blinkie! It’s so great to see you’re still here. I saw this a while ago, thought of you, came to see when you last posted so I could share it, but didn’t think you were around anymore.
Anyway, wondered if you were familiar with this, and if it is anything like what you currently use to write and/or communicate …
The invention that unlocked a locked-in artist
Shayna
Funny you should mention this device. I hadn’t heard of it until his morning. My kids want to give it to me for Father’s Day and I told them to hold up until I see what it can do. The technology in this area is improving in astrunding way. A few years ago I was a candidate for something like this and it required surgery to implant it. Now it’s a headset and by the end of the year it’ll probably be a bluetooth.
The cost has gone from $10’s of thousands to a few hundred. I’m not sure of everything it can do. I saw the mind controlled wheelchair, but I can drive faster with my finger as the control. I have to look at typing, and controlling remotes and stuff, so the answer is yes I’m looking into it, and Mrs. Blinkie is scouring their webpage right now.
Blinkie
Have you heard this guy’s story
Amazing and uplifting story of a 22 year old guy who became “unlocked.” When I read this today, I immediately thought of you.
D-Bear I know about him and Mrs. Blinkie spoke with his wife right after he was diagnosed.
Your feelings on Mr. Nicklinson’s death, conflicted? For me, I have scoliosis and have chosen not to continue my genetic line so it’s not passed on any more than it has been. Other women w/ scoliosis have been offended by my choice, I’ve learned. Do you feel any personal judgment in his decision?
Nauth Chucka I’ve been following his fight for years. I have a LockedIn friend in England who was quite close to him. I certainly don’t judge him in any way. I wasn’t always able to accept my condition. It took me years to get where I am mentally. I begged to be killed. Luckily no one listened and my prayers weren’t answered.
I was thinking of you, blinkie, when I read about the article.
It really is a hijack, Alice – could you start a new thread, pls? Shoot me a PM if you want me to split this post off and make it the OP.
twickster, MPSIMS moderator
Yah - good call - PM en route.
Hi Blinkie,
I stumbled upon this thread and am really glad I found it. Just about two weeks ago, my dad suffered a massive stroke in his brain stem and has been told he has locked-in syndrome. He was in ICU for about two weeks and has now been transferred to a Long-Term Acute Care facility. We are also located in NJ. I have many questions as I’m sure my mom does. Do you have any advice for these early stages. Also, what are some things that would make him most comfortable at this point. For example, I have read that sleep is a challenge. Any and all info is appreciated.
Most sincerely,
“1sweetsoul1”
Blinkie! I totally missed that you’d responded to my post; so sorry I didn’t acknowledge it sooner. So have you gotten a pair of those glasses after all, or are you still waiting for newer technology?
Blinkie, I hope that you are still watching the boards.
And damn me for an amateur, as–oh never mind. I hope that you are well and happy, and that you and your family had a great Christmas.
And I’m looking forward to hearing more from you in the New Year. Have a great one!
blinkie doesn’t post all that often, but he was logged in yesterday.
Blinkie is alive and well. Thanks for asking, had all my kids in for Xmas.
1Sweetsoul1- Where are you in Jersey? Give me a list of questions and I will try and answer them for you. If you can give me an idea of your dad’s age, any movement he might have and his support network I can be more helpful.
If he’s really Locked In, and it’s too early to tell no matter what the docs are telling you put a big sign over his bed saying that he can hear everything you say. It’s amazing what people will say in front of you.
Sleep is very difficult, especially overnight when there are very few people around. Seek out the overnight aide, the aides are really the only ones going in the rooms on the overnight shift and tip her if you can. At least go out of your way to meet her to be sure his position is being changed every couple of hours and that he’s not sweating. Your body’s thermostat is not working and generally they bundle you up way too much.
If I can’t answer any of your questions fully I will put you in touch with Mrs. Blinkie or one of my kids.
Hey, blinkie! Nice to hear from you again! I hope you had a good Christmas.
Nice to hear Blinkie! Glad you had all your kids in for Christmas, it sounds great.
Hi Blinkie,
I just saw that you wrote me back. My dad is 70 years old. His stroke was Dec. 11th. Since that time, he spent two weeks in ICU, about 4 weeks in a Sub Acute Care facility and now he is in a Rehab. We are located in Essex County, NJ. I would love it if my mom could talk with Mrs. Blinkie. I think that would be incredibly helpful for her and much appreciated!
Good to hear you’re doing OK.
Eyetech introduced a really neat, and (relatively) inexpensive eye tracker at the recent Consumer Electronics Show. Didn’t know if you had seen it. I watched the demo video, and it looked like they had done a pretty decent job with the software.
I was in Essex when I had my stroke. Did my rehab at Kessler. Now we live in Ocean because one floor housing is hard to find up north
Check this out! New Samsung Galaxy phone might be controlled by your eyes
Says it’ll work on tablets, too.