desk, beds, tuition and lifts

Dan has a few items for which to be thankful. First of all, here is the plaque that is outside his dorm room in McChesney Hall. Thank you Class of 2008 officers and graduates (now working hard, at real jobs and paying taxes), the various school vip's, deans, building advisers, construction people and so many others, for your generous gifts and time, to make this special dorm room happen for Dan and future students.

#1) Dan needed a bed for school. Someone found a used bed at an agency in Dayton that helps special needs people. BUT for a few years, Barb [mom of Emily, another CU handicap student] has been soliciting requests from medical bed manufacturers to DONATE a bed or two to CU for these special needs dorm rooms. Well, last Monday 2 beds arrived from Joerns Medical, and Dan has a new bed. I think the cost would have been around $15K. A long time before Dan needed any kind of hospital bed, God was preparing the way for his future sleep comfort.

#2) Dan needed a table for his computer. He uses a hospital bed table at home, but it is not wide enough for him to get under it, or close to the screen. This request was made know, and the next day, an electric computer desk was provided for his dorm use. [we HAVE to get one of those for at home] Thanks again God, for those who helped provide this need.

#3) Garrett, Dan's assistant, and newest OPE member is taking a class with Dan. One class at CU does not qualify a person for any federal assistance. The need was made known, and OPE students and alumni came to the rescue, by providing all of his tuition for classes. [His food is covered by us] Thank you God for how OPE guys around the world continue to "encourage one another".

I, Bill, am still at CU, busy setting up Dan's schedules, finding nurses to check in on some of his daily care, tutors for class room and online [6 extra hours], small things like laundry, dorm cleaning, assistance for meals, and especially time off for Garrett. It's difficult for any one person to take care of any special needs adult 24/7, and as my mom would say, "Many hands make light work."


There is another big project underway that will directly benefit Dan, Emily and other needs students at CU. We thought we could get away with a simple 1 track ceiling lift for these rooms. Cost would only be about $4-5K.

[With limited space, using an over head ceiling lift vs the floor lifts, is like pushing your car around, vs driving it where ever. I know that I have run over too many toes of helpers, while trying to get Dan in or out of bed, and also holding up his legs so they don't bump the lift, then pivoting and positioning to a sitting position in his chair, but not pinching his legs with the lift either. ANYWAY ...]

All of the ceiling lift companies will not install a single track in flex core ceilings because of safety and liability reasons. Thus a unit which attaches to the side walls and does cover the entire room [it's much more helpful and flexible] has been quoted at around $11k. Unfortunately, no companies have come forth to provide a free one of these, but just by word of mouth, funds have been adding up. The ceiling lift fund for Emily's room, [Dan's will be next], is only $2k shy of the $11K that needs to be reached. There is a CU fund set up for this, Ceiling Lift Project. SEE THE SIDE BAR FOR MORE INFORMATION, if this is something that you would like to help with.

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