Daily Living

In the four years since Gabrielle Ford wrote a guest feature for Quest, she and her dog Izabel (Izzy) have become prominent figures on the national speaking circuit. Gabe’s first book will hit the streets in late February 2009.

The challenges of using a wheelchair didn’t deter Shannon Klann, of Garden City, Mich., from becoming a mother of three. But raising kids while in a wheelchair is no small feat, says Klann, who has Friedreich’s ataxia and has wanted to be a mother since childhood.

Disabled Sports USA (DS/USA) will conduct its 2009 National Youth Sports Mentoring Program in 13 states during 2009. The program will match more than 200 youth with disabilities with mentors who will help them develop their sports abilities and skills they can use in everyday life.

Teens and young adults with muscle diseases are finding new opportunities to share their world with peers and gain valuable life skills through MDA’s support group program.

MDA already hosts some 240 support groups that provide practical help and emotional support to individuals and families around the country. But in recent years, the special needs of young adults have become more apparent, said Jennifer Lopez, associate director of MDA Health Care Services.

Jeff Lester says electronic textbooks are “absolutely the biggest problem I have faced” in working toward his graduate degree.

The 42-year-old student at the University of Dearborn-Michigan, who has ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease), has had to wait as long as five weeks after the start of class to receive an electronic version of the textbook. And then he has had to struggle through copy that lacks illustrations, or which has intermingled sidebar copy with the main text.

Talk about a chance for a kid to go airborne!

The producers of “Nick News with Linda Ellerbee” (an educational show for kids and teens on the Nickelodeon network) recently were looking for a young person with muscular dystrophy who might want to take a zero-gravity (weightless) plane flight, and have his or her experiences taped for the show.

Summer and fall typically bring storms that cause power outages — not a comforting thought for people who rely on electrically powered equipment to breathe.

Fortunately, preparation can reduce the impact of power outages, even when hurricane-magnitude disasters strike.

Existing backup

Those who use portable ventilators already have a power option if household power goes out — the unit’s batteries. 

Travelers with respiratory difficulties who use commercial airlines need to be aware of a new labeling requirement for ventilators, respirators, positive airway pressure devices (i.e., CPAP, BiPAP) and personal oxygen concentrators.

Trying to travel without following the new regulations can result in being denied a seat, or being required to turn off the respiratory equipment during the flight. The new rule is from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and relates to existing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations.