Categories
At Home DIY Everyday Gear Gifts

DIY – Laptop Desk for Chair or Bed

ben-desk.jpgI’ve never liked chairs much, and work at my desk only when there’s no other option. My preferred writing mode is in, or on, a bed or couch, stretched out with my laptop in front of me. For a long time, I used a Targus laptop desk that I originally bought for travel. I like it very much, but I don’t much like having the weight of the laptop on my thighs for hours at a time.

Eventually I ran across IKEA Hacker, and discovered this mod of IKEA’s Benjamin stool. If you compute in bed or in a chair by necessity or by choice, this portable desk might enhance the experience. It’s been a great solution for me.

It took me just about 40 minutes to turn this $20 purchase into a terrific laptop desk. I use it every day, and it’s a pleasure every time. Mr. Smiley, on Hacker, used a $6 coping saw to do the cuts; I used my $6 hacksaw.

My version is a little taller than the one shown on Hacker; I had to trim the stool’s legs twice to get the height exactly where I wanted it, and the angle just right. (It’s smart to leave the stool too tall at first, if you’re not sure you’ve got the height calculated perfectly.)

Of course, this laptop desk isn’t adjustable once you’ve made it, but if $140 for a Laptop Laidback is a bit much, this could be a fine compromise.

I cut a piece of gripping mesh to fit between the laptop and the desk, which keeps the computer from sliding around. My laptop stays nice and cool, and so do I, since its underside isn’t in contact with my body. The desk’s relatively high clearance means that my lap and legs don’t feel cramped and don’t get numb when I work for hours, and if I sit up properly, the keyboard is at a perfect ergonomic angle. That’s good for my wrists and hands, too.

If you scroll down on the IKEA Hacker page, you’ll see a few more amusing variations on this theme, though nothing as useful as this particular “hack”.

Categories
Games/Recreation

Easy-Entry Hammock

ham.jpgThere’s not much fair weather camping time left in most parts of the USA this year, but those who plan ahead, and those who live year-round in warm climates, might be interested in these hammocks. With angles and edges everywhere, they don’t much resemble the traditional backyard snoozing spot, and they don’t seem to have many of the disadvantages of the tippy hammock you’re probably familiar with. These new-fangled slings are touted for just about everyone, but especially for people with back pain and arthritis:

. . . the easy-enter system allows you to settle yourself without leaping over the side of the hammock, wary of the dangers of flipping over or falling out. Climbing into the hammock is as easy as sitting in a chair and exiting is equally convenient.

The bottom of the hammock is split, allowing a person to enter the hammock from below, while standing. You then sit fully supported in the hammock, lie back, and set your legs up along the sides. Once you’re inside, the bottom of the hammock is self-closing.

The website claims that the asymmetrical shape provides a very different experience than sleeping in a regular hammock.

Tall or large campers and campers with injuries, arthritis or bone spurs tell us about finding their first night of comfort in many years in the larger Explorer or Safari Deluxe models.

The website is a lot of fun; one section is labeled “Every Purpose” and, if you’ve got the time, you may very well discover that there is nothing that can’t be done with this hammock.

If you’re someone who’s given up on camping because tent floors and sleeping bags present too much of a challenge, this very different bed might be worth a try. Did I mention that it does triple-duty as a camp chair and lounger, as well? Pictures galore on the Hennessy Hammock website.

Hennessy is a Canadian company, but ships worldwide.

Categories
Books DIY

DIY – Covers and Pouches for Mobility Aids

sew.jpgI didn’t order a copy of this book in time to do a proper review, but decided to go ahead and post anyway when a reader emailed and mentioned it. The holidays are coming, and for those who sew, it’s time to break out the needles and get to work. Let’s consider this an introduction — comments are welcome, of course, from anyone who’s used the book.

boat.jpgWalk and Roll is full of cheerful, sensible and clever add-ons for walkers, wheelchairs and scooters. Author Lynn Gorges’ imaginative designs rely on commonly available household linens; they’re more varied, more colorful and more creative than any I have seen commercially made. I’m guessing that the patterns themselves are fairly simple, but Lynn’s planning could save a lot of precious pre-holiday time.

Lynn has done a very nice job on the details, too. Notice the trim below the seat on the walker on the book cover? A distinctive walker pouch is often a source of pride in my dad’s nursing home — this kind of trim could escalate bragging rights (and the opportunities for social interaction) through the roof!

seat.jpgThere are all kinds of different motifs on Lynn’s webpage: a carrier with a cupholder that looks as if it rivals the ones I’ve written about here and here, and a walker pouch that integrates a license plate. Finding these accessories for men is difficult unless black vinyl gives you a thrill; Lynn’s book lets you incorporate anyone’s interests into an attractive gift, whether the recipient is male or female.

What sets Lynn’s designs apart is the quality of her work. Though these projects are meant to be made by loving hands at home, they look as if they’ve been custom-designed just for your recipient. Lynn’s done the planning and made the patterns; you get the fun of putting it all together.

Walk and Roll , via Minding Our Elders

Special thanks to Isabelle from the blog Senior Friendly Libraries

Categories
Games/Recreation

Cycles for People with Disabilites

zsun.jpgI spent part of an excellent afternoon recently at a recumbent cycle shop. Recumbents are a great alternative for many people who love cycling, but who can’t, for one reason or another, use conventional bicycles.

cat.jpgRecumbent cycles allow the rider to sit in a more natural, and comfortable, position — as opposed to leaning over, or into, the handlebars — and let legs stretch out in front instead of dangling. Recumbents are kind to spines, and a recumbent with underseat steering can be an advantage for people with arm or hand issues. Recumbent trikes offer stability for people with balance problems, or for those who worry about falling.

tertri.jpg“Comfortable”, in the case of recumbents, does not mean stodgy. These cycles can go anywhere and do just about anything (and more!) than the familiar two-wheeler. And the trikes? These are not your grandmother’s (or even your mother’s) trikes — they’re sleek and geared to take on hills wherever you find them. I’d never ridden a ‘bent until my recent test drives; the experience was exhilarating and very much like the joy of riding a conventional cycle.

Recumbent Bike Rider is like a ‘bent lover’s candy store. I think I saw at least one version of every recumbent I’ve looked at on the Internet. Rob, the owner, is low-key and accommodating; he spontaneously mentioned that he’s discovered that his customer base is much wider than the recumbent enthusiasts he first encountered when he opened the shop. He’s now dealing with a much broader population, and is customizing models for people with disabilities. If State College is within striking distance, and you have particular cycling requirements that a recumbent might address, you might want to look Rob up.

In general, your chances of finding a bike shop willing to fit a cycle to your personal needs may be greater if the shop sells recumbents. You’re a little more likely to have discovered the kind of enthusiast who tinkers more; recumbents require a little more effort to assemble than your standard two-wheeler.

Top recumbent from RBR (Sun’s website is unusable)

Yellow recumbent from Catrike

Touring Trike from WizWheelz

Update: After a series of unpleasant emails from Sun representative Joe Z., I will not recommend Sun products to anyone, and definitely won’t be buying one myself. If you’re interested in a lower-priced recumbent, I’d urge you to wait until spring, when Sun is expected to have a great deal more competition as newer, less-expensive models from other companies join the field.

In retrospect, I’m glad for the contact. Before a major purchase, especially when product support may be an issue down the road, it’s always a good idea to get in touch with the company ahead of time. If you’re treated poorly as a prospective customer, you can bet that customer service will only be worse after you buy.

Recumbents can’t be serviced at just any shop; if you need parts or assistance and you end up dealing with a manufacturer who isn’t committed to customer service, you’re really stuck. My recent experience with Sun puts it firmly in that category.

Categories
Medical Practice

The Origins of Plastic Surgery

trench.jpgFew people alive today (at least in the USA) fully understand what the phrase ‘in the trenches’ meant during World War I. This photo, from an upcoming exhibit at the National Army Museum in Chelsea, UK, illustrates the vulnerability of the soldiers who fought in that terrible war. Deep earthen walls protected bodies, but left heads and faces unprotected, resulting in deadly and disfiguring injuries.

before.jpgNew Zealand surgeon Harold Gillies, sent to France in 1915, radically changed the previous approach to these injuries, which had involved little more than stitching up the wounds. While treating his patients, Gillies developed techniques which ushered in the modern era of plastic surgery: drawing flaps of healthy skin into tubes to grow more skin for grafting; using bone and cartilage to provide structure under the skin; instituting grafting procedures that involved stages rather than one massive graft.

“We remember the dead, but we don’t remember the wounded, the people who had to go on living,” exhibition co-curator Samantha Doty says.

after.jpgThe NAM exhibit features previously unseen images of these literally faceless men, and documents Gillies’ work. For these soldiers, appearance was far more than a matter of self-regard, or of vanity. The crudity of previous methods of treating these injuries not only resulted in death, but created such severe disfigurements in survivors that the ‘cure’ actually caused disabilities. Gillies’ field work, though not always as successful as shown in these pictures of William Spreckley, changed the way these injuries were treated forever.

Faces of Battle opens on November 10; the BBC online has a series of images from the exhibit.

Via: medGadget

Related: The Tin Noses Shop

Categories
Clothing Everyday Gear Nursing Home

Soothing Adjustable Slippers

old-friend.jpgMy dad’s circulatory problems are worsening, and he’s finding his shoes to be more and more uncomfortable. Severe edema in his legs means that the heels of his shoes hold his feet at an uncomfortable angle, but he still prefers wearing something shoe-like along with his compression stockings.

The adjustable slippers we gave him a couple of years ago were fine for casual wear at the time, and I’d still recommend them highly. Now, though, dad’s legs and feet need a bit more coddling: These sheepskin slippers, made by Old Friend, are just the thing. The heel makes them feel like shoes, and helps to keep them on Dad’s feet; the velcro over the top of the foot allows the slipper to be readjusted day-by-day as needed.

The wool fleece lining is light and airy, keeping pressure off Dad’s feet, and the open toes keep air circulating around his nails to minimize problems in that area.

Best of all, these slippers are cozy and luxurious, just like the traditional sheepskin slippers he used to wear and love.

That’s the good news. The bad news is that it took me several days of diligent hunting to find them in Dad’s size. One shop owner told me that he’d gotten a huge number in last year but had a terrible time “getting rid of them”! My advice? Snatch them up as soon as you find them — they’re a great idea, but I don’t think many people know they exist.

I found Dad’s at Muldoon’s in Wisconsin; Zappos also carries them, but they were out of his size, and I didn’t want to wait.

Note: Old Friend recommends freshening sheepskin footwear by dusting the interior with baking soda and letting it sit over night. Shake or vacuum the soda out the next day. Fashionistas who are slaves to the ubiquitous sheepskin boot, take note!