Personal Update, Trip to Atlanta

I do not typically share personal updates on this blog, instead I usually save those for an occasional email to my full email list (just ask if you want to be added or removed, no worries). But the latest update was very well received, and I thought… why not post it on my blog?

Here is a slightly edited version of what I  emailed six days ago…

Hello Everyone!

The last time I shared a personal update with you, I think it was in the spring when I was working as a graduate teaching assistant in the same Masters program from which I graduated. Serving in that capacity was a lot of fun, and I received very positive feedback from my students and also the professors I worked alongside.

I am kind of on sabbatical from teaching but would like to resume this spring. But not teaching this semester proved to be "good timing" (or God timing:) because it allowed me to be hired to present at a two-day workshop for Georgia Tech IT personnel. My topic was "web accessibility and voice software use."

Last week at this time, I was in Atlanta. And that exciting opportunity is largely what prompted me to write you all now.

We had a good trip, staying three nights in a nice hotel in downtown Atlanta. The workshop was largely to help Georgia Tech IT folks understand what it's like for people with disabilities to access websites, what barriers exist, and how they can make their website universally friendly. I actually was hired by "AMAC Accessibility Solutions and Research Center" to help them present for Georgia Tech IT staff, and I had the privilege of co-presenting with two gentlemen with vision impairments.

Watching them browse the Internet using screenreader technology was an eye-opening experience for this sighted person. I gave a brief PowerPoint presentation and also a live voice software demonstration both mornings, which freed up our afternoon schedules.

I enjoyed my official duties, and received positive feedback regarding my efforts, but also enjoyed meeting and getting a personal tour of AMAC headquarters from the Director who started it all, Dr. Christopher Lee. What he and they are doing is impressive. For example, they convert textbooks to accessible formats, including braille, for students all over the world, and if I'm not mistaken, they are tasked with making everything in the Library of Congress accessible (e-text, braille, etc.) as well.

We also indulged ourselves at a classic Atlanta fast food restaurant, The Varsity, which has been featured on the food network show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. I wanted to try several things, and had a chili cheese slaw dog, French fries, onion rings, and fried peach pie. :-)

Me getting ready to go into The Varsity (click to enlarge)

That was all well and good, but it was also great to see old friends and make new ones at Shepherd Center, where I did my rehab 18 years ago. Connecting with a current Shepherd Center patient (a fellow ventilator user) and his wife was time very well spent. We did that both afternoons and had dinner with them in Shepherd's surprisingly-good cafeteria the second night. Eating in the cafeteria was nostalgic for my Dad (I was unable to eat during my two months of rehab at Shepherd).

As for now, I have plenty of projects keeping me busy. That seems to be a constant, and a good thing, because I enjoy getting things done. One such project I am trying to find more time for is working on my book, which is mostly autobiographical. It is not as easy to write as one might think (or at least as I originally thought:).

On a side note, I put together a little five shot clip of me bowling with our local Quad Squad group that was filmed in July:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHyAezq2cQM

Anyway… it has been a while since I wrote you folks on my full email list, so I thought I would share the above (if you want off my list, just reply with "unsubscribe" – no questions asked, no worries).

May God bless us all, and all glory to God.
 
Bill

William A. Miller, BSBA, ME
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 255 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

UPDATE: Wheelchair Access on Commercial Airlines

We are looking for a minimum of 25,000 signatures before the petition is delivered, and are currently at roughly 19,400. I am not the author, but I am Facebook friends with the author, and say "we" because I identify with the need for fair access on commercial flights and champion the cause.

Currently, all wheelchair users must transfer to a regular airline seat, and have their wheelchair stored with checked luggage. That would work fine for people who can walk a little bit and who have a relatively inexpensive manual wheelchair with basic components that are tough to damage.

But that policy is terrible for people like me who require customized power wheelchairs that cost $20,000-$50,000. Without my chair, I am basically stuck in bed. Not only does it have special features to prevent skin breakdown, but it is literally my legs, and it also carries my ventilator. I cannot risk having my chair damaged in storage, and I also cannot risk getting a pressure sore by sitting in a regular seat. Incurring a pressure sore would also require me to stay in bed, and negate whatever reason I am traveling.

But even for manual wheelchair users, the current policy adds unnecessary difficulty and risk. The below petition proposes a simple solution that is also economically sound for airlines. It's a win-win.

Signing the petition merely requires your name, email, and ZIP Code.

petitions.moveon.org/sign/wheelchair-access-on.fb50?

Thank you for your consideration.

Bill Miller :-)
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 255 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

Wheelchair Access on Commercial Airlines

Power wheelchairs often cost $20,000-$50,000. And yet to fly commercial, currently all wheelchair users must transfer into a regular seat and have their wheelchair stored with the checked luggage. Not only are we at risk for getting pressure sores by transferring to regular seats, but I know of people who have had their wheelchairs significantly damaged in storage. And it usually takes a specialist to repair them. If the chair is unusable upon reaching one's destination… then what?

That basically prohibits me and many others from flying, and it makes things unnecessarily difficult and potentially harmful for all wheelchair users.

Please consider signing the below petition to make commercial airlines wheelchair accessible. All that is required is your name, email, and ZIP Code.

http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/wheelchair-access-on.fb50?source=s.icn.fb&r_by=9549216

Thanks,

Bill Miller :-)
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 255 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net