probably wondering how you have the opportunity to use this innovative equipment. If you are interested in learning more about The Access Strength or how to have it installed at a facility, please contact Ryan Eder at 

We all know that fitness has to be a priority especially for those with mobility challenges. By being proactive, we can change our fitness environment to accommodate our needs so we can focus our efforts on being the best we can be, in the New Year and many years to follow!

To learn more about the author, Rosemarie Rossetti, visit https://www.rosemariespeaks.com/.

There’s a lot to be desired when it comes to accessible housing. According to The Atlantic, only 40% of homes are accessible, meaning it can be a tiring experience for wheelchair users to find somewhere appropriate. The good news is that this trend is set to reverse and make heating the home an easier prospect than ever before.
 

We at mobileWOMEN.org, were thrilled to have the opportunity to catch up with the dynamic Rosemarie Rossetti, after delivering her powerful TEDx presentation. We learned about her journey and tips for those considering such a challenging endeavor.
On June 13, 1998, my husband Mark Leder and I went for a bicycle ride on a rural wooded bike trail in Granville, OH. After riding for a few minutes, Mark thought he heard a gunshot and slowed down to investigate.  As he scanned the scene he saw a large tree falling. He shouted, “Stop!” But the warning was too late. Instantly, I was crushed by a 7,000 pound tree and paralyzed from the waist down.

Coming home from the hospital in a wheelchair, I realized how my home intensified my disability.  My husband and I knew that we had to sell our home and find something more suitable. We decided to build our home and the Universal Design Living Laboratory was born. This has been the catalyst for many of my projects.

By Lucy Lawrence

By Janira Obregon

Soon after I was born, my mom knew that there was something wrong because, unlike most babies, I was not moving my arms nor legs. After speaking to different doctors, I was finally diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and Spastic Quadriplegia, a disability that affects my four limbs, due to a brain injury at birth. 

There have been times in my life where things got complicated, but despite that, I kept pushing forward to be the best I could be. There are people who think that because I have a disability that I need special accommodations for everything or I won’t rise to the occasion, and that’s not true. There are also people who support and believe in me and the things that I can do. 

There are around two million new wheelchair users every year in the United States and that means that many homes are having to be redesigned to ease access and comfort. Of the rooms that make up a home, one that is particularly important to renovate is the kitchen, because consuming a sound diet is key for improving outcomes for many conditions and home cooking is therefore necessary less expensive and fun!  Some changes will cost more than others, so if you are looking to make changes, decide what budget you have and start off with those that will make the biggest difference, in terms of your comfort and safety.

Accessible Furniture Height

If you are starting out with an empty kitchen space, bespoke carpentry is ideal. Tabletops, sinks, dishwashers and cupboards can be built lower to ease the cooking and cleaning process. Low tabletops are key for safety, since you will be able to clearly see and control items you are chopping or heating. Low lying cupboards, meanwhile, will reduce the chance of pots and pans or other items falling out and causing possible injury. 

Whether you are building new or modifying an existing kitchen, it is important to do your homework. Often products that are specifically made for disabilities are extremely expensive so research existing products that may work for you.

Following ADA/ANSI Guidelines

The ADA and ANSI give important technical guidelines on how to make kitchens and other areas more accessible to wheelchair users. There are many resources available such as The Universal Design Toolkit to assist you with your design. A clear floor space of at least 30” by 48” should be provided at each kitchen appliance. Wheelchair turning spaces, meanwhile, should have a diameter of at least 60”. Include knee and toe clearances in your calculations. You can get really creative when starting a kitchen design from scratch. For instance, if you have a limited space, you can opt for design features such as sliding central islands, in which half the table can be pushed under the main tabletop to create more space for wheelchair users.Try to find a contractor with accessibility experience who can help with design ideas too.


Choosing the Right Appliances

Your furniture can adapt to the equipment you choose so these should be taken into account and discussed, at the planning stage. Refrigerators and other appliances should have one-hand operation to comply with ADA requirements. Dishwashers should ideally have electronic capacitive touch controls located on the front of the machine so that reaching over isn’t required. Cooktops and any other operable part of equipment should have a front location and mirrors can be added above, to make it easier to see what you are cooking. Washers and dryers should be front-loading and have wide doors and eye level controls.

Important Note:The plumbing of sinks should be placed far back so you can wheel underneath. It's imperative that exposed pipes are insulated to protect your legs.Temperature controls can be added so the maximum temperature can be set low enough to prevent burns.
 
Creative Thinking

Think of ways that will make the cooking process more amenable. One creative use of

Cabinets with Pull-out shelves

space, involves a pull-out system for electric stove tops; combine this with a low height and it will be very easy to keep an eye on the meals you are preparing. Kitchen drawers that completely pull out and allow you to hang pots vertically instead of horizontally, are another fantastic way to avoid the need for reaching over to obtain or store items. Cabinets for keeping cans, plates, and glasses will most likely be up on the wall above your work table. Ease access to these items with a lever that you can easily pull down to lower the shelves containing these goods.

There are also a multitude of gadgets such as mini food processors that can make everyday tasks much easier and safer.

Inspiration can be found everywhere for easier kitchen accessibility. When space isn’t an issue, design is a breeze. You can build an open kitchen with low-lying furniture and specialized equipment. If a big renovation isn’t in your plans, small changes can still make a difference. When you are in the design stage, let safety and comfort come first; whipping up the perfect meal should be easier and more pleasurable than ever.

By Wendy Crawford and the mobileWOMEN Team