#wheelchair calf strap

[disabilityhorizons]

AbleStrap - a leg strap for wheelchair users

Keeps your legs secure and together to help with transfers or when sitting outside of your wheelchair

Fully adjustable with velcro fastening or buckle for easy use

Available in a wide range of colours and sizes for both children and adults

The AbleStrap is a great purchase on its own, but makes a perfect add-on for the AbleSling, AbleSling Lite and AbleHarness.

Scroll down for more information and the size guide.

Read our interview with AbleMove founder Josh Wintersgill.

Introducing ableStrap - The Ultimate Leg Strap for Wheelchair Users

The AbleStrap is a premium leg strap for wheelchair users that can be applied around the thighs or lower legs. It is perfect for a wide range of uses including:

keeping your legs together during a manual or sling transfer

keeping your legs secure whilst sitting outside of your wheelchair

partaking in wheelchair sports, and much more

The AbleStrap is available as either a padded, fleece lined strap, or as a leatherette strap. Both feature adjustable velcro fastening. If you are unsure which type or size is best for you, please refer to the size guide below.

Colours:

blue

red

grey

burgundy

Size guide:

Small: leg circumference - 21" - 31" or 53.5 cm - 79cm

Standard: leg circumference - 31" - 41" or 79 cm - 104cm

Leatherette: one size fits all

Weight: 0.10 KG

More from AbleMove:

We at Able Move are proud to introduce our latest product - the ableStrap, the ultimate leg strap for wheelchair users. Our leg strap is designed for day-to-day use, sport activities, and travel, making it the perfect accessory for every wheelchair user. With our ableStrap, you can enjoy greater comfort and stability in your wheelchair, preventing your legs from sliding out of position. The strap is designed to be applied around the thigh area, providing a secure fit that can be adjusted according to your size and preference. The leg strap is also padded with a fleece lining for added comfort. Our leg strap is either leatherette with a buckle or velcro fastening, making it easy to put on and take off, while the slider buckle/and the velcro adjustable length allows you to adjust the length of the strap for a custom fit. The ableStrap is available in a range of colours and sizes to suit the needs of both children and adults. The ableStrap is not only great for using whilst in a wheelchair, but it is also fantastic for keeping your legs together when out of a wheelchair in a seated position. It is perfect for sport activities, providing additional support and stability to the legs during physical exertion. Our leg strap is also travel-friendly, making it an ideal accessory for wheelchair users who frequently travel by air. It is lightweight, easy to pack in hand luggage, and can quickly added before transfers. At Able Move, we take great pride in our products' quality and safety. Our ableStrap is CE marked, tested to ISO 10535:2006 Hoist and Sling standards, and made in Britain. We offer a two-year warranty on our ableSling and ableSling Lite, and we also provide VAT relief for eligible customers. We understand that every customer's needs are unique, and that is why we offer a selective range of different leg straps

https://shop.disabilityhorizons.com/products/ablestrap-a-leg-strap-for-wheelchair-users/

[wheelie-sick]

Things to research before getting your first custom manual wheelchair

one of the biggest things I can recommend to anyone getting a new custom chair (but especially a first custom chair) is to understand all of the parts of a wheelchair and what they do. I decided to make a guide with wheelchair parts to research and places to look for information to make this process a little bit easier. additional link suggestions are welcome.

General resources:

Permobil - The Wheelchair Handbook

Motion Composites - Preparing for Your Wheelchair Evaluation: Before the Evaluation (Part 1)

Motion Composites - Preparing for Your Wheelchair Evaluation (Part 2)

1. Frame

Motion Composites - Folding vs Rigid Wheelchair Frames: How to Choose

Permobil - Manual wheelchairs: rigid and folding frames. How do you choose?

GTK - Oh what’s in a frame? Comparing Multiple Materials

Motion Composites - Wheelchairs: Carbon Fiber Versus Aluminum

2. Front frame angle

Motion Composites - Understanding the Impact of Rigid Wheelchair Front Frame Angle

Sunrise Medical - Rigid Frame Wheelchairs – Frame Angle and Inset

4. Seat dump

Permobil - Ergonomic Seating and Manual Wheelchairs

Spinlife - Wheelchair Back & Seat Angle

5. Caster size, style, and position

Motion Composites - Front Casters for Manual Wheelchairs Practical Guide

Sunrise Medical - Front Caster Position in Manual Wheelchairs

6. Caster forks

New Mobility - Caster Wheels and Forks

Sunrise Medical - Maneuverability in Manual Wheelchairs - What Fork to use?

New Mobility - Innovations: Emerging Trends in the Wheelchair Market (information about single sided forks)

7. Footplate

Motion Composites - Footrest Options to Support Function and Mobility

When Tania Talks - Active User Wheelchair Footplate Options

8. Calf strap

Spex Seating - Lower Leg Support Considerations in Wheelchair Seating

9. Seat pan

Permobil - Solid Seat Insert for Wheelchair: Taking a Closer Look at Cushion Components

10. Seat cushion

Permobil - What to Look for in Seating & Positioning Products

Permobil - How to Choose a Cushion in Long Term Care

Permobil - Cushion Geometry: Linear and Contoured

Freedom Mobility Center - Wheelchair Seat Cushions: 5 Tips for Choosing the Right One for You

Mobility Basics - Seat Cushion Rigidizer

Motion Composites - Selecting the Right Cushion for Your Wheelchair a Clinicians Guide

Motion Composites - Covering the Basics of Wheelchair and Back Support Covers

11. Seat belts

12. Clothing guards

Sherman Oaks Medical Equipment - Wheelchair Clothes Guards / Side Guards Guide

13. Arm rests

United Spinal Association - Wheelchair Armrests What Do They Really Do?

Spinlife - Wheelchair Arm Rest Choices

Motion Composites - Armrests: Getting the Support you Need

14. Back supports

Motion Composites - Solid vs Upholstery Backs

Mobility Management - How to Choose the Right Back Height for your Client

Freedom Mobility Center - Why a Solid Back is Preferred Over a Sling Back

Mobility Basics - Back Supports

Sunrise Medical - Tips for Selecting Prefabricated Wheelchair Backs

Motion Composites - Covering the Basics of Wheelchair and Back Support Covers

15. Head supports

16. Push handles

Motion Composites - Push Handles: Pushing Around

17. Wheels

Motion Composites - Rolling Along: The Importance of Rear Wheel Selection

Sunrise Medical - Comparing Wheelchair Wheel Spoke Options

Mobility Basics - Manual Wheelchair Wheels

18. Tires

New Mobility - Everything You Need to Know About Selecting the Right Wheelchair Tires

GTK - Solid versus Pneumatic Tyres

Mobility Basics - Manual Wheelchair Wheels

Motion Composites - Tire Selection: Balancing Performance and Maintenance

19. Brakes

Motion Composites - Wheel Locks: Unlocking Safety and Function

20. Push rims/Hand rims

Motion Composites - Getting a Grasp: Understanding the Impact of Hand Rims

DME Hub - Wheelchair Hand Rom Options and Factors to Consider

21. Anti-tip wheels

22. Camber

Motion Composites - Camber - Degrees of Performance

23. Center of Gravity

Motion Composites - Rear Wheel Position 101

[cripplecharacters]

Hello, thank you for all the information on this blog, it's very useful. I am an artist that really likes fashion and I wanna draw more disabled people than I already do. Recently I wanted to draw a character that uses a wheelchair and I want to decorate the wheelchair. Is this something wheelchair users usually do ? If so, in what ways do you decorate it (or at least, where do I find examples) ? Thank you and sorry if this has already been asked before. Grins

Thank you for your ask! Wheelchair users decorate their chairs in a variety of ways, some include:

Stickers

Spokes covers

Decorations that clip onto the spokes

Wheel covers

Rim covers

Handle covers (I often see them spiked!)

Frame covers

Custom paint jobs (often on the frames)

Adding bags to the back/sides (if they have armrests)/underneath the chair

Adding phone holders and/or cup holders

Custom calf strap

Custom seat cushion

Custom joystick knobs for powerchairs

Basically anything that doesn’t pose a snag risk for the wheels, drag on the floor or unbalance the chair goes. I’d recommend looking up ‘decorated wheelchair’ or ‘custom wheelchair’ to pinterest or google if you need more ideas, although keep in mind some of the wheel decorations are just for the photo shoot and would be incredibly impractical for use.

[talkethtothehandeth]

I’m getting a wheelchair tomorrow!!!!! It’s a used one from Craigslist and has a solid foot plate, a seat cushion and it’s collapsible— the wheels pop right off too! I know currently that I will need to buy a calf strap and side guards which will be expensive, but this is going to help with my mobility and freedom even more than my transport chair. I am so thankful 😭😭😭

[briarpatch-kids]

Ran into a mom and her son at the farmers market. The son had a high support manual wheelchair and was all strapped in like i need to be. I ended up running home to grab an extra sticker and one of the fun calf straps I have left from when I could sew. The kid was super excited to get the sticker and all that, and the mom was excited because he uses a bipap at night and might need it during the day when he's older like I do. It was good for her to see an adult out and about with the same sorts of supports her son uses, I think.

[ethanleonel]

Mobilita Commode cum Shower Wheelchair: A New Standard in Comfort and Mobility

Comfort and independence are important factors in mobility solutions at Medi Aid Xpert. For those searching for an all-rounder dependable shower commode wheelchair, the Mobilita Commode cum Shower wheelchair is a must-try, offering durable, convenient, safe, and unmatched features.

Durable and Quality

The Mobilita Commute cum Shower wheelchair is built to last for a long time. With its lightweight, rust-resistant aluminium construction, this shower commode wheelchair is sure to provide both strength and durability for your mobility needs. Steel parts and aluminium frames guarantee that the chair will support frequent uses, especially in wet environments like the bathroom. This, therefore, presents a very valuable investment in any long-term mobility aid.

Besides being strong, this chair can roll over most regular toilets without much fuss, thereby easily making transitions with the use of a bathroom. This not only provides convenience but also maintains the dignity and independence of the patient during activities of daily living.

Convenience at Your Fingertips: Customizable Features

The Mobilita Commune Commode cum Shower wheelchair design enhances the ease of use. Lockable and flip-back arms ensure that the chair adjusts to individual taste and need, while height-adjustable settings add an added layer of comfort and accessibility to the same. Removable swing-away footrests add to the comfort and ease of transfer while entering and exiting the chair.

The Mobilita Commode cum Shower wheelchair ranks high on safety features. It incorporates a wide array of safety features, including lap or chest belts, a calf strap, and all locking caster wheels, to ensure the safety of the user at each and every moment. A deflector splash guard is also incorporated into this commode system, helping to save one from splatters of liquids and greatly conducing cleanliness and hygiene.

Soft blow-mold cushions add comfort to let you ensure that the user is able to sit for a longer period without discomfort. Moreover, tool-free assembly lets the chair be used immediately, avoiding all the troublesome setup processes.

Expert Consultation and Support

We, at Medi Aid Xpert, are committed to helping you find mobility solutions par excellence, taking care of your special needs. Our team of experts is always ready with outstretched arms to offer custom-made consultations during the process of selection so that the Mobilita Commode-cum-Shower wheelchair fits your needs.

Be it for yourself or your loved one, a sturdy and durable shower commode wheelchair—try the Mobilita Commode cum Shower wheelchair from Medi Aid Xpert. Experience a difference in comfort, safety, and convenience that this high-quality shower commode wheelchair can bring into your life, taking you one step closer to independence. Level up your bathroom experience today with the Mobilita Commode cum Shower wheelchair—where comfort and mobility come together.

[mobilityshop]

Comfort and Reliability: The Ugo Essential Steel Self Propelled Wheelchair

Looking for an affordable and reliable wheelchair? The Ugo Essential Steel Self Propelled Wheelchair has a strong steel frame, foldable backrest, and puncture-proof tyres for peace of mind. With adjustable footrests, a calf strap for support, and a pocket for small items, this wheelchair combines comfort and practicality. Check out this Best Selling Wheelchair for a budget-friendly option that doesn’t compromise on quality!

[five-thousand-loaves-of-bread]

lowered footplate by about 4 whole centimeters >:)… (with help.. of course.. other people do majority work)

hard tell because really hard know body sign… but instinct say a little low… but also calf strap short and so push leg forward. can’t rest majority feet on footplate. need make new…. should be easy saw briar tutorial from years ago >:)

my chair have all the problems 👍

but gonna test new height next time go out and. if too low then raise by abt 1 or half cm

more questions

would this footplate too high issue cause back pain? to be fair scoliosis so back pain often but really would like be able sit more 4 hours in chair without too much pain discomfort… guess will find out next time now that lower. or would this be angle of backseat problem? right now it 90 degrees think… what happen if adjust angle of back. wheelchair back is think mid-high length so should support…

also, people with/had custom lightweight manual chairs: when take bus, do your chair (with brakes on) also flip over when bus go sudden too fast? mine do more easily with backpack on back but will do even without. is it just issue with manual chair or is it my chair center of gravity issue

again, for custom light weight manual chairs: anyone experience with headrest? (probably need add for my powerchair [standard issue class 1, so not the ultra fancy custom one hence no headrest and all sorts] but worry about later…)

think maybe custom manual chair, height from knee to feet (realistically bottom of shoe) short by couple centimeters/one or two inches just slightly but enough

so leg/underside of knee not dangle on cushion but a little up. which. think not supposed to???because if sit in for 4 ish hours, lower body sore and hurt. and. that should not happen.

don’t know how fix or even can fix. but. limiting :(

think make worse by shoe issue because realistically any shoe add few cm/inch and even a little will throw off

[calcone]

Made a calf strap following the tutorial by @briarpatch-kids !! Thank you so much, it was so simple to follow and I love the result :D

In case anyone wants to try it for themselves but doesn’t have a sewing machine, I actually ordered velcro with an adhesive on the back. It works just as well - no sewing required.

[blanddcheadcanons]

Jason Todd’s barber is Barbara Gordon. In the summer when the days are hot, he sits between her legs with his back hitting the calf strap of her wheelchair while she cuts his locks.

[deusluxuria]

johnny how does spine???

( warning: medical stuff )

( Don't be ableist or go "ew" or "oh no that is so sad that he's disabled" I'll eat you. )

For fanfiction info and whatever.

This info is subjective and not a matter of "you have to perceive Johnny this exact way." It's just a lil guide or starting point that might be helpful if you want to know more about Johnny's most-likely type of paraplegia.

There are a number of factors going on effecting the variables when it comes to gunshot wounds, spinal injury, and paralysis. So I'm gonna simplify it and get into basic stuff that doesn't require having a PhD or knowing firearm ballistics and all that.

(That being said, when it comes to writing about the experience of ableism, you need to be talking to disabled people and reading about their experiences. Remember that disabled people are a marginalized group.)

There's only so much we can figure out canonically. Spine injuries vary a lot, and then there are inconsistencies with Johnny's disability throughout the story. Araki likes to "not sweat the small stuff" (in his own words).

I like to just stick to the information we have in the beginning, since we get the most from there.

These are two excerpts from one of the first few chapters of the manga, showing approximately where in the spine Johnny was injured (just about above elbow level).

And here's a diagram showing the spinal column, and about what "above the elbow" means for Johnny's bodily functions. The T9 vertebrae is the closest to where that might be, so it can be assumed that Johnny's spine is effected from there-downward. Again, this varies depending on the person and multiple factors of the injury.

Digestive:

Johnny has no bowel control (which means it's a given he also has no urinary control). And according to how other characters say he has no sensation below the waist, either that's true or he has very minimal sensation.

Johnny is rich, so he can pay his medical bills. And his main dilemma in the story is that he's got a toxic self-ableist ego, so he probably would have gone for the prosthetic route, with colostomy surgery & catheters. As opposed to a bowel program or using diapers / other receptacles. Prosthetics also make more sense in context, since he's in a horse race and being chased by violent assholes, and so he wouldn't be able to visit a doctor or look after his hygiene just whenever.

A colostomy involves a hole (aka "stoma") being surgically made directly to the colon from the abdomen. A removable colostomy bag (aka "stoma bag") is attached to the hole, and is used as a receptacle for fecal matter to be emptied into automatically.

[ID: simple diagram showing the structure of colostomy surgery, & the location of the stoma & where the colostomy bag hangs. /end ID] [ID: simple stock photo showing a person slightly lifting up their shirt to show their colostomy bag, which is opaque, white flesh-tone color, & about the size of a large adult's winter mitten. /end ID]

This can make bowel movements easier for some paralyzed people as opposed to diapers or bowel programs, because emptying into a colostomy bag requires a lot less muscle function, is easier to change and clean, and needs less prep before bathing, showering, exercise, sex, sleep, etc.

Similarly, a catheter bypasses some of the distance and muscle control needed for urinating. A small, thin tube is inserted into the urethra and guided to the bladder. Urine automatically empties from the bladder, through the tube, and into a drainage bag, which is kept strapped to the person's thigh or calf, or secured to their wheelchair or underneath their bed.

[ID: simple diagram showing the structure of a catheter & thigh drainage bag, as well as what the extension to an overnight drainage bag might look like. /end ID] [ID: simple stock photo of an opaque white drainage bag cover, strapping the bag to the person's thigh. /end ID]

If someone uses a diaper, they'd simply change it whenever it's used, or otherwise whenever they're able to.

Because Johnny rides horses and does various dangerous, strenuous things in SBR, if using prosthetics, he might have his colostomy bag secured to his torso in some way (such as tying a piece of fabric around his torso). He might also have more padding to these prosthetics to protect them from being punctured, or worse, ripped out.

When he was shot, the bullet also may have perforated his intestines (along with his gallbladder and a kidney), which would have made a colostomy procedure necessary anyway. When he's shown in the hospital, he has a cloth wrapped around his pelvis, and acknowledges in distress that he's lost bowel and/or bladder control. So we can guess that his intestines are at least mostly intact.

[ID: Part of a panel from the Steel Ball Run manga, showing Johnny from the waist-down, in a hospital bed with a white cloth folded around his pelvis and bandages around his abdomen. /end ID]

Pain:

Johnny has the right idea about strapping his ankles up next to his saddle. People without paralysis tend not to realize just how heavy the human body is. With no muscle control in his legs, they would be way too heavy, and his back would be injured if he were to just let his legs dangle, especially while riding on horseback at high speeds. That would most definitely break his legs.

One thing about a transition between having muscle control and then being paralyzed is that previously non-paralyzed people might not understand right away that their paralyzed body parts still need to be taken care of. Even if those parts don't feel pain.

Johnny would likely have back, neck, and shoulder pain after being paralyzed, at least for a while. At least until he re-learns how to take care of his body from the waist down. Treating his legs like dead weight would put strain on the rest of his skeleton.

[ID: A panel from one of the first few chapters of Steel Ball Run. Johnny from the side, showing how he has changed the structure of his horse saddle and has his ankles strapped to his sides, so he's seated on his horse in a kneeling position. /end ID]

Sexual:

It's possible to experience orgasm with paralysis. There are types of non-genital orgasms, and then, strong or prolonged, repetitive stimulation to the errogenous zones of sensationless genitals can still cause orgasm that's felt from the waist-up (paralyzed folks may find the use of strong vibrators to be especially beneficial). Prostate stimulation may also be significantly more effective than genital stimulation.

Some people also have increased sensitivity from the waist-up if they're paralyzed from the waist-down (i.e. Johnny would feel notably more pain when injured, say, on his arm, than Gyro would).

A person can also have phantom sensations and experience pleasure & arousal from visual stimuli alone.

Sex with paralysis might need extra lubricant, since natural biological lubrication can be less prevalent with pelvic paralysis.

The way sexual stimulation feels to a paralyzed person is likely impossible for a non-paralyzed person to imagine. And it of course depends on the person and the unique way of how they experience sex in general.

Going by Johnny's personality, mainly with his loss of self-confidence, after his injury, he would likely only have sex with someone whom he trusts very deeply.

Reproductive:

With a uterus and viable ovaries, it's just as possible to get pregnant with pelvic paralysis as it is without. There can also still be pain during childbirth.

Viable testicles are a different story. It's very difficult to get someone pregnant when the person with testicles has pelvic paralysis. There would need to be help from a doctor. In context, Steel Ball Run doesn't stick to historical accuracy. But if it were, there's no way disability services around 1890 were existent enough for people with testicles to have medical help conceiving children when paralyzed at the pelvis.

If George is the biological child of both Johnny and Rina, it would make more logical and historical sense if Johnny had a uterus and was the one who gave birth to George, alongside Rina having testicles and being the one who impregnated Johnny. But that all depends on your headcanons, like what I said at the beginning of the post.

thank you for tuning in to "how johnny spine does" or something, goodnight lol

[whump-town]

Been Having A Hard Time Adjusting

Summary: Alternative to the peaceful homecoming of Emily Prentiss - Aaron Hotchner never truly comes home with her.

Warnings: medical trauma, amputation, scarring, blindness, mental health, hallucinations, sexual assault, self harm, and just sad stuff

Part One, Part Two

They find the sweet spot where nothing exists past the tip of his nose. Where his mind slips and he dissociates, gets caught in the old wall just a few feet away. In the spackled off-white paint. His eyes unfocused and unmoving. A nestled warmth where he finds himself outside his mind and body and bathed in entire numbness. Compliant to their overwhelmingly constant touches and questions. Without the heavy thrum of sedatives in his veins, he’ll kill himself. Tears stitches back open with his searching fingers to find where to dig and rip into the skin to feel the warmth of his blood.

“Is there someone we can call?” he’s given up. His fight depleted to leave him bareboned and dying. “You didn’t list anyone in your files but if you give us a name…” He hadn’t listed anyone for a reason. He’d wanted his death to be as nonexistent, as unpleasant as his life. So that the others might be given the chance to move on. So that his son will not think of him. He’ll slip through the cracks and they’ll just forget. It could go unnoticed. Now, he’ll be left to go slowly. They can place feeding tubes and restrain his mobile limbs but that will not breathe life back into him. He’s not active by any means but he’s reserved and he’s lost. He doesn't want to stay. He’s done.

He’s been fighting his whole life but he’s never been good at knowing when to give up.

There had been life in him, initially. In the back of his mind, he’d hoped for this eventual returning to his life. His old life. It’s a complicated, convoluted thought that he carries for a week. His presence of mind comes back slowly and the drugs can not hide what he knows intuitively. He finds the wounds on his face, holds his fingers near his right eye and the sight is… The doctors tell him it was shrapnel and that he’s lucky he has some sight in it at all and that there is no perceived brain damage. He looks at himself in the mirror. Looks at this man that he can not recognize.

There is a mass of bruises and wounds on his face. His eye isn’t easy to notice the pupil blown wide and a well-meaning doctor tells him that the scarring he’s typically used to seeing will happen over time. Just as many of the wounds on his face, they just need time to scar.

They sit with him, run their fingers along the wounds as they guess at which ones will heal and which ones he’ll never get rid of. “This one looks like lightning,” a nurse tells him like he’s supposed to appreciate finally understanding what Harry Potter looked like. Does she think Jack will appreciate that? That he’ll look at his father’s face and see a hero and not a horrible mess of these warped scars?

It’s sick, he knows. He’d never think these things about anyone else. But he looks in the mirror and he sees someone that he hates.

And it all goes to hell when Dave shows up.

It’s… He doesn’t know what day it is anymore but he’s turned away from the door of the room. Propped up on pillows and looking out the small window in his room. The physical therapist had come in to move him, forced him to practice moving from the bed to the wheelchair, and then from the wheelchair to the recliner, a nurse had kindly pushed in. He’s left alone because he’s content like this, turned like a flower to the sun. Eyes closed and nearly forgiving, compliant.

“Hotch...”

He jerks at the sudden intrusion. Panicking at the sight of the man before him. It’s a little too much. “D--Dave?” he hasn't spoken in so long that his voice grates and cracks. Tears sting his eyes and he chokes, crying as Dave steps towards him. Sobbing as Dave bends down and shakes his head, his own eyes filling with tears. “You came,” he whispers, leaning into the palm that Dave presses to his cheek. Warm and rough and here and he hadn’t realized how lonely he was. How tired of his own mind…

Dave looks like he always does, carefully suspended between two ages. His hair greying near the temples but his eyes betraying him and his age. He’s tanned, dressed softly in a way that makes Hotch feel like a young cadet all over again. As if he’s marching into the bullpen to meet his hero. But here he is. Dave is right here.

“You’re too thin,” Dave whispers, stroking his cheekbone. “Being a pain in their ass, huh?” He smiles, fondly and softly and Hotch feels its warmth in his chest, in his face. He nods and smiles even harder when Dave brings their heads together. Rustling Hotch’s hair playfully. “It’s good to see you, Hotch.”

He nods, unable to trust his voice. He closes his eyes, leans entirely into the touch.

“Aaron?”

He hums.

“I brought you lunch, sweetheart.”

Eyebrows furrowing at the sudden change, he opens his eyes. The room is empty. He’s still in the recliner. He looks for Dave, going frantic as he realizes there is no proof of Dave ever having been here. But he must have just fallen asleep. “I’m not hungry,” he whispers and lays limply, bites down against his tears as they hook up to the supplements they pump into him. The only way they can think to keep him alive for just a little longer.

Dave keeps coming.

He shows up as Hotch’s falling asleep, whispers through the exhaustion about the next morning. Smiles and assures Hotch he’ll be here when he wakes up. He never is. Emily comes. She brushes her fingers through his hair and he asks her to tell him one more time the names of the countries that she visited as a child. The ones she loved best. He needs her to do the accents to squeeze his hand and throw her head back with laughter but she squints her eyes. She shakes her head and never answers. Never tells him.

“Who are you talking to?”

Hotch blinks, confused but not nearly enough. Some part of him knows what this is but he needs them so desperately that it keeps him from falling apart. He’ll lean into this delusion because it is all he has. “No one,” he whispers but they know. The nurses, the doctors, the therapist. They've noticed.

He doesn’t know why (he knows exactly why).

There are no thoughts leading up to it (it’s everything, it’s all too much).

No ideations (he just wants to sleep…).

It hurts. He rips the IV from his hand with his teeth, grunting at the pain as the needle comes free. He means to run away but he looks down at his leg - to where his leg should be - and he sees red. He feels red. Digs his fingers into the gauze, crying out when he finds the stitches. The hole of mangled flesh and the warmth of his blood coating his fingers. He doesn’t get very far. Isn’t capable of enough damage - not to him, at least. He wants to do worse. To hit and scream and throw himself somewhere dark and cold to die.

He passes out in a puddle of his own blood. Wakes enough when the nurses come in, dragging in crash carts behind them. The head of the bed falling and his hands being moved away. He’s floating. Not really there. He feels the odd little dance of his heart in his chest like it’s stomping quickly to a rhythm not quite right.

He wakes… alive, unfortunately. They restrain him - his two mobile limbs. His left arm still pinned with crap he doesn’t care enough to look at. It’s not as humiliating as it would have been just a year ago. He’s too drugged, too laden to care about the strap they have to put over his thighs to keep him from moving the stump of his right leg. His right hand is held to the bed by the wrist. He looks at it, occasionally, tests the flection of the fingers, and sleeps.

He’s restrained for three weeks but he doesn’t try anything. Doesn’t move or speak. Just looks at the wall. For three weeks they watch him - it’s suicide watch but unbothered. He’s more of a pacifist, anyhow, maybe it would be helpful to know that’s a return of character for him - to just wither away instead. For a week they have this grey area where he’s never left alone during the day and the restraints go back on during the night. They turn on the TV and try to get him to eat but he can’t or maybe he just won’t. He ignores them.

Dave doesn’t come back.

He’s just too tired to care anymore.

He’s there for a month and makes no progress.

“Agent Hotchner.” His physical therapist lets himself into the room. There’s no use in asking to come in, he won’t answer. “I was thinking we work on transfers today,” the other man informs him. He pushes the wheelchair into the room. There’s no point in working with prosthetics, he fluctuates in weight too dangerously to keep them to size. Besides, he is too weak. Too weathered and caved to hold himself up. His left leg is cramped in that bed. He isn’t’ strong enough.

Hotch doesn’t do what they ask but he goes numbly into their directions. Spurring to life like a machine before sputtering back out. He’ll sit up but his movement is mechanical.

He goes elsewhere because they can’t come here.

To Derek. Falling asleep after long cases in the backseat of whatever beat-up car Gideon rented, their shoulders rocking back and forth. Waking for just a moment either leaning, if not held, in Morgan's lap or to find the other man sleeping on him. The unspoken nature of the two of them. Laughing in the bullpen and the time that he carried Morgan across a field because they fell down from some rafters of a barn that Gideon warned them about. They made it to the driveway and laid atop one another called Gideon to come get them. He remembers cracking his eyes open when Gideon had stood over him, shaking his head. “The two of you are nothing but trouble.”

It distracts him from the pain and the way that he can still feel his right leg. They tell him it’s phantom pain but he feels it. He wakes in the middle of the night certain he can wrap his fingers around where an ankle or a calf would be. Is certain his toes hit the end of the bed. He moves to transfer from the bed to the wheelchair and he still tries to put either on a leg that isn’t there.

He’s stationary and that’s how they find him.

Penelope finds him on Tuesday and it feels far too much like the morning she spent frantically calling hospitals to find him. His name isn’t given - not public because he’s American and he’s in a veterans hospital because the federal government won’t fork over the money it’s going to take to airlift him home. Besides, he’s got no family listed. No one to call and raise hell to get him home. No one to care. It’s hard to say they did until just a week ago… Hotch was always good at hiding in the emotional sense but he’s never been good at hiding himself. It made his childhood miserable for reasons with much higher stakes than just children’s hide and go seek.

Dave goes because the plane ticket is nothing and his absence will be fine. Emily tries to come but he tells her to stay, makes her stay. Hotchs’ done all this for a reason and he fears the state he’s going to find him in. Never mind, Emily’s still dead to Hotch - still someone who is dying and needs protection. It’s too much.

Dave drives an hour to Washington D.C. and takes a one stop flight straight to Pakistan. It’s nearly eighteen hours and with too little sleep he arrives at the hospital at 3 p.m.

David had taken to Hotch effortlessly. He’s just that sort of person-- the sort that draws you in with their mystery, with the kindness they couldn’t be bothered to pretend it’s so challengingly genuine. That’s just how Hotch’s always been. Honest but somehow so intuitive, knew things you could never remember telling him but right still. Always says the right things without ever telling you a thing. Until you’re a decade into a friendship with him and you can’t remember if he’s from the east coast or if he’s from the south or maybe if he’s ever had a pet or even what his favorite color is. Not because you didn’t pay attention but because he’s careful. Never tells more than necessary and he’s got that perfected.

And it’s how Dave knows something isn’t right.

Because Hotch could be dying and he’d never bother you. He’d never put you off by asking for a thing.

“At the two week mark he got an infection, his right leg was severely damaged in the accident. The wound and the leg started to necrotize. His organs started to shut down. Sepsis set in--”

Dave’s eyes snap to the doctor’s, sepsis. He looks back to the man in question. Hotch had this way about him, the way he moved and breathed and lived like those old stop motion pictures. Every moment so carefully constructed to create this flowing motion, entirely soundless. Dave has always thought he looked like the grasshopper from James and the Giant Peach with his too long limbs. Thin and pliable. Now, he rests heavily. That grace and flow stolen from him.

“Agent Rossi?” Dave tears his eyes away from Hotch, forces himself to concentrate once again on the doctor. “He’s… He’s been experiencing some rather unpleasant signs of post-traumatic stress. He won’t speak to the therapists on staff--” The doctor looks hopelessly to the man so oblivious to them. “We had to perform a unilateral bk-- we-- I amputated his right leg just below the knee.” By that time, Hotch had lost his abilities to make these decisions himself. Mind ravished by fevers, he was hallucinating. Seeing people that weren’t there.

Dave feels a knot form in his throat as his eyes wander. Slowly over those thin shoulders, down the curve of his back and the bones betray, the bones that protrude through his thin t-shirt. Down to… to see where one foot sits in the rest and the other stops. Where they’ve tied the access material of his sweatpants off.

“He has a prosthetic,” the doctor sighs. “We’ve had to resize it twice. We can’t-- We can’t do it again.” The doctor looks so impossibly exhausted. “They have to be... the prosthetics are advanced but fluctuations in weight ten pounds, even, that throws them off. He can’t keep weight on him and so we size them and then he loses more weight and he’s not getting stronger.” And it’s pointless. He won’t walk on the damn things. Refuses aids and he could walk, by now he could likely run and leap and move but he refuses much else aside that damned wheelchair. “He’s damaged the nerves, the bone, that I don’t know if he’ll be able to use a prosthetic.”

Dave doesn’t need any of that explained to him.

He understands it all too well.

Dave shakes his head. Clearing his throat rouses through his trousers, pulls out his wallet, “if money is the issue--” He hands the man the cards Dave thinks he might need. “Size them,” he asks. “Size them one more time and let me take him home.”

The doctor shakes his head, “Agent, maybe… maybe I’ve betrayed your confidence here.” He sighs, “sir, he’s not well. He doesn’t speak. Not to a soul except in his sleep and he screams. In-- In agony, in fear. He wakes and he has no memory of this happening. Denies our therapy. He doesn’t eat. He sustains on intravenous fluids and a feeding tube which he once fought but now doesn’t even… He’s prone to chronic infections.” The doctor frowns sympathetically to Dave and he is truly upset with this prognosis. Of his patients' negligence to himself and it might be good to finally have someone here for the man but he can not be released. Not without imminent danger. It couldn’t even be recommended he make the trip to another hospital.

“Do what you can?” Dave pleads.

And the doctor wants to break down, to confirm that they have. Everything they can think of. From tough love to entirely too understanding. Everything they have ever been trained to do. He isn’t responding. But Dave isn’t hearing it.

Dave crouches down in front of Hotch, placing himself directly in his line of sight. “Hotch?” He reaches, slowly, up towards him because Dave knows to expect a flinch. No matter how many miles Hotch puts between himself and his childhood, it still comes back in the little moments like these. But Dave’s fingers ghost across cold, pale flesh and there is nothing. No flinch or recoil or even an in-take of startled breath. Only empty eyes.

He’s still so foolishly hopeful. There has to be something, an ember to send to life. He’s just in need of a little poking, the right words and the right commands and he’ll come back. “Hotch,” Dave calls once more. He smiles, cupping Hotch’s cold cheek in the palm of his hand. “Aaron,” he amends because, of course, Hotch won’t answer to his first name. It’s impersonal. Everyone knows it. Hotch is sacred. It’s something entirely their own.

Dave had assumed the doctor was a fool. What could this stranger know about his Aaron? But… this isn’t even his Hotch. This isn’t Hotch at all.

David Rossi has no idea who this man is but he’s not Hotch.

The physical therapist makes his way over, wheelchair pushed out in front of him as he edges closer. Looking between Dave and Hotch, trying to make sure the doctor’s okay for him to come is genuinely welcomed. Dave stands up out of the way, taking a short step back as he watches, numbly, the way the therapist talks to Hotch. The gentle way he kneels down and makes sure that Hotch’s eyes find him before he speaks again. “How are you doing, big guy? Up for the trip back?” he gets no answer, which Dave is growing to find less and less surprising.

“Alright,” the therapist answers as if Hotch has said something, like he’s even acknowledged the other man’s presence. “I think that pretty nurse--” the therapist locks the wheelchair and sets it up for ease transfer. “You remember?” the therapist asks all without breaking stride, like he’s having an active conversation with Hotch. “Well, I”m sure you remember, don’t you? You know, the pretty nurse Amy? Tall? Brunette? Damn, man, I swear I’m in love.” The therapist taps Hotch’s right knee and it spurs Hotch to life. He sits up and the therapist keeps talking as Hotch makes slow, lazy movements to push himself to the edge of the chair. “She asked me out for drinks tonight.” The therapist puts his arms under Hotch's, ready to step in and guide if Hotch can't do it himself. “I’m getting drinks with the hot nurse, isn’t that great?”

Dave watches silently.

Hotch maneuvers himself easily enough, his left hand is still covered in bandages, but he places his weight on one arm and one leg. The movement isn’t entirely sophisticated but it gets him where he needs to be - seated in the wheelchair without help from either of them men standing close.

The physical therapist kicks the breaks down. His smile startles Dave, mostly because of its brightness despite the dreary mood of everything else around them. The physical therapist grins at both of them - his spit and shine nearly a bit too much. “So,” the therapist hums. “Do I need to worry about this guy taking my spot as your best friend? I mean, we’re friends, right, but do we have to compete for the throne of best friend?”

Hotch’s head raises, glancing up at the therapist and Dave feels himself choke, as if punched at the look in his eyes. They stop, the therapist shooting Dave a glance before he kneels down. He places a hand on Hotch’s leg, the two of them eye-level with one another. The therapist clears his throat, solemnly offering, “he’s real, Aaron.” He glances up at Dave, motioning him closer.

Dave takes a stiff step closer - biting down to prevent himself from huffing an agitated breath at the younger man when he’s only beckoned closer. Until he’s kneeling down beside Hotch as well, his chest tight at the way Hotch’s eyes dart to him but seek comfort in the therapist.

“Who is this, Aaron?”

Hotch’s eyes dart to Dave, his dry lips parting but falling closed without an answer. He looks away, flushing with embarrassment at his inadequacy. Dave feels his throat tighten like a vice, begging someone to explain what’s happening here. He’d been told Hotch didn’t have any brain damage and that while nightmares and hallucinations had plagued his waking state, he was fine. Those were symptoms of PTSD and the hallucinations had abated and likely, the nightmares would too once his physical body is able to start to heal.

“You know,” the therapist prods. “Introduce me, Hotch.”

Dave moves, shifting as if to speak to beat Hotch to the chase and the therapist cuts him a look. He doesn’t say a word.

“Aaron,” the physical therapist takes his unharmed hand, trying to solidify Hotch’s attention. “Please? He’s real. Just like you and I, okay? You can tell me.”

Hotch turns his attention to his knees and Dave feels his conviction, feels the way Hotch has solidified his final opinion - Dave isn’t here. He looks at his lap, pulling his hand back to pick at his nails. “I don’t know,” he mumbles. He can’t bring himself to say it. Doesn't want to look at Dave and have him disappear again. Doesn’t want to feel his heart get broken again when Dave disappears.

Dave is stopped, he means to move forward to maybe grab him by the shoulders and shake some sense into him. Hotch does know. Of course he knows. Dave has known him since he was a twenty-something punk-ass kid with untailored suits and a shitty Windsor knot. He’s his best friend…

“Okay,” the therapist caves and shoots Dave a look that conveys all that it needs to: he’s to fall back. “That’s okay,” the therapist assures him. It’s pointless, Hotch has worked himself to the point of tears over what Dave had thought was a simple question and Dave feels like he’s been kicked in the head.

They go on without another word. None of them speaking. Dave watches Hotch cry, a few soft tears that trail down his face while he glares down at his lap. He wants to say something. To reassure Hotch or to remind him. Hell, anything is better than this silence that they’ve fallen into.

[wheelie-sick]

Custom Wheelchair Arm Rests

[image id: a black TiLite aero z wheelchair, a rigid wheelchair. the wheelchair has a cup holder, calf strap, hard backrest, and swing away tubular arm rests.]

a lot of people will tell you that it's not worth it to get arm rests on a custom wheelchair because they "just get in the way"-- I disagree. I have swing-away, height-adjustable, tubular arm rests on my wheelchair and I wanted to talk about the pros and cons I experience with them (not an exhaustive list) so others can make an informed decision about whether or not they want arm rests when they get their own chair

pros:

place to rest your arms- I personally don't find it comfortable to rest my arms in my lap while using my wheelchair without the arm rests. the alternative to this is resting my arms over my wheels, this is dangerous because if someone walks up behind me and pushes me without warning it's likely that I'd break a finger. besides, they're just more comfortable

easy way to transfer- I transfer by both standing and sliding, my arm rests help with both. they're an easy spot to grab and put my weight while moving in and out of my chair

easy way to relieve pressure- as a wheelchair user it's important to occasionally relieve pressure from your ass to prevent the development of pressure sores. while this can be done by doing a wheelchair push up using the push rims I get much more pressure relief from doing wheelchair push ups on my arm rests while causing less hand pain thanks to the cushioned surface

easy way to re/position- I'm very picky about the way I sit and often need to slide back and forth in my chair a couple of times before I'm comfortable. my arm rests make this very easy to do

tie down point- I didn't want dedicated tie down points on my chair because I don't use the bus frequently, I instead use my arm rests to tie my chair down when needed

removable- if I ever decide I don't like them I can simply take them off

swing away- my arm rests can swing in and out of their position so I can move them out of the way when I need to transfer in a tight space

height adjustable- I have my arm rests set at the exact height I want them at. for me, this is very low, meaning that they're out of the way and don't interfere with self propelling. this adjustability also means they can be set higher to provide additional support if needed

I just like the look- they make my wheelchair look complete

cons:

increased weight- each of my arm rests weighs about one pound, while it's not a lot on its own it does add weight to the chair

increased length- my chair is about 4 inches longer than it otherwise would be. this makes it harder for it to fit in cars (though I can usually squeeze it in)

make loading into a car more complicated- because the arm rests swing outwards when I load my chair into the trunk of a car I often need to temporarily remove an arm rests (and sometimes both) because the arm rests swings out blocking the door from closing. the arm rests also tend to catch on my shirt when lifting the chair into a car

additions welcome

[lifewithchronicpain]

Browsing wheelchairs and I’m kind of drawn to this one:

I like the fun color, simplicity, price and calf straps instead of pads. My budget is $150 (because I have other things I need to get with the stimulus too) and so if I can come in under budget that would be good.

Anyone have any thoughts?

[sidhewrites]

WORLD BUILDING. Approx 1100 words. I had some ideas for the culture of Kellu, the village in which our main character grew up, which of course shaped her values and personality. Pieces of it may or may not change depending. Approx 1100 words.

Content warnings for; mentions of food and alcohol, mentions of infant death/pregnancy/birth.

Architecture: Houses are stone and waterproofed/weather proofed, well-insulated. Usually built around a central hearth, even if it’s just a small fire pit in the ground. The outside is usually plain, with rugs and the like inside. Narrower doorways for most, occasionally wider ones. The kitchen is the largest if not the only room (sometimes folks just sleep on beds around the oven/on top of the oven), and there’s small hearths in every room.

Big city fancy pants houses have heated floors. This is not a city tho.

Population is just big enough for you to not know everyone on sight. Idk, 300 or so?

Life spans are probably shorter than in the city. 50/60 years or so?

Economy:

Bartering, favors, and honor systems are the main forms of trade, though coin isn’t entirely unheard of. It just doesn’t help as much as, say, a new door for looking after the kids for a day so you can hang out with friends.

Everyone has a trade or contributes what they can. Most folks are food producers of some sort -- fishers, farmers, shepherds.

The nearest settlement is a sizable township/city that’s a good few days’ boat ride north. Occasionally merchants will travel and sell wares and bring back news, but most folk never leave home.

Diet: Rye and oat for bread and meals. Barley. Beer especially, some vodka, kvas, etc. P much anything that can be fermented. Berries, leafy  winter greens. Cabbage, potatoes and carrots, beans, peas. And fish especially. Salmon mackerel, herring, and the occasional octopus, crab or squid. Hot teas.

Coffee is a delicacy rarely seen in kellu. Occasionally given as gifts in weddings.

Mobility Aids: Wheelchairs or crutches as mobility aids in the summer. Snow chairs  pulled by goats or sheep or occasionally yaks if youre brave enough in winter -- essentially a wheelchair strapped to a sled so it doesn’t sink into the snow. People dont love it because goats are DUMB and smelly why cant wheels just work on snow??? Crutches and canes tend to get similar weight distribution attachments. It’s common for folk with free time to paint or carve intricate patterns into the wood.

Fashion: Bright colors and vivid dyes. Multiple layers of wool and furs -- stockings, underwear, skirts/pants shirt, undercoat and overcoat, hats and scarves. Mittens, boots. Some people like to layer skirts so it’s rainbows etc. Some teens wear certain colors to suggest flirting or openness for marriage, but it’s not universal. Shorter skirts/coats are occasionally worn by teens in their rebellious phase, since you Dont Expose Skin (because snow).

Hair styles incorporate braids, beads, etc, and often are long plaits down the back if not pulled up under a fur hat.

Hair long enough to braid is common in every gender. If you don’t have hair or cut it short for whatever reason (usually a sign of someone to be shunned and mistrusted, a common punishment for people who do BIG crimes etc), people often have a plait of yak fur or wool to your hat or coat. Braids are one of the many methods to sort of passively ward off trolls, as well as the color red (?) and it’s just fun and artistic.

Weather: Summer is temperate, usually 60-70s at most, and winter is often brutal but they have lots of ways of coping. Bonfires and heavy coats, often have smaller animals sleeping inside for extra warmth, so its’ not entirely uncommon for a yak to just be chilling inside someone’s house.

Animals: Most everyone has a mousing cat. There’s probably a folkloric tie-in as well. Sheep and Yaks are most common livestock/work animals, and graze on scrub brush at the edge of the woods for the most part. Sheep are regularly shorn. Cleaning, carding, and spinning are some of the most common activities to do in down time.

Occasionally used for meat/furs, but usually milk for cakes and wool and warmth and work

Music and singing are paramount to passing time. There’s shanties, working songs, and plenty of homemade music as well.

Bells: EVERYONE makes bells. From cowbells that hang from the necks of their livestock and heavy iron bells to hang over doors or windows, to small bells made of metal blanks folded around scrap metal/beans/stones/nuts. If you’re not making bells, you’re working with wool, you’re fixing clothes, or you’re weaving cords on which to hang the bells.

Weddings: Marriage has LOTS of bright colors. While most people wear their best dress/coats instead of a single dedicated outfit, there are brightly-dyed cloaks and veils loned to you from family members/neighbors for the occasion. The happy couple make a red cord for bells for each other, with gold or white dyed thread woven in and two or three bells, tie it around the other’s wrist as a sign of engagement.

Babies: Not named until after they survived their first winter. People try to arrange it so that babies are born in mid to late spring so they have as much chance of survival as possible, so there’s a mother’s festival every april or may to celebrate.   Gifts of booties and clothes and other baby materials are given to every mom, doubly so to new mothers. The naming ceremony is probably in the same event, and it’s like a week or two of celebrating babies.  Maybe when the first calf/lamb is born? Midwives are sent for if there’s an unexpected number of pregnancies that year, but everyone has some basic knowledge of how to help in a standard birth, because it’s hard enough to survive that process much less if you’re unprepared and the witch or midwife is busy already.

If the child is ill, has NO chance of surviving, etc there’s a special funerary ceremony. (Not sure what it is yet) but it is NEVER left to die. Even if it’s born out of wedlock, it’s seen as better to raise it anyway with the shame than abandoning it in the woods. While Mylings exist, if you’re found to have been the parent of one, it’s doubly worse. The world is dangerous enough. You don’t need to subject infants to that, and/or make it worse for everyone else too.

Tag List:

@ambreeskyewriting

@desperatlytryingtowriteabook

@dreamywritingdragon​

@fearlings-lament

@quilloftheclouds

Please message me directly to be added/removed from the tag list, thanks!

[briarpatch-kids]

If you're interested in receiving a wheelchair calf strap for free, please comment on this post! I've had at least one person sponsor a calf strap so far and I know a couple of you said you'd be interested but can't afford them. I'm hoping to slowly reopen my shop over the next couple weeks so there should be more soon!

Edit August 26, 2023

I have one more calf straps to give away! All you need is to be wheelchair user who can use a calf strap and is able to receive mail! I've sent out four so far!

I have the rainbow webbing back in stock so there's rainbow calf straps ready to ship!

(This is an example of a calf strap in use, they sit behind your legs to keep them on the foot plate. You can also attach it to the leg supports of a standard or folding wheelchair the same way as well.)