Paralyzed since I was 18 years old, I have spent much of the last 30 years thinking about the reasons why the social life of crippled people is so different from those who ambulate on two feet. After reading about the so called Ashley Treatment I decided it was time to write a book about my life as a crippled man. My book, Bad Cripple: A Protest from an Invisible Man, will be published by Counter Punch. I hope my book will completed soon.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Huffington Post and Bungie Jumping
The Huffington Post under the section "good news" has a story entitled "Paraplegic Woman Goes Bungie Jumping". The video above is evidence that yes indeed "paraplegics" can bungie jump. The article begins "Thrill seeking doesn't stop when you lose the use of your legs". This is news? Why would being unable to use your legs stop one from seeking thrills? Paralysis may limit one's mobility but that is easily negated by a wheelchair. Has the Huffington Post never heard of adaptive sports or the paraolympics? And more to the point why was the woman, the human being sitting in her wheelchair, never identified by name. She is "paraplegic woman". Excuse me but this is about as dehumanizing as you can get.
I will admit I never heard of a person bungie jumping from one's wheelchair. The group that made this possible is Canadian group 9Lives Adventures. Sign me up! I would love to do this. I can only imagine the adrenaline rush. And the leap in faith! Wow, over the edge you go, total trust in your gear. This is worth looking into!
I'm right behind you, screaming my head off!
ReplyDeleteWCD
I think there's a reason you and I have never before heard of someone bungee jumping while still sitting in their wheelchair. It's completely silly! Why would you do something like that?! Do they expect her to roll around while dangling from a rubber band or something? It seems like it would be a whole lot easier and safer to take her out of the chair and toss her body over the side of the bridge.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I don't understand some of the details of bungee jumping safety but it seems to me that a more likely explanation as to why she jumped while still wearing her chair is because it made for a sensational photo op.
WD, Yes, very cool thing to do.
ReplyDeleteUntoward Lady, This is one of those rare times when I do not think a person that uses a wheelchair was used for a photo op. Simply put, adaptive sport programs do not do that sort of thing. The imagery they post is empowering and cool. As to why the woman was in her wheelchair that makes sense to me. The reasoning is for limb protection. One can be strapped into a a wheelchair safely. It reminds me of a sit ski. I am very safe once strapped in.
Only issue with jumping in the wheelchair is the failure of any piece of the wheelchair introduces debris that could strike the person or the cable. When you hit the bottom of the jump a pretty solid shock runs through you and could cause the failure. Also if you make a habit of this hobby repeated jumping could introduce stress fractures and cause a failure.
ReplyDeleteACaine, I suspect anyone wiling to bungie jump would use a rugged rigid frame wheelchair that contains no parts that could come off. I would also suspect a good adaptive program would have performed many tests before allowing a client to bungie jump. As for stress fractures, it is possible. I assume the adaptive program would have some age and weight requirements. No one under 18 or over 35 could bungie jump. No risk factors etc.
ReplyDelete