Adidas MiCoach

MiCoach GPS route overlaid on Google Maps
Recently I started using the Adidas MiCoach application on my Blackberry. The app is actually intended for runners to keep track of their progress over time by tracking each workout using the Blackberry's GPS. The data can be uploaded to the MiCoach website, and you see all the details - speed, distance, elevation, and even steps and heart rate can be monitored and tracked. All this data can be overlaid on a route map, as I've shown above for one of my trips into the village.

There are other similar apps for the Blackberry, iPhone and Android phones, and I will be trying some of them in the future. I am pretty happy with the MiCoach application though, it is easy to use and shows all the information I need. What's ironic in me using it, though, is that the premise of the application is to keep track of the mileage and wear on your shoes. That hasn't been much of a problem for me lately though, no matter how much I wheel...

Margaret Trevitt

Our visit to the bird sanctuary with my mother last year
I am very sad to say that my mom passed away last month, on March 22nd. She had been in the hospital for several months with complications after a scheduled heart surgery; after a long, hard battle she made it home for a few days but couldn't overcome a Clostridium Difficile (C. diff) infection. Deborah and I were not able to make it to London in time to be with her, but the rest of the family was there and they said it was very peaceful. We did make the visitation and funeral services, which were well attended and very nice; my mom was very well known in the community and had many friends.

The full obituary is online here: www.yourlifemoments.ca. Included is a very appropriate poem:

God looked around his garden and found an empty place
He looked down upon the earth and saw your tired face
He put his arms around you and lifted you to rest
God's garden must be beautiful, he always takes the best

Also very appropriate, my mom had asked that the song "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park" be sung at the funeral. If you knew my mother at all you will get a good chuckle out of hearing the song - which I think is exactly what she wanted.

New Wheelchair Tires

Wheels and new tires ready to go
Yesterday my friend Kirby and I changed the tires on my wheelchair. The original tires had finally worn out, with bits of the inside carcass peeking out from what little bit of tread was left. When I took part in the wheeling study last year (part 1, part 2), the researchers said I would notice a difference if I switched from the solid-insert tires to tube-type, as the lighter weight would make it easier to roll. With that in mind, I decided to use Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires. My friend Eric set me up with the tires, tubes, some tire irons and rim tape - everything necessary to make the swap.

It was much easier than we were expecting to change the tires. Kirby and I cut the old tires off, removed the inserts and had the new tires on in less than an hour. Luckily I have a second set of wheels for my chair so I could help at least a little bit, rather than being stuck on a couch or on the floor somewhere! Fixing a flat should be fairly easy, and I have put a spare tube, the irons and a small pump in my backpack. The Marathon Plus tires are thick to reduce the chance of a puncture, and we used heavy-duty tubes, so hopefully I won't have to fix a flat anytime soon.

The new tires have made a big change to how my wheelchair rolls. It's about the same on carpet, but on wood or concrete it is way easier to push. As well, the pneumatic tires are quite a bit smoother over bumps and cracks in the pavement. The heavy-duty tires and tubes didn't seem to be that much lighter than the original tires and inserts, but evidently it doesn't take much to make a difference. I have some regular tubes, which are quite a bit lighter than the heavy-duty tubes, and plan to try them at some point.

The FDA and Stem Cell Therapy

Last week on NPR's All Things Considered, the topic was stem cells and how the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) is forcing some labs and clinics to close. Some companies are conducting their research in the United States but moving their clinics out of the country to keep them open. It was a very interesting segment, and gives some insight into why people are willing to pay a lot of money and go to these clinics for therapies that aren't fully tested or approved in the United States. You can listen to the segment, or read the transcript, on the NPR website: FDA Challenges Stem Cell Companies As Patients Run Out Of Time.

Even More Wheeling

The dyke trail at Deas Island Park
Deborah and I continue to find some great hiking and strolling spots. The latest one is right across the river at Deas Island Park. Deas Island is just east of us on the river, and has 10 kilometers (6 miles) of trails. There is also an old Victorian house, a one-room schoolhouse and the Delta Agricultural Hall; otherwise, there is not much there and it was pretty quiet even on a Saturday afternoon. As I've mentioned before, there are tons of eagles just south of the river, and there were two right in the parking lot as we pulled in. The hard-packed gravel trails were fairly easy to wheel on but there were some sandy patches that Deborah had to give me some help through - pretty typical of most other dyke trails in the area. We have been in Vancouver for more than a year now and I had never heard of the park, but a couple of weeks ago we were out looking for some eagles and happened to drive by the entrance. We will definitely be back again as there is plenty more to see there.

Jasper the dog walks again
A recent segment on NPR's The World covered a paralyzed dog that was able to walk again after having his own nose cells transplanted into his spinal cord. On the show, Marco Werman talks with one of the scientists that conducted the research at Cambridge University. According to Robin Franklin, the scientist, the study involved a group of dogs and results varied from no improvement to the success of Jasper, the dog that was able to walk again. It's a big step for veterinary medicine but also a "stepping stone" to future human studies. You can hear the segment or read a transcript here: Jasper the dog is walking again.

Four Years

Deborah had the chickadees eating out of her hand
Last Saturday marked the fourth anniversary of my accident. In some ways, the time has flown by but in other ways it seems like forever. The most surprising thing for me is that I'm still seeing plenty of changes and improvement, even this long after; I'm still getting stronger, handier in the chair and have more stamina, and that makes a lot of things easier.

Deborah and I didn't do anything special to mark the occasion, but it was a nice sunny day so we went to the Reifel Bird Sanctuary. We've been there a few times before, but there are always different birds depending on when you go. Here is an example of my improvement just in the year since we moved to Vancouver: Deborah noticed that when we went to the sanctuary the first time, she had to help me around the trails quite a bit. This time however, she hardly had to help me at all.

I'm hoping my photography skills have improved in the last year too! There are more pictures from our trip to the sanctuary here.