Mar 12, 2009 2:46 pm US/Pacific

Paraplegic Man Suffers Spider Bite, Walks Again

Update: David Blancarte Arrested On Outstanding Warrant 

 He has been confined to a wheelchair for 20 years. Now a paraplegic man is walking again, and his doctors call it a miracle. CBS13 went to Manteca to find out how a spider bite helped get him back on his feet. “I closed my eyes and then I was spinning like a flying saucer,” explains David Blancarte. A motorcycle accident almost killed David 21 years ago. At the time he might have wished he was dead. “I asked my doctor, ‘Sir what happened? I can’t feel my legs’,” said David. Ever since, David’s been relying on his wheelchair to get around. Then the spider bite. A Brown Recluse sent him to the hospital, then to rehab for eight months. “I’m here for a spider bite. I didn’t know I would end up walking,” says David. A nurse noticed David’s leg spasm and ran a test on him. “When they zapped my legs, I felt the current, I was like ‘whoa’ and I yelled,” he says. He felt the current and the rush of a renewed sense of hope. “She says,’your nerves are alive. They’re just asleep’,” explained David. Five days later David was walking. “I was walking on the bar back and forth,” he said. Now David is out of the hospital and on his feet and walking. David basks in his glory and gives a ray of hope to other hoping to walk again. The 48-year-old former boxer and dancer is taking it in stride, knowing his best days are still ahead. David’s dream is to see his 14-year-old twin daughters grow up and get married so he can walk them down the aisle and have that first dance. Blancarte’s dreams may have to wait. He was arrested Friday (3/13) on an outstanding warrant stemming from a domestic abuse case. (© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

Engen is involved in an ugly legal battle with a quadriplegic employee, who has taken it to court over its alleged shoddy treatment of disabled staff. But the petroleum company – which was investigated by the Human Rights Commission over its treatment of employee Rene Moses – insists there is “no merit” to Moses’s Labour Court claims. At the heart of the almost four-year dispute between Moses and her Engen bosses is the toilet for the disabled at the company’s call centre, which Engen agreed to adapt to be more disabled-friendly after Moses, aided by the Human Rights Commission, complained about it to the Equality Court.

While Engen maintains it completed a R100 000 upgrade of the toilet to accommodate Moses’s needs, she insists that it is still inadequate and an affront to her human dignity. Her complaints further include allegations that: The automated door of the disabled toilet repeatedly malfunctions, closing on her as she tries to enter and exit. Staff are reluctant to assist her when she needs to access the toilet because doing so would require them to sign out from work. This has resulted in Moses soiling herself while at work. The basin, though partly adapted by Engen, is still too low for her to manoeuvre her wheelchair under, causing her to repeatedly bruise her knees. She is unable to reach the soap dispenser and has been forced to bring her own soap to the office. The door to the corridor outside the toilet cannot be opened by someone in a wheelchair.

Human Rights Commission minutes further reveal that, following Moses’ toilet accidents, Engen staff suggested that she learn to control her bowels. Moses claims staff proposed that she visit a dietician to do so. Engen vehemently denies any wrongdoing and maintains that it did more than enough to “reasonably accommodate” Moses at its head office in Cape Town. The company maintains that any suggestion that its staff told Moses to learn to control her bowels is “offensive”. “From our perspective, we find it regrettable that Ms Moses has chosen to raise her concerns through the press. The company has no desire to become embroiled in ongoing disputes with any employee. “By the same token, however, Engen believes that it has sought to accommodate Ms Moses’s concerns and to address the issues she has raised, beyond what would be required of a reasonable and fair employer,” the company’s media officer, Tania Landsberg, said.

In court documents, the company claims, among many other things, that it assisted Moses with the purchase of her wheelchair and moved her office closer to the bathroom to accommodate her, Arguing that Moses’s case against it was “bad in law” and brought too late, Engen wants her Labour Court application against it to be dismissed – and asked the Labour Court to order her to pay all their legal costs. The company is also adamant that the Labour Court does not have the jurisdiction to determine Moses’ case. And, claiming that Moses forfeited any monetary claim against Engen when she attempted to resolve her dispute with the company, Engen’s lawyers say she cannot expect any compensation for the alleged loss of her dignity. Moses is however adamant that her complaints must and should be addressed. “I feel this is about more than just me – this is about how many disabled people are treated. Things need to change.” Moses and Engen are due back in court later this month.

There seems to be a recent convergence of information about man and machines coming together.

I first read this interesting BBC article about Ray Kurzweil, the grandfather of optical character recognition as well as oft-cited inventor and futurist, predicting that machines will match man by 2029.

In the article, Kurzweil predicts that machines will reach artificial intelligence on the same level as humans just over 20 years from now. He believes that humans will have tiny robots implanted into their brains to achieve higher levels of intelligence.

From the article:

“The engineer believes machines and humans will eventually merge through devices implanted in the body to boost intelligence and health.”  Kurzweil stated, “We’re already a human machine civilisation; we use our technology to expand our physical and mental horizons and this will be a further extension of that.”

That was interesting enough, but then this morning, I was watching one of the morning news programs and they had an expert discuss how the innovations that Kurzweil spoke of might come about. He cited three specific projects that are not new, but are definitely continuing, and showing great promise to fulfill Kurzweil’s predictions.

* The bionic eye project at Stanford University. In this meeting of the minds, Ophthalmologists and physicists teamed up to create artificial vision. The work appears promising, using cameras to send visual images to the brain with clarity that was Sufficient enough so that patients have the potential to see with a visual acuity of 20/80.

* Matt Nagel, a man who is quadraplegic and had an electronic array implanted into his brain so that he could execute motor functions by thought process alone.

* Duke researchers who had a monkey move a robot 7,000 miles away, purely by mental commands.

Then, to complete my convergence trifecta of news about man and machines, I found a news alert this morning telling how the Duke project has a future application in war situations.

Bob Dylan sang so many years ago, “The times, they are a-changing.” With the advances scientists are making in technology, it appears that so are we.

http://www.quassar.co.za/

The Quadriplegic Association of South Africa has objected strongly to the cap on general damages of R100,000 in the Road Accident Fund Amendment Bill for those seriously injured in accidents on the road.

 

Its national director, Ari Seirlis, has told the National Assembly transport portfolio committee that this was “completely unacceptable,” particularly in view of the fact that current compensation ranges from R700,000 to over one million rand. About 250 people a year became seriously disabled as a result of road accidents in South Africa.

 

Committee chairperson Jeremy Cronin told him that the committee wanted to “make good law” and would listen closely to submissions on the Bill.

 

Seirlis told Members of Parliament that the impact of a permanent spinal cord injury causing paraplegia or quadriplegia “is too severe to compensate with a mere R100,000 maximum. This disability is life changing and the consequences are life threatening in many ways   physically, emotionally and psychologically.”

 

He said families were broken up, in most cases careers changed and ended, journeys ended, the physical ability to perform menial daily personal tasks ended and mobility taken away, all as a result of paraplegic and quadriplegia.

 

Seirlis said that reduced general payments would not reduce costs to the State as the burden would shift to other departments such as health and social development.

 

Serious injury in terms of the Bill means a permanent injury which leads to total disablement, paralysis or dysfunction of a vital organ and includes brain injuries, loss of sight, loss of limb or the use thereof, or such other serious injuries as the Minister of Transport may prescribe.

 

The association also opposed the relevant section which would allow payment of tariffs from the fund to medical service providers looking after accident victims. Seirlis said victims wanted to have control over this process.

 

“Many nursing homes, and homes accommodating paraplegics and quadriplegics will not accept a resident whose rental and costs will be paid directly by the Road Accident Fund.  Confidence in the fund’s ability to pay and pay timeously is not good.”

 

In terms of the Bill the transport minister will, after consultation with the minister of health, determine such tariffs.

 

Seirlis also said the medical service provider concept was not adequately defined. “The process does not allow for sector stakeholders who are not medical service providers to be involved.”

 

The association also objected to the fact that compensation for loss of earnings would be capped at R160,000 a year.

 

Ronald Bobroff of the Law Society of South Africa suggested that the Road

Accident Fund which has actuarial liabilities of nearly R25 billion should be administered by the private sector whose efficiency was driven by the desire for profit.

 

I Net Bridge

13/04/2005

 

Copyright I Net Bridge (Pty) Ltd, 2005

 

http://www.quassar.co.za/

Fly Fishing for Quadriplegics

By Ari Seirlis (aris@iafrica.com)

In 1974 at the age of 12, and before my accident, I was taught to fly fish by Jack Blackman while at Highbury Prep School in Hillcrest, South Africa.  I should mention that I came last in the annual “long cast competition”.  My parents had driven all the way from Ladysmith (a 2 hour drive) to see the returns on the fortune they had spent on my fly fishing equipment and I was the joke of the day thrashing furiously to try and get an extra foot of line out. Still to this day, many of the boys in the fly fishing club remember the occasion and are not shy to repeat the story.

With such a master as Jack Blackman, who was South Africa’s most well known fly fisherman as our mentor and guide, I did manage to catch some trout and fell in love with the sport.

I broke my neck in a diving accident in 1985 whilst diving as a model in a TV commercial at a water park in Durban, on the East Coast and have spent 15 years as a quadriplegic (level C5).

Life back to normal

I can push my wheelchair on a level surface, write with a special splint and have just started driving again. I have no use of my fingers and very little wrist movement and no tri-ceps. Life is back to normal in terms of being financially independent, regular social interaction and contribution to the community.

And Fly Fishing”"”.yes, with a bit of thought, research and planning, fly fishing is possible.

As every quadriplegic has different abilities and restrictions, my specific brace will not suit everyone, but the concept will apply to all those who want to wield a fly rod again.

I started by trying to see if I could still move the rod through the required motion to throw line, by strapping the rod onto my arm with a bandage from my vehicle’s first aid kit. The experiment worked and I knew that with the right splint, made of a lightweight material, I would be able to get enough line out to have a reasonable chance of getting a nudge.

Custom-made brace

I went to an orthopedic and prosthetic company, F.W.Seaman & Son who are well established nationally and told them what I wanted to do. They took a plaster of paris cast of my arm to get the shape and size. They then made the brace out of carbon fibre and used Velcro straps to secure the brace to my arm. The straps are adjustable so as to avoid any circulation problems as well as to ensure the brace does not move along the arm too much.

The fly rod is secured by means of another 2 velcro straps on the inside of the brace. The position of the rod is similar to that held by any able bodied person.

 
As I do not have any fine finger movement, I removed the small handle from the fly reel and got an engineer to manufacture a “V” shaped handle out of stainless steel so I can jam my palm into the groove. This enables me to turn the reel at will.

I cast about 30 feet and retrieve into a rollcast so as to avoid retrieving too much line onto the footplates of my wheelchair. Another option is to put a shopping basket on your lap and retrieve into the basket. This is certainly a better option when trying to present your fly as close as possible to the real nymph.
 

Choosing rods, lines, flies and lakes

As a C5 quadriplegic, I use a 9 foot 5 weight rod and a floating line. The floating line allows me to avoid catching any weed from the bottom of the lake should my retrieval be too slow. 

The choice of fly is not restricted although I try to use a light fly and thus avoid catching any brush behind me. Those with more stamina and a stronger arm can opt for a heavier fly which might simulate the insects in the area. It is wise to choose a lake with groomed edges and not too much brush behind you.  Many lakes in South Africa trout fishing waters have jetties and this is perfect for a fly fisherman in a wheelchair.

It is such a pleasure and privilege to get back to fly fishing again. The thought of having to adjust my interests to my disability did not have to apply here and I have adjusted my equipment to cater to my interests, not my disability. I have caught my first trout and am up at first light, enjoying the sound of the trout rising to attack the nymphs floating on the water.

Im living in South Africa and my husband is a c4 quad. We live in one of the most beautiful eco tourism areas along the Elephant Coast near Hluhluwe Game Reserve a world renowned big 5 reserve. We also a tour operator for accessible safaris in the area. Anyone needing advice and tips about visiting The Kingdom Of Zululand and our special slice of africa are welcome to contact us. Please have a look at our website www.access2africasafaris.co.za.

All men with spinal cord injuries can have sex and, although this might work out to be expensive, it can also change their lives to the extent that they forget their disabilities.

This was the message of Ari Seirlis National Director of the Quadriplegic Association of South Africa (QASA), in a recent address about the sexual options for people with spinal cord injuries to a group of quadriplegic people, their families and helpers.

The meeting, called by the Western Cape Quadriplegics Association, was held at a self-help centre in Durbanville where several people with spinal cord injuries live.

“Every single man with a spinal cord injury can, if he chooses one of the right medical options, have an erection,” Seirlis said. “The question is, what to do with the damn thing once you get it?”

Sierlis’s blunt talk evoked frequent hoots of laughter, but his message was serious. Despite the lack of self-esteem of many quadriplegics, they could find sexual partners if they “played their cards right.” It was all a question of finding the right partner. Often people with spinal cord injuries dressed badly because they felt appearance no longer mattered.
“But guys,” Seirlis implored, “you have to look at your dress sense. How often do you change your underwear? Polish your shoes? Clean your nails?

And to make a relationship last and be seen as equals by their partners, men had to find a way of earning an income.

“When I go to a toilet, every other man packs his penis away, because he thinks I don’t have one,” Seirlis joked. “But, let me tell you, if I am on a dance floor, the minute a woman hangs her bag on the back of my
wheelchair, I’m one up on the guy she is dancing with. Because she has to come back for her bag, and I’ve got time to think up the best chat-up line ever. So, guys on the dance floor, beware – I’m going to take the babe home if I play my cards right.”

“That is the attitude we need. We must look in the mirror and ask, do I love life? Do I laugh? Then look at who is to blame for not having a wife, husband or family. Because all of these things are possible.”
Most men with spinal cord injuries did not have psychogenic erections, which are caused by erotic thoughts. An erection by manual stimulation is possible, but for this, cycles of testosterone were necessary.

Erections can be induced in four ways:

* By injection therapy, which costs around R120 for three shots of a substance called Cavajet. This is one of the cheapest methods. An overdose. However, could damage the penis unless the blood was drained away at a hospital.

* A vacuum pump, which could be bought for between R600 and R3000.

* Vibrators, which stimulate the prostate gland and cause erections in 80% of people with spinal cord injuries who use them. “These are very successful. Lots of people have fathered children by using a vibrator,”
Seirlis said.

* Viagra, had no side effects and was a “fantastic” product for people with SCI. It cost between R60 and R80 per tablet.
“It’s expensive to participate in sex for a person with SCI. YOu have to be a little careful how often you do it, and how you allocate your budget to it,” Seirlis said. An additional consideration was that once men ejaculated they were likely to get autonomic hyporeflexia, a shocking pain that felt as if the man’s “head was going to be blown off” his body, and his blood pressure would become dangerously high. This problem could be erased with medication.

Men with SCI who wanted children should bank some of their sperm as soon as possible after their injury occured, because their sperm count would diminish over the years, Seirlis said.

For women with SCI, sex was much easier. All that was needed was a lot of lubrication and care over how much pressure is exerted on their bodies. Most women with SCI who have wanted to bear children, have been able to do so.

“If you become sexually active after a spinal cord injury, it will change your life. It is like learning to drive – you don’t feel like a disabled person anymore.
“You will have to throw away the Kama Sutra with its 169 positions, but you will find 7 that you like, and most of them will probably be new to your partner.”

Perry Cross is the most high-profile patient to have traveled to India to be injected with the cells – which are banned in his own country Australia and most of the West.

He was left a quadriplegic after being injured playing rugby when just 19 years old and has no movement below his neck. He has to be connected to a ventilator to breathe and has spent the past 14 years searching for treatment which might help him regain any movement.

During this time, Mr. Cross met Superman actor Christopher Reeve and became the actor’s ambassador for stem cell research in Australia. He has since spoken at the United Nations and is a regular contributor to television and radio debates on the virtues of the research. He also set up a Foundation to raise money to help find new ways to fight paralysis, which is supported by star Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist.

“After 14 years of no change at all since my accident, I can now breathe on my own,” he told Sky News. “You know, you put your lottery numbers in every week and I feel by coming here, my lottery numbers have finally come up.”

It took a huge leap of faith to travel to India. The doctor who is administering the stem cells is a controversial figure in her own country and abroad. Dr. Geeta Shroff is viewed as a bit of a maverick within the medical world because of her fierce determination to do her work under her own terms and in her own way.

She researched her treatment without any grants or financial help and virtually single-handedly developed it over two years, beginning the work in a small lab she set up in her garage. She now has two hospitals in the capital New Delhi where she treats her own countrymen and women who have terminal conditions or incurable afflictions.

But she also has an increasing number of international patients – mainly from countries like Australia, America and Britain where there are much tighter controls on the use of embryonic stem cell treatment. Consequently she has fallen out with much of the conventional medical establishment for steadfastly refusing to publish papers outlining her methods, research and technique.
Instead she has applied for a patent on her treatment to stop others from copying and marketing her work.

Dr. Shroff’s critics point out that without knowing exactly what she is injecting and without proper clinical trials, it is impossible to say whether there are any long term side-effects and whether the treatment is safe. She insists that over the five years she has been administering her treatment no patient has shown any adverse reactions.

Under Indian law, she is allowed to treat terminally ill and incurable conditions such as Parkinson’s Disease, spinal injury and Alzheimer’s. But this has led her detractors to claim she is offering false hope to desperate people and is essentially using them as guinea pigs.

Perry Cross – along with many of the 500 other patients Dr. Shroff is treating – is unconcerned by the controversy.

“I cannot tell you how restricting my life is in so many ways,” he says. “I can’t breathe on my own, I can’t bathe on my own. I can’t swim or get wet, the list of things I can’t do are a mile long. Why wouldn’t I try everything?”

His team of carers who look after him 24/7 are astonished at his progress in the last two months since he traveled to India and started receiving injections every day. Most of them have been with him for many years.

“This is massive,” said one, “We have tried so many times over the years to get him off the ventilator but never could. It’s amazing.” It has given him hope that with more stem cell treatment he may even be able to develop movement elsewhere in his body. “Even if I managed to move a finger or one hand, it would be worth it,” he says.

Source: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,358801,00.html

We will be holding a fund raising golf day at Parow Golf Club.  The competition will be a 4 ball better ball stableford. There will be an auction and a meal followed by prize giving and socialising after the days play.

Any assistance in the following will be greatly appreciated.

(1) 4 balls at R1400 per 4 ball.
(2) Prizes ( in pairs if possible ) for positions up to 15th place.
(3) Prizes that can be made available for a longest drive and for closest to the pin on 4 holes.
(4) Tee or green advertising at R750 per tee or green.
(5) Items to be auctioned at prize giving.
(6) Beverages to be promoted at a “wet hole”.
(7) Promotional products/advertising.

Any help available to ensure an enjoyable and successful day would be most helpful.

CONTACT:
Sakie Stander Phone 9397824 Fax 9393377 Email sakie@quassar.co.za
Paul Fisher Phone 9390558 Fax 9393377 Email paul@quassar.co.za

For more details see http://www.quassar.co.za

On Saturday 27 September 2008 will be holding a market day.

Fresh vegetables, Home baked cookies & puddings, Jams, Pancakes, Books, and many more.

Come and enjoy the day with us.

All proceeds go to Quasar House for quadraplegics.

PLACE: Quasar, 5 Inthlabati Street, Oostersee, Parow, 7500
TIME: From 08H30

For more details see http://www.quassar.co.za