~Boards N Grabbers N Me~ :-)

I've been asked a few times about transfer boards. When I first became a below knee amputee, the first thing they did show me how to use this transfer board. The PT guy came in explained what to do and how to lift up and sit on the end and slide across to what ever I wanted to sit on, a chair etc. They never showed me how to do it going into a car or any type of vehicle I guess if I knew how to push it under my butt and push my self across was enough..Well it is alot different to slide across on a flat surface , like from chair to bed. When I transfer from my chair to a car seat. I have to allow for the wheel of my chair. Depending how high up the seat was that I was transferring to. When I pulled up to a car I realized I can't go straight at it and just go forward, I have to go sideways along the side of the car as the doors dont open wide enough, so that means this board has to go over top of my wheel..which is sort of like a teeter totter..where the center of the board is on the wheel and goes up and down on each end- depending on where you are... You can see how thin it is..but its very strong..well it holds MY weight.. You see the boy, he HAD to get in the photo..he is worse than me... Isnt he cute tho? LB is close just out of view..hes not like Dutch.. :-) The board is very highly varnished, there are no rough spots and it is very smooth and easy to slide on, and usually when I have used it..I wear a silk skirt which makes it even easier to slide on.. :-) The holes on each end are hand holds for carrying it..It is NOT light weight ..its not real heavy but cumbersome for me anyway.. Its hard for me to carry it and then roll this chair.. Preferably whomever is with me will carry it for me.. I hope anyway.. :-) This is my newest transfer board.. its hard plastic, you can see the sort of arch shape..that is to go around the wheelchair wheel not over it...The disk..on the right side is slid up under your butt , you sit on it and push yourself and you will slide to the other side.. The hole in the center, now behind the disk is to carry it.. its not light in weight and not easy for me to carry at all.. I would only take this if I was with someone that would carry it for me... You can see how the disk has gone from one side to the other. This is very handy especially if someone cannot really transfer themselves or even help very much..If you can get this under the butt..well just a very light push will transport the person quite easily to the other side...I had no idea they had these until I saw a book of gadgets that are available to us..which we very seldom see, I think sometimes they dont want us to know all that IS available for fear we ask for it and then they cannot refuse us..lol..makes sense yes? :-) There really are alot of things for us to use to make it easier for us..to reach or to carry or even transport, I'm really glad of that..but like I said, they , well Ive not been given a book but one time when I saw this to really see what IS out there for us that we could use..and unless they tell us how do we know..Most, like me..I just use what ever I can to adapt.. and do what I have to...The GRABBERS below are the two I have. They are both plastic, you can see the top one is not near as sturdy as the bottom one.. I dont use the top one for heavy things, I dont trust it..the bottom one has proven to be more stable than the top. The top one if you look closely you can see a sort of thick string inside the black grabber end.. and I dont like the trigger handle..On the lower one the grabber end is more stable and when you compress the whole handle..you are holding it with your whole hand. They both come in handy and I am so glad I have 2 then I dont have to keep searching for it.. I keep the heavy duty bottom one in the kitchen and the light weight top one in my bedroom..Im steady dropping stuff...The bottom one also has a magnet on each end of the grabber. to pick up a pin or whatever..mine I think fell out lol... Of course the boy HAD to get in the photo..Isnt he awful ? he's worse than me lol... hes such a rotten child..has to be in the middle of everything and see what is mom doing.. he could have smiled though couldnt he? For what ever disablility they do have alot of things to make it easier to do things.. I saw many things in the hellhome that they taught some of the dearies that were having troubles with hand co-ordination from a stroke or what ever..Its so good that people ARE inventing these things for us... I have made the biggest mess I am almost ashamed to admit it.. but I just couldnt find that white board.. I KNEW was under my bed. Do you have ANY idea how hard it is to see under a bed from a wheelchair? I mean I bet I swore at least two times LOL..ok 3...It was NOT easy.. I had the flashlight and then I had to get a mirror, The white board was wayyy under my bed..I had to go and get the broom, lean way over and hope I could push that thing out with one hand.. I had to hold on with the other or I would have fallen out on my head~!~ I KNEW was under there and I bet took me an hour to get it out.. I was so mad.. :-) I have a habit of sticking boxes etc that things have come in, under there.. I thought I had put my jewelry box but I cant find it..I really NEED to. I dont like the Idea of not knowing where THAT one is at ALL.worries me. I have found so many things that seemed to have disappeared its pathetic.. I think I have a ghost ..I really do.. I dont know where the stuff went-well my TEETH for one! they have NEVER been found..now THAT is weird.. Speaking of teeth..lol.. I am glad I kinda dont need both tops and bottoms for that little steak sandwich I plan to go out and fix. I really am hungry..I didnt do alot of cookin as I was DIGGIN and messin up my bedroom most of the day-I dont get it cleaned up Raelynn will surely call me a MessyMargaret or something alot worse!!! AND there is not room for even a weeble on that bed!!! :-) ok..I'm hittin publish and sayin' "Nitey Nite" Y'all have a good one now y'hear? luv ya..and Thanks hey? :-) hope the post was interesting for you :-) Always, Lois**** I promised a photo of me, so here ya go lol... aint I just GORGEOUS??? :-) you better say "YES DEAR" May God Bless you today, I'm so honored to call you friend, I pray the Lord will keep you safe, Until I write again...