Quad Squad Bowling

Our "Quad Squad" is a group of mostly power wheelchair users who get together in Central Florida and bowl (usually twice a month) using the IKAN Bowler.  (The IKAN Bowler is an empowerment device that attaches to the front of almost any wheelchair -- it's fun, therapeutic, and legit: www.ikanbowler.com.)

We usually have between 3-5 IKAN Users bowling, and have had eight at one time.  Since we bowl regularly, a non-profit organization called LovExtension (www.lovextension.com) provides caddy help for us bowlers, which gives our caregivers a chance to relax and cheer us on.

See pictures of a Quad Squad outing for free on Facebook or Shutterfly (no account required to view them from either entity).

Here are record scores for various categories of wheelchair users:

http://www.WheelchairBowlingRecords.com

The name "Quad Squad" isn't trademarked or anything, and anyone reading this could start their own Quad Squad group in their area.  No worries.

We typically bowl twice a month: on the 2nd Saturday of each month at Classique Lanes in Tavares, and on the 4th Saturday of each month at Spanish Springs Lanes in The Villages (addresses below).  We bowl from roughly 4-6 p.m. 

When it's bowling week, I send an email to my Quad Squad Bowling list (I'll add anyone who wants on) to remind and affirm when and where we plan to bowl (I occasionally share additional items I believe are noteworthy also).

Most importantly, Quad Squad Bowling is a WHOLE LOT OF FUN! :-)

If you'd like to join us sometime, contact me via my website (www.lookmomnohands.net).  We usually have an IKAN Bowler available for someone to borrow!

Here are the addresses for where we usually bowl:

CLASSIQUE LANES (Bowling Center)

15026 Classique Lane

Tavares, FL 32778

352-343-5333

SPANISH SPRINGS LANES

997 Alverez Avenue

Lady Lake, FL 32159 (Lady Lake/The Villages)

352-750-9440

Thanks for your interest and God bless!

Bill Miller :-)

C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 221 High Bowling Game

Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT

My blog: http://powerwheelchairusers.blogspot.com

Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com

Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

Civitan Clubs Use IKAN Bowler to Help People with Disabilities

The Mission Statement for Civitan International is:

"To build good citizenship by providing a volunteer organization of clubs dedicated to serving individual and community needs with an emphasis on helping people with developmental disabilities."

Source: http://www.civitan.com/template.php?t=sr&id=101

Civitan members in Louisiana were excited to learn about the IKAN Bowler and how it can empower wheelchair users (click HERE for how).  They have purchased three IKAN Bowlers for use by people in their communities.  They also invited our company (Manufacturing Genuine Thrills, Inc. a.k.a. MGT) to attend the International Civitan Convention in New Orleans in July to help spread awareness about our IKAN Bowler, which we are planning to do.

Civitan Clubs exist in many communities throughout the U.S. and World.  If you're interested in seeing if your local Civitan Club will help empower wheelchair users in your community with the IKAN Bowler, email my MGT co-founding partner Vincent Tifer at VincentTifer@ikanbowler.com for whom to contact.

Bill Miller :-)

C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 221 High Bowling Game

Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT

My blog: http://powerwheelchairusers.blogspot.com

Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com

Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

Results of My Surgeries: Healthy but No DPS

For more on my surgeries, see this this blog entry.

Ultimately our trip for my surgeries was successful, though not as successful as hoped.

The primary successes from my surgeries were: replacing my cardiac pacemaker, getting x-rays of my chest and neck (that I was given to view on CD) and having actual outpatient surgery for my procedures (no overnight stay required, which limited my chances for infection; I just had my three-weeks post-surgery follow-up appointments, and I've healed well with no infections -- thank you God!).

Missing from that success list is implementation of the Diaphragm Pacing System (DPS).  Even when inside my chest, with the electrodes placed on my diaphragm, my diaphragm wouldn't fire when stimulated by the DPS.  My surgeon, Dr. Michael Cheatham, tried everything -- even calling DPS inventor Dr. Raymond Onders (who trained Dr. Cheatham to do the DPS) for additional suggestions.  It wasn't meant to be.

No worries.

Though I could have received several benefits from the DPS, I stand by my statement that I already have a high quality of life and I'm not limited by the vent in the most important ways: speech quality and infections.

For a quadriplegic like me, my ability to talk well is of extreme importance.  And if you've heard me talk in person or via phone, I think you'll agree that I speak well and typically clearly, at an appropriate volume (when well hydrated) and with little pause between breaths (thanks to a speaking valve, and due to the ability to initiate another breath sooner than programmed and also receiving fairly large breaths).  With the DPS, I was concerned about matching that quality because breaths cannot be initiated with the DPS and the size of breath is smaller than what I receive via vent (quite possibly 30% smaller for me).  That could have been mitigated by increasing my breath rate on the DPS, but only doing it could answer that question.

Also, my lack of significant respiratory infections for a vent user is fairly uncommon, and is represented by zero respiratory-related hospitalizations in the 13.5 years since I was discharged from my initial hospitalizations and rehab (knock on wood and thank you God).  I'm certainly not saying that my number of infections would have increased on the DPS (it could have, because I'm breathing through 3 filters on the vent, and would have one filter at most on the DPS) but it's hard to beat zero in 13.5 years.

I'm not trying to disparage the DPS; I have two friends in particular who are benefiting significantly from the DPS, and I wanted to try it and potentially benefit from it.  But I don't want anyone reading this to think that life with a ventilator is a necessarily bad.

If my diaphragm would have fired when stimulated by the DPS, I would've continued to embrace the challenge of becoming a successful DPS user.  But that is/was a very significant challenge (especially when considering everything altogether) that included learning and teaching my caregivers different ways of providing for my needs (for example, it would've placed a port on my stomach where the DPS connected that would've required care, and careful bathing around, etc).  Point being, I think that we (as a team) are already good at life with a ventilator, and largely see it as not that big of a deal.

If interested, I could expand on a lot of these points and others.

No worries and God bless!

Bill Miller :-)
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 221 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
My blog: http://powerwheelchairusers.blogspot.com
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

Finally a Surgery Date!

Barring something unfortunate, I should have my two outpatient surgeries on February 2nd, 2011, at Orlando Regional Medical Center.  In one trip to the operating room (for me) I'll have my cardiac pacemaker replaced and also the Diaphragm Pacing System (DPS) installed.

For more on my DPS pursuit and surgeries, see this blog entry:

http://powerwheelchairusers.blogspot.com/2010/11/from-vent-to-diaphragmatic-pacing.html

I plan to write a comprehensive post-surgery evaluation of the DPS and my experiences probably in late March, after I've had some adjustment time.

Thanks and God bless!

Bill Miller :-)

C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 221 High Bowling Game

Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT

My blog: http://powerwheelchairusers.blogspot.com

Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com

Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

What's Coming in 2011

The two main things I want to profile on my blog in 2011 are: (1) IKAN User profiles from people around the U.S. and World, and (2) further chronicles of my pursuit of the Diaphragm Pacing System (DPS).

Wheelchair users around the U.S. and also some abroad, mostly in Europe, are enjoying dynamic bowling with the IKAN Bowler and I want to share more of their stories/profiles here.  Many wheelchair users, especially power wheelchair users, still don't know that dynamic bowling is possible, regardless of one's reason for wheelchair use or chair type.  Anyone who can safely operate a wheelchair can bowl, and I'm going to share stories of people who are.  Some can be found here: www.WheelchairBowlingRecords.com.

Also, if you've followed my blog, you know I've been pursuing an alternative to the ventilators that I've used the last 13+ years which is a diaphragmatic pacing system.  I'm (hopefully) getting close to a surgery date.  The coordinating doctor for my concurrent surgeries (in addition to the DPS, I'm also having my cardiac pacemaker replaced during the same trip to the operating room) is checking out the possibility of surgery on February 1st or 3rd.  So in roughly a month, I could have these surgeries done, but neither date has been confirmed (either is fine from my caregivers' and my perspective).

The goal of my blog is to spread awareness about how wheelchair users are being empowered, in hopes that it could help improve the quality of life for other wheelchair users.  So I might also share other noteworthy items here.  We'll see what the year brings!

I agree with Charles Swindoll who said, "Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it."  May you control what you can and react well to everything else.

Have a healthy and happy 2011 -- and God bless!

Bill Miller :-)

C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 221 High Bowling Game

Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT

My blog: http://powerwheelchairusers.blogspot.com

Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com

Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

From Vent to Diaphragmatic Pacing System -- Part IV

For more on my pursuit of the NeuRx Diaphragm Pacing System (DPS) see Part I, II, or III.

I've been approved for concurrent surgeries (i.e. one trip to the operating room for me) -- and met the two doctors who will perform them!  I also learned more about what the surgeons will actually do.

First, Dr. Duran will replace my cardiac pacemaker.  Second, Dr. Cheatham will install the DPS.  Then Dr. Duran will return, and they will ensure there's no interference between the two devices (no previous patient has had interference).  Both doctors will try to set the respective devices optimally for me (they can adjust the stimulus strength, frequency, etc).

Also, we're going to try doing it as true outpatient, i.e. have surgery early in the morning, and (hopefully) be discharged that afternoon.  That's BIG, because it should help limit my chance of acquiring an infection, and the schedules for my caregivers and me will require little altering.  My home health agency will help get my blood back to a therapeutic level.

We're trying to setup surgery for January or February (2011) -- stay tuned!

Bill Miller :-)

C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 221 High Bowling Game

Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT

My blog: http://powerwheelchairusers.blogspot.com

Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com

Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net

One of the Coolest Commercials EVER!

Checkout this YouTube clip for ThinkBeyondTheLabel.com:

Direct link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lV4HUBUMuHQ

Why is that so cool?  If you didn't notice, it shows a high-level quadriplegic typing with a mouthstick, and later driving his chair via sip-and-puff (the same method I use). I've seen it air on ESPN (i.e. mainstream TV) multiple times in the last month.

Here's part of the "About Us" description on their website:

"Think Beyond the Label is committed to making the business case for employing people with disabilities. We are a partnership of health and human service and employment agencies with federal grants, coming together to build a uniform national infrastructure and approach that connects businesses to qualified candidates with disabilities. Our goal is simple: to raise awareness that hiring people with disabilities makes good business sense. Employees with disabilities have unique, competitively relevant knowledge and perspectives about work processes, bringing different perspectives to meeting work requirements and goals successfully. Hiring someone who 'thinks outside the box' might be thinking too small when there’s an opportunity to hire someone who lives outside the box."

Source: http://www.thinkbeyondthelabel.com/About-Us/About-Us.aspx

I think it's fantastic that such a resource exists to help both people with disABILITIES and companies benefit from working together.

Bill Miller :-)

C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 221 High Bowling Game

Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT

My blog: http://powerwheelchairusers.blogspot.com

Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com

Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net