Update from Camp

Hello everybody!

Everything is going very well down in Newport. Time is really flying by!

So far we’ve done some pretty awesome recreational activities such as kayaking, hand cycling, going to a rope course, and going to a Polo match. This year I successfully went out in a kayak without tipping over! As for hand cycling, it was a gorgeous day down at the park and we got to test out various hand cycles. Also, this year we got to enjoy the ropes course again. We went on two harnessed activities in which we were pulled up by staff members and brought to a height of 50 feet. It was a great feeling being lifted out of our chairs. Lastly, I went to my first Polo match between Scotland and the US.

During our free time, I have been able to hang out with old participants and meet new ones. We have gone to many restaurants and bars since being here. This year I’ve had to find a happy medium between socializing and being independent. Although we go out to eat a lot, the weekend brunches here are the BEST because Shirley, the house cook, prepares us any food we would like from breakfast foods to lunch foods.

At camp this year, I’ve been very fortunate to work with amazing therapists. For example, it’s been great working with Carrie, my old PT from Spaulding Rehab in Boston. She has not seen me since rehab. The changes I have made have been astronomical! She is very knowledgeable at what she does. This year, some of my main goals include working on making my morning routine independent (from getting up out of bed to going to the bathroom to getting dressed). It’s been going well. I have found that the key to a successful morning routine is problem solving. With Liz’s help, a newly graduated OT student from Boston University, I have made some great modifications to my manual chair. She made it possible for me to insert my side-guards that protect my pants. The best thing about being at Shake-A-Leg is being able to learn tricks of the trade from other participants. You really find out what works and what doesn’t. For example, there are participants here who are working on transferring into and out of their cars! There is a fellow participant who has a Volkswagen Rabbit that has been modified with hand controls, etc, that allow him to drive. The car has been tricked out with rims and it looks pretty SICK! Furthermore, a former participant showed up the other day in his Acura NSX sports car and showed us how he transferred in and out of it. By looking at it, you would never know it was an adapted car.

Sorry for the lack of updates, but I have been extremely busy. Thank you for reading my blog! When I get home, I will be very busy with my brother’s wedding and reapplying for school in Portland, Maine.

Derek