RE: [QUAD-L] Drinking in bed

[Lana Baugh]

Joan,   Have you tried modifying a camel water pack. I think that’s what they are called. Cross country bikers place them on their backs and the straw comes around to the face.   Over the years we have modified a lot of stuff from bikes. A lot of the bracing supplies we buy from the “horse” store. The brace the OT made for Gabe’s elbows gave him pressure sores. A friend of mine who owns horses suggested I check out the horse store. She said people pay millions for horses so they carry a lot of nice stuff. We found perfect soft and appropriate braces there for 16.00 a pair. About a tenth of what the other braces cost. They also have Co-Ban real cheap. We use Co-Ban for every thing.   We’ve also had luck with a local store that sells back packs, bags etc. They make them there. They were able to sew some very nice soft supports that they helped us design for Gabe when he is in his van. Seat belts don’t really do the job. Again it was real cheap.   Sorry for going on and on. We have found that a lot of the stuff Gabe has we have made or have had ordinary stores make for Gabe. We would take in a problem and they would attack it and charge very little.   There are a lot of good people out there who love a challenge and they are happy to help.   Just some thoughts. Hope they help.   Lana, Gabe’s mom   From: Joan Anglin [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Saturday, September 03, 2005 10:12 PM To: quad-list@eskimo.com Subject: [QUAD-L] Drinking in bed   Hi everyone I have a question, those of you like me, who cannot reach for a drink at night, what you do to stay hydrated throughout the night. I only have a PCA that comes in the morning for four hours, and a private PCA that comes for one hour to put me to bed at 9 p.m.. From 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. I am dependent on various people to give me a drink. And from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. I often get very thirsty. And I just bought a drink straw (J. A. M straw) for $47 hoping that it would solve the problem. Unfortunately I do not have enough movement to turn my head far enough so that I do not have to have the straw hanging straight down over my mouth, which means that it touches me whenever I moved my face -- rather annoying. It also has a very hard end which is not comfortable to grab hold of, and if I do take a drink I have to blow the water back up the straw so that it does not drip on my face. Do any of you have any suggestions? I live alone with two handicapped guys that have been with me fo! r 25 years. They are very good at helping me out, but this drink problem has me stifled. Looking forward to some awesome answers. Joan