Things I have heard about stuff

Sometimes I experience things that are not so nice. This first story is a doozy.

I was with family and friends at Paradiso in Fargo. As we were going to our seats we went through the bar in Paradiso and I heard this one guy say, "Look at this guy, he is lazy!" I didn't say anything right away, I don't know why I didn't. But as we moved away I asked my buddy, "Did you hear that?" He heard it and I had to do everything to not get him to turn around and beat the living snot out of that twat waffle. If it ever happens again I am going to take the reins off whoever I am with so they can throat punch some sense into the next shartstain.

Sometimes adults can be real douche canoes. I tend to notice that more adults stare at someone in a wheelchair more than children do. Sometimes when I am with friends they notice people staring. They usually ask, "Doesn't that bother you?" Most of the time staring doesn't bother me because I know they are just curious. If it is a kid I just let it slide. If it is an adult then it is another ballgame. Sometimes I like to stare right back at them until they are uncomfortable. Other times I come up with some smart ass comment and that usually deters them from staring again.

Here's a story that takes the cake. I was sitting in the van of course in my wheelchair, outside of the grocery store in a handicap parking spot. An old lady comes driving by staring at me. She drives around and comes back again. This time she gets out of her vehicle grabs her handicap placard signed thingamajig over car and starts waving it at me. I am just sitting in my wheelchair and my shaggin wagon shaking my head wondering what medication is old lady is on. Pretty soon she marches into the grocery store and comes out with the manager. He has a pen and paper in hand and is about to write down my license plate when he notices that it is a handicap license plate. He then notices me in the vehicle and mouths the words, I am sorry. The old lady still did not get it. Geesh…

I don't like using handicap parking spots. I really don't care if I have to park a mile away. I have an electric wheelchair that goes 13.5 mph. Depending on whose radar gun I am using. Sometimes I wonder how many people who use those spots really have some type of disability, permanent or not permanent.

Next time you are somewhere and there are a lot of handicap spots, pay attention to the people that hop out of their vehicles and run into whatever event is going on. I am pretty sure most of the people with those placards steal them from their grandma.

I have actually been told this, "I bet you're in that chair just for the parking." Yeah you jack wagon, it is well worth it not being able to walk just to get a better parking spot.

Anyway, these are just a couple things that grinds my gears. There are more but this is good enough for now.

Thanks for reading, Clint

Wheelchair Traveling around Town and beyond…

(North Dakota boys doing it Vegas style.)

Traveling in a wheelchair sucks. At least going anywhere over two hours sucks for me. It isn't the traveling, it is all of the planning and encumbrances that goes with it. It would be real nice to be able to just get up and go somewhere without all of the other concerns.

For me to go anywhere is quite the process. The biggest hurdle is that I am not supposed to be in the chair for over six hours a day. That is what I say. The professionals say I should only be in the chair about four hours and then I am supposed to lie down. So when you are traveling anywhere over four hours a day that means I need to schedule the motel. As soon as I get to the motel I have to lie down. So the first day I get anywhere is pretty much shot. My chair does have tilt mode but that does not alleviate all of the pressure.

Another thing about traveling is I get pretty stiff and sore when I cannot move around as much. I try to do some exercises and stretches while riding but you can only do so much.

I am also on a kind of eating schedule. Being on a schedule is also quite the hindrance when traveling.

(A Las Vegas cab ride. We thought we were going to die.)

So when my cousin and friend decided to get married in Las Vegas in November of 2008 I had a decision to make. It didn't take long for me to decide I was going. I would do anything for Stephanie and Jeremy. The next thing I needed to figure out was how I was getting there. The decision was pretty easy, driving was going to be the only way I could get there. It was a good thing I just got the 2008 Chevrolet Uplander a.k.a. The Shaggin Wagon because I would've never went with the van I had before.

The road trip to Vegas was well worth it. But I don't think I could ever do it again. I don't know how I ever did it in the first place. Evidently I didn't know what I was getting myself into. I have some good Vegas stories that are not for public knowledge…

(This is what two days in Vegas looks like.)

Here was the trip schedule to Vegas and back because I can only be in the chair so long a day.

Lucca ND to Spearfish SD = 7 hours

Spearfish SD to Rawlins WY = 5 1/2 hours

Rawlins WY to Fillmore UT = 6 1/2 hours

Fillmore UT to Las Vegas NV = 4 hours

Las Vegas NV to Richfield UT = 4 1/2 hours

Richfield UT to Vail CO = 5 1/2 hours

Vail CO to North Platte NE = 5 1/2 hours

North Platte NE to Lucca ND = 9 1/2 hours

(This is me trying to breathe at the Ghost Rock landmark in Utah along I-70)

Sidebar: I started feeling sick before the trip to Vegas. I got really bad on the way down but didn't tell anyone. Felt like crap most of the time down there but I blamed it on the alcohol so no one would know. When I got back to Enderlin and went to the clinic a couple days later and I told the doctor about what I did. Her words were, "You know they have clinics in Vegas don't you? Dork!" That was my first bout with pneumonia and I was locked in my room with a nebulizer and humidifier for a week. Good times.

(Stopping at the Wheeler Junction exit in Colorado to replenish wiper fluid. Chains were required for commercial vehicles on the interstate. Good times.)

A lot of people asked me why didn't you fly to Las Vegas? Simple answer, because it is almost impossible to travel in a plane with a wheelchair unless you have a private charter. I have heard and read many horror stories of people traveling through the airport system with a wheelchair. Manual and electric.

First of all they will not let a wheelchair on a plane because they do not have spots for them. There is also not enough room down the aisles to maneuver. If you have an electric or manual wheelchair it has to go into storage with the luggage. I have heard of stories that their wheelchair does not make it to the right destination. I have heard of wheelchairs getting damaged in transition. Some airline companies even take the chairs apart because they think the batteries are going to explode. Also, when they put your chair in luggage that means you are going to have to sit in one of their chairs that is not designed for a quad. The flight would be unbearable. So that is why I did not fly to Vegas. The one way, 22 hour, four day, 1500 mile road trip with parents was memorable enough…

About a year ago there was a bill that was trying to go through the legislative system of opening up one spot in each commercial plane for a wheelchair. I imagine it didn't go too far. I never kept up with it but I imagine it was too cost prohibitive for the airline companies. Jack wagons.

Info from Hector International Airport. "If you were to travel on Delta we do have flights that you can travel with your electric wheelchair. It is up to you if you would like to check your wheelchair at the ticket counter or at the gate. If you check it at the ticket counter we would transfer the wheelchair in Minneapolis for you to your next flight and it would meet you at your final destination. If you would like to have it with you in Minneapolis we would have you take the wheelchair with you to the gate and we would then load it in the cargo hold, but we would then give it back to you in Minneapolis." 

I have read that Amtrak does a pretty good job accommodating people in wheelchairs. One of these days I will have to try them out. Bucket List Trip: Take Amtrak from Fargo to Seattle, get on a boat or ferry to Southeast Alaska and maybe never come back. Don't worry, I will send postcards…

Another big problem about traveling and getting into other houses is the actual weight of me in the chair. That total weight is 420 pounds. When I get somewhere and there is no ramp, people just assume they will just lift me right in. Not so much. I'm sure it could be done with four strong individuals, one on each corner but there really are no good handholds to lift from on my chair. Because of these things I don't go into many houses for parties. It doesn't bother me at all. I am more of a garage type guy. That is where the guys usually end up anyway.

Restaurants are another obstacle you would never think would be such a big deal. But they can be painful. The biggest thing about restaurants is there is sometimes not enough room to maneuver a wheelchair. For some reason they like to pack people in like sardines. If the tables and chairs are too close together it is pretty much impossible and not worth it in most cases. I know of a lot of restaurants in Fargo I will not even go into because it is impossible to get around.

I have said this before but it is worth saying again. I don't know who came up with the idea that high tables and chairs are a good thing, but that person should be tarred and feathered in a public square mile sitting in a high chair. Some restaurants now only have high tables and chairs. They really suck for someone in a wheelchair. I am not a fan of having my chin on the table. I will not give these businesses my time.

(Click here for my yelp profile.)

I started a profile on yelp about the restaurants in the area and how they are for accessibility. Along with of course how good their food is or if it sucks.

Motel rooms are another bad thing about traveling. They'll say that they have accessible rooms but in reality most of these rooms are normal. Evidently to be considered an accessible room the only things the motels need to do is take out one of the beds and put up a couple handrails in the bathroom. I do have to say motels have gotten a lot better in the last 10 years. A lot of them now even have walk-in showers, which is big.

A lot of businesses say they are accessible but are truly not. Keep your eyes open and you will see what I mean. A lot of front doors now have buttons to open them automatically. But pay attention to where the buttons are. A good deal of the time you will see the buttons behind some type of object or placed in a corner where someone in a wheelchair could not possibly get at them. If there is a ramp into the building, a good percentage of the time there is something placed on the ramp like a garbage can or flowerpot.

I commend them for trying but they should really have someone in the chair try out these buildings, restaurants, businesses and motels before they say they are accessible. Or at least have someone with common sense be there during the designing process.

So the next time you are out and about, pay attention to the surroundings and see if the building and businesses are truly accessible. I bet you will be surprised…

Thanks for reading, Clint

Favorite lies I have told people about my condition

I get asked personal questions quite often when I am around a lot of people. Sometimes I tell them the truth about stuff & things. Sometimes I don't tell them the truth about stuff & things. My answers depend on the age of the person asking and the venue where the question was asked. Here are some examples.

When little kids ask what happened to me I usually keep it pretty clean. My go to lie is that I had my head ripped off by a grizzly bear. It was a real scuffle but in the end I won. Thank goodness there was a 3rd world doctor nearby that reattached it.

Another one that I tell the youngsters is that I got bitten by a rattlesnake. It bit me right in the jugular. I couldn't make it in time to the hospital for the antidote so that is why I am in this chair.

Sometimes I just tell them I got shot. Sometimes that is a good enough story.

Sometimes I use it as an educational moment and tell them that I fell out of the tree stand while hunting. I then explain to them that I fell out because I was not harnessed in like you are supposed to be.

When it comes to telling adults who are a little too nosy, I don't hold anything back. I have come up with some pretty good lies over the years. Sometimes I tell them the real story that I was shot and they don't believe me. So the only thing I can do is stretch the truth.

Sometimes I am in the witness protection program because I was injured during a gang turf war in downtown Oakland. I was relocated to this area because I am more valuable alive than pushing up daisies.

Sometimes I tell them I had dinner with Chuck Norris and it didn't end well for me. He is a bastage.

My all-time best lie happened last summer. I was at Lucky 13's in Fargo, flying solo and I made the rounds per usual because I cannot go anywhere without knowing someone. Anyway, I noticed this one woman eyeballing me for quite a while and all of a sudden she walked right up to me. For some reason I could tell she could take a joke and I could tell she was a little not sober. She came right out and asked, "So what happened to you?" I don't know why but I said, "I fell out of a sex swing, but don't worry she is all right!" I thought she was going to die from laughing. Everyone within earshot could not believe what I just said. I didn't really care because I didn't know them. But I got to know everyone pretty well after that comment. Good times.

A lot of times, especially when I am in Fargo enjoying an adult beverage, the drunkest person there will come right up to me and assume I was injured in the military. I try to tell them that I wasn't in the military. But sometimes they are just too drunk and persistent, so I let them believe what they want.

These are just a few of the little white lies I have been known to tell. So if you hear some weird story about my accident, just go along with it…

Thanks for reading, Clint

Pain and what helped me

I used to experience a lot of pain. The pain was in my shoulders and neck. This pain used to be so bad that I didn't want to get in the chair. On days I did get in the chair I would have to lay down for two or three days afterwards just to be able to get back up again. This really got to be chronic. It started to affect my life a lot. It got to be a problem with trying to schedule things and go to events. I would have to plan everything out days in advance around the pain.

This pain really started getting bad about five years ago. I first tried painkillers and none of them seem to help. I tried many different kinds. The only thing that ever happened was the side effects. Which were usually not good.

I have also tried cortisone shots in the past. Those work but only for a short period of time. And they suck to have injected. If you have experienced it you know what I mean. I don't think I will ever do those again.

The next thing I tried was going to a chiropractor. I only went to one appointment. The chiropractor was scared to touch me I believe. I don't think he wanted to break me any more than I already was. I don't blame him. I didn't really want my neck cracked either.

One of the things that did seem to work was getting a massage. I have painful muscle knots all through my shoulders and neck. The only thing that seemed to lessen the pain in these knots was massage. I got a massage every couple weeks or month for about a year and a half.

The best thing I ever did for my pain was to start going to physical therapy. I have actually gone to physical therapy for over a year. The difference between the first visit and my last visit is unbelievable from my point of view. I have way more movement because the pain is less. I went to physical therapy twice a week for about a half a year and once a week for the other half a year. The stretching and exercises did more for me than anything I have ever tried.

If you are experiencing pain and know of a good physical therapist in your area, this is what I would suggest. But you have to do your part. If they tell you to do stretches and exercises, do them. This is actually the third physical therapist I have gone to and the first one that really helped. So keep on trying until you find the one.

Right Designs

Another thing that helps with pain is getting your wheelchair fit to your body. I did this for the first time about a year ago and got my new Ride Designs backrest and seat cushion installed in January of this year. The difference in comfort is immeasurable. Essentia's Physical Therapy department and Yorhom Medical Essentials got me fitted for my own personalized backrest that was custom formed to my own measurements. They also got me fitted for a new seat cushion that is supposed to help with pressure sores. Both preventing them and healing them.

If you are in southeastern North Dakota, go to Essentia's wheelchair clinic instead of Sanford's evil stepchild Healthcare Accessories, if at all possible. Essentia's PT department will get you in touch with Yorhom Medical Essentials which is based in Grand Forks. They do not suck. I repeat do not deal with Healthcare Accessories. They are the devil. I have dealt with them for over 20 years. This will help with a lot of pain and personal anguish. Trust me. They suck. The end.

If you have any questions about any of the healthcare medical suppliers, don't hesitate to contact me.

This used to be my motto, "Besides the pain, I don't feel a thing…" Don't let it be your motto. It sucks…

Thanks for reading, Clint

Feeling of a Quad

I get asked quite often, "What does it feel like to be paralyzed?" That is a hard question to answer. It is hard because it is difficult to describe the feeling of not being able to feel something physically. It is also different for every single person who is paralyzed in one form or another.

A lot of people do not know that there are different levels of paralysis. The lower or higher the injury to the spinal column determines the amount of feeling and function your body can produce. There are differing classifications depending on those levels. I myself am a C4-5. That means I have the ability to feel everything above mid chest. Along with that I have use my biceps, some triceps movement, limited wrist movement and no finger movement. These classifications are not set in stone. They are different for every spinal cord injury.

Along with these different levels there are also complete and incomplete spinal cord injuries. Complete means there is absolutely no feeling below the level of injury. Incomplete means there is some type of sensation below the level of injury. I myself am incomplete. It doesn't mean you can feel like normal, it just means there is a sensation. The sensation is limited to a small area or areas.

There are differences between quadriplegic and paraplegic. Quadriplegia is a type of paralysis when a person's arms and legs are affected. There is either no or limited movement in the limbs. Paraplegia is when a person's lower extremities are affected. Thoracic level or below.

So with all that information I still really haven't answered the question, "What does it feel like to be paralyzed?" I will try to answer that the best I can. It is very hard to describe.

Where I cannot feel, I can feel the inside of my skin but not the outside of my skin. That may sound weird but that is how it feels. Also, where I cannot feel, it feels like a numb tingly feeling. The same way it feels when you hit your funny bone. It is a constant feeling though unlike hitting your funny bone. This feeling never leaves. Here is another way I could describe it. Have you ever been buried in wet sand or compacted hard wet snow so that you cannot move your limbs? If you have, that is about as close as you can get. The wet sand is a better comparison.

Even though it feels like I can feel the inside of my skin, there really is no feeling. It is just a sensation that happens because the brain is trying to send a signal to the body and there is no response. Also the body is trying to send a signal to the brain and again there is no response. The wires are cut.

People who are paralyzed can get into trouble because they have no feeling. I myself have run into things with my shins without realizing it and given myself quite a few bruises. One time I was probably a little too not sober and ran in to something and woke up the next morning with my two big toes black and blue. There are a lot of other stories but those are for another time…

There are also a lot of different sensations from being paralyzed. If I close my eyes and you were to put my legs in a different position, I would have no clue which way they are positioned until I open my eyes. It is a weird feeling. You could really mess with a person if you wanted to.

Another weird sensation is that I can move my limbs a little bit in my brain but they do not move in real life. The movement in my brain is slow and I really have to think about it but when I look at my fingers they are not moving. In my brain they are tapping to the beat but in reality they are doing nothing.

Cold and hot temperatures are a big nemesis for people who are paralyzed. It is also different for everyone it seems. I myself cannot sweat because of my level of injury. This means I am very susceptible to overheating, heatstroke and all that good stuff. I have overheated one too many times. You'd think I would learn. But evidently I am a slow learner. If the temperature is above 80°F and the dew point is getting close to 60°, I better be in the shade or in the air-conditioning because I will overheat within a couple hours. I have no way of cooling off internally. It has to be done externally with cold presses and cold drinks. Alcohol does not count evidently…

Some people are affected by cold weather and thankfully I am not one of those. I would much rather be cold than hot any day. I can sit motionless in the shelter belt for three hours waiting for deer when it is 20° and it does not bother me at all. It might take me a while to warm up once I get inside but that is a lot easier than trying to cool down.

I wouldn't mind finding a place to live in the mountains where the high temperature throughout the year is 80° and there is no humidity. It can get as cold as it wants, the fire would always be warm inside.

I have kind of answered this question above but another thing I get asked is, "Can I feel pain?" I guess that is one good thing, I cannot feel pain where I do not have feeling. But there is a sensation when something is wrong. Like when I smashed my two big toes, I couldn't feel the pain but my body knew there was something wrong. My doctor asked how I managed to do that as she rolled her eyes and laughed at me. If she only knew the whole story…

There is another byproduct of being paralyzed and that is what is called phantom pain. Phantom pain means that you can feel pain where you should not be able to feel anything. This is not a pleasant feeling for some people. It affects quite a few people that have an amputation. I myself get this every couple of days. It is different for everyone. I myself get a feeling in my right thigh that someone is stabbing me with a pencil. It doesn't last very long but it is quite a shock to the system every time it happens. So if you see me sitting there all normal like and all of a sudden I get a pained look on my face, don't worry, I just got stabbed with a pencil.

There is also a lot of other stuff that affects my everyday life because of the level of injury. I like to call that stuff collateral damage. That is for another time and place.

So I hope that answers some questions.

Thanks for reading, Clint

What college has done for me.

I can pretty much guarantee that I would have never gone to college if it wasn't for my accident. I had no desire to go to any more school after high school. I imagine I would've did my stint in the military or gotten a job around Enderlin on the railroad or ADM. Possibly gotten into farming and ranching depending how things went. The only reason I decided on continuing my education was something to do. I had no clue what I was going to do after high school being in the situation I was in. But I was glad I chose to go to college and I was glad I chose North Dakota State University.

Before my accident in high school I pretty much did the bare minimum in the classroom to be able to compete in sports. I don't ever remember bringing home homework my freshman and sophomore year. I loved that first hour of study hall. It was the only reason I could keep my grades up to participate in football, wrestling and baseball.

After my accident I really did the bare minimum in high school. My grades went up but I squeaked by doing the minimum amount of credits to graduate. Knowing this I really didn't think I had a chance at going to college. Not that I wasn't smart enough, it was that I didn't have enough of the requirements to get in to a four-year school. In fact we had to write letters to NDSU in order for them to let me try to go to school. You could say I was on, "Double secret probation." Some of you will get that.

I remember going to orientation and thinking I am never going to be able to do this. Orientation was an eye-opening experience. It wasn't so much the size of the campus, I think it was mostly just how many people there were. I remember doing the math test to see what class you would be placed in. During high school the farthest I got in math was one year of freshman algebra class and one year of sophomore geometry class. I totally bombed the test and got put in math 100 or 101, I cannot remember. I was with all of the rejects, no offense to my fellow rejects. I remember looking around in my first couple classes in the fall and thinking none of these people are going to graduate. I can't believe I did. They were probably thinking the same thing about me.

As most of you know, I used to be very shy. Not so much anymore. Even before my accident I was shy. But after my accident I was painfully shy. The main thing that helped me get out of my shell was going to college. Furthering my education made me talk to people. It was a simple concept, if I didn't communicate I wasn't going to get anything done.

The first day of classes always sucked. At least for the first couple semesters. Before or after the first day of class I would have to go up to each instructor and explain my situation. I would have to say all of the instructors were very accommodating. I would have to ask them if I could use their notes. If not I would have to find a note taker for each class. I lucked out in a couple classes and had friends. But in most classes I would have to talk to complete strangers, OMG, and tell them how the notetaking works. They actually got paid if they wanted to. I got to know a lot of people and I got to know the instructors quite well by having to do this on the first day of every class. It was hard at first but like everything you get used to it.

I actually got so used to going up and talking to random strangers that I chose to go into Mass Communication. This major involves a lot of public speaking and group projects. I love group projects. That is one of the main reasons I chose Mass Communication as my major. The other reason was the ratio of women to men was in my favor, giggity. In most of the group projects nobody wanted to be the presenter. I got so comfortable being in front of people I would choose this role. I would let the other group members do all the legwork and I would do a ten minute presentation. It was a win-win, at least for me, ha. I didn't do half of the work and I got credit for all of it.

Another thing I got used to it doing is asking for help. Everyone wants to be independent but there are just some things I cannot do and I learned what I could and could not do while going to school. I just didn't have to ask for help for the classroom stuff, it was also just the getting around stuff. The campus of North Dakota State University is big and spread out. The campus is especially big for someone from a town of 900 people and the high school graduating class of 38. I think it was 38.

I learned pretty quick which buildings on campus were the easiest to navigate with a wheelchair. Most of the buildings were old but modified for accessibility. But that didn't mean that the modifications worked. I don't know how many times I was stuck in an elevator. Or how many times I was stuck outside of a building because the automatic door button thingamajig did not work. And of course when they didn't work no one was around. Weird when there is 10,000 students on campus. I got to know the maintenance guys pretty well on campus. They would see me coming and know something was up. The University did do a lot to accommodate students with disabilities. If I had a problem getting into a building they would change the class to a different room.

I don't know how many hundreds of people I met over my 5 1/2 years. But I met a lot of great people. I am glad that I am still good friends with quite a few of them. I wish I would've kept in touch with some of the ones I have lost contact with. But that is how it goes.

College also opened up some doors for me in other ways. One of those doors was working with the RedHawks for a couple summers. That was awesome. Getting to know the behind-the-scenes stuff that goes on in order to get a game started on time is crazy. The amount of work and choreography that goes on to get a game started at 7:05 PM is impressive to say the least. Some days people are running around like a chicken with its head cut off. But every night they are always on time. Some days everything goes wrong and they are still on time. I mostly just did interviews with players and hung out in the press box drinking Mountain Dew and eating free food. But somebody has to do that also.

I really enjoyed getting to know everyone in the RedHawks organization. Some of the players were quite entertaining. Manager Doug Siminic was also an interesting guy to interview. The highlight for me was getting to know Maury Wills. That guy has forgotten more about baseball than most people know about the game. Talking baseball with him was awesome.

Without my experience at college I would've never been able to be the president of our local wildlife club, the Enderlin-Sheldon Wildlife Club. The thought of me getting in front of people every month at our meetings would've rendered me into a blathering idiot without my speaking experience in school. I probably am still a blathering idiot that some of the meetings but at least I have the confidence to do it now.

That brings me to another door that was opened. That was getting to speak to some Fargo middle school students about my life. Last year about this time I was given the opportunity to do a couple presentations about my life before and after my accident. This is something I could have never done prior to NDSU. I have to admit I was a little nervous before the first presentation. But I guess nerves are sometimes expected. I really enjoyed my time presenting to the middle schoolers. I hope to do this much more in the future.

These are just a couple of the doors that have been opened. There have been many others but these are some of the highlights.

Random thought, I still remember my NDSU ID number. For some reason I think I will always remember that.

While I was at school I stayed off campus at a place called New Horizons. It is an apartment high-rise in North Fargo for people with disabilities or low income. This was another eye-opening experience. I could tell numerous stories about things that happened at this place. Mostly stories about other tenants. But that is for another time and place. The most important thing I learned from staying at New Horizons was that staying locked up in your apartment is no way to live life. I would say the majority of the people in that building never left that building or never left their apartment. I myself was only there to sleep and eat. I believe I had an apartment close to 10 years. The day I decided to leave was when I came home late one evening probably from O'Kelly's and there was a drag queen in a wheelchair going on to the elevator. Not that there's anything wrong with that life choice but holy shinto, that is something I do not need to see every day.

Anyway, because of my experiences at North Dakota State University I am the person I am today. There were good times and there were bad times but I wouldn't change it for the world.

I have to say the only reason I graduated was because of the help of my family and friends. Without them none of this would have been possible. Thanks.

I have come a long ways since hiding under the table every time my kindergarten teacher would call my name. I owe it all to my college experience. It did not suck.

Thanks for reading, Clint.

Hail Bison!

PS: I am not a fan of editing.

Never would've if I hadn't...

There are a lot of great things I would have never done and there are a lot of great people I would have never met if I had never had my accident. Too many things to mention and too many people to mention in this entry. I'm sure there are a lot of things I have missed out on and a lot of people I would've met if I hadn't had my accident. But the people I have met and the things I have done have more than made up for any potential things that could have happened… Does that make sense?

Rant about Protesters and Stuff…

Disclaimer: This rant morphed into a little more than I anticipated.

I am not against protests. But when protesters start vandalizing and trespassing, it no longer is a protest. That is a riot. Everyone has the right to protest. I don't believe the majority of law-abiding citizens are against any protests. Citizens get upset when the protesters take things too far and start vandalizing and trespassing on innocent people's property.

Over the last year there have been protests about pretty much everything including the pipeline protest near Cannonball, North Dakota, etc. For some reason, protesters think they need to take things to the extreme to get their point across. Peaceful protests are becoming a thing of the past. When groups get together they start to get that mob mentality. All it takes is one douche canoe with a lighter to instigate others into the Stone Age.

Another thing that protesters or anyone with a different idea bring up is the race card. If you think these things are about race, that is your problem. If that is your only argument, your argument isn't very strong.

I know a handful of national guardsmen and police force that were involved in the protests. They all say the same thing as Sheriff Laney. They all mentioned how disrespectful the protesters were to the people trying to keep the peace and how disrespectful the protesters were to the environment they were there to supposedly protect. Let's get this straight, the military and police were not on one side. They were there to do a job. To keep it peaceful. From what I have read and learned, they did that job to the best of their ability. I can't imagine how hard it would be to stand there and take the onslaught of negativity and just take it without any retaliation. But that is why I commend them for the job they do.

 I only know a couple people that were there on the side of the protesters and were at the protest site. They have been shockingly silent. That was sarcasm.

I will back the blue pretty much 100% of the time. We all know there are bad people in every walk of life. That includes cops. But the benefit of the doubt from my end is on the side of the blue. Here is Sheriff Paul Laney's side of the story in the link below.

http://www.kvrr.com/2017/02/06/cass-county-sheriff-paul-laney-his-side/

Not all of the protesters are gone and not all of the protesters are sitting on their hands. As stated in the article below some are helping out with the cleanup. But, I wonder where Susan Sarandon, Jesse Jackson, Jane Fonda etc. are now during the cleanup. If they were so concerned with the environment they should be there now. I would like to give them a pitchfork with a broken handle, a scoop shovel with a hole in it and have them stay there until everything is cleaned up. 

I commend the protesters that are helping clean up. I am assuming the protesters that are still there are not the "Paid" protesters. I imagine that the paid protesters are on to their next propaganda filled agenda to fill their wallets.

The links below talk about the cleanup.

http://bismarcktribune.com/news/state-and-regional/cleanup-begins-at-dakota-access-pipeline-protest-encampment/article_b67e2cd3-c5d6-5ffe-a028-5b9d4ef96912.html

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/feb/5/massive-cleanup-underway-after-dakota-access-prote/

The link below is from Tomi Lahren. She is a little outspoken, to put it lightly. But sometimes she hits the nail on the head.

https://www.facebook.com/TomiLahren/videos/1219348654824986/

My stomach literally rolled when I saw the video of the protesters harassing and killing the deer that was swimming across the Cannonball River near the protest site. Just another example of how some of the protesters had no respect for the land including wildlife. Another assumption on my part but I bet none of the protesters that took part in this wildlife harassment had any hunting background. Hell, you don't need hunting background to have respect. This is just blatant disregard for wildlife. The link below provides info on the incident and video.

https://www.sayanythingblog.com/entry/nd-game-fish-releases-video-alleged-deer-poaching-near-nodapl-protest-camps/

There has also been violence and disregard for other people's property that includes killing of livestock. There have been numerous attacks on livestock throughout Morton and Sioux Counties. These killings have not been linked directly to the protests, yet. But shockingly they started and took place directly around the protest site. Follow the link below for more information on the livestock killings.

http://www.ndstockmen.org/newsroom/protest-news/

Some people will say that being a hunter like I am, is disrespecting the land and animals. I would like to point out that outdoorsmen contribute billions each year to help protect the environment and regulate wildlife. The majority of the money from licenses and permits that hunters purchase go directly back to protect the wildlife and land hunters cherish.

I would also like to point out that the majority of hunters belong to local wildlife and national wildlife groups that help them protect our hunting heritage. I myself belong to three local wildlife groups and at least three national wildlife groups. I can never keep track. I wonder how much money the protesters put back into their cause…

Another thing that blows my mind about a lot of the protests is the misinformation spewed on social media. Anyone with an agenda can click share and get their message out whether it is true or not. They like to use buzzwords that catch people's attention.

Over the last couple weeks there has been a lot in the media about "Fake News." If people are just realizing that news outlets have their own agendas and produce fake news, we are in a lot of trouble as a society. The main reason for fake news is money. Media companies are like any other company, they will do anything to make a dollar. So choose the information wisely which you choose to consume. Read both sides. It isn't easy to find reliable sources but it is possible.

Thanks for reading and have a great day.

Yours truly, Clint Lindemann

Sidebar: After reading this, some of you will jump to conclusions and point the finger saying I must be a Republican. My answer to that is, "I am an American." I don't consider myself in any political bracket. That is for another rant.

Update:

The North Dakota Game & Fish have filed charges against the peaceful protesters who drowned the deer near the cannonball protest site. Information link below.
http://www.newsdakota.com/2017/03/09/charges-filed-against-four-men-in-deer-poaching-incident/

Memories from Hospitals and Beyond

This was just going to be about stories in the hospital but it has morphed into encompassing much more than just inside the hospital walls. There are some stories that I won't share. Those are just for me.

Tried to get most of these stories in the right timeline but it is pretty much just a hodgepodge of memories.

I have had problems with my shoulders for quite some time. It all started with this little incident that happened in 1995 while I was still in the hospital after my accident. I needed to have an x-ray on my neck. I don't remember if I was at the MeritCare at that time or Dakota hospital. Anyway when I was down in the x-ray room the x-ray technicians told me the doctors needed to see my total neck vertebrae without anything else in the way. Meaning they were going to need to pull down on my arms and shoulders towards my feet to get a clear picture.

So here is the scene. I am lying on my back, one of the x-ray techs tethers both wrists and starts pulling with a lot of force. She is at my feet. The other tech is getting ready to take the pictures. All of a sudden both of my shoulders pop out of socket. This freaks out the one tech that was pulling on my arms and she lets go of the tethers. My one arm falls off of the table and knocks over the portable oxygen tank. Oxygen tanks contain water evidently because when the tank tipped over, water started flowing through the tubes and directly into my lungs. I must've aspirated quite a bit. So I started choking and flopping around like a crappie on ice. Arms flailing uncontrollably while out of socket. I believe I must have blacked out at that point because I do not remember anything else. I don't know if they ever got the x-rays. That is my first memory after the accident. Good times.

I had a lot of posters of scantily clad women in most of my hospital rooms. I don't remember if it was my friends or sisters that had put one of the posters directly above my bed. One day the poster fell from the ceiling and landed directly on my face. Giggity.

During those first three months in the hospital in 1995 I had countless different nurses. I don't remember ever having problems with any of them. In fact they were all great. I remember one nurse who was always on the night shift. She would check on me in the middle of the night and most of the time I was awake. If I was awake she would just sit there and we would talk. At that time, as most of you know I was very shy. So she did most of the talking. I wish I would have conversed with her more because she was pretty much the first one who told me how things were going to be from then on. Sometimes she would hold my hand and just sit there. I will always remember her for that.

During those first three months I would go to physical therapy three days a week I believe. The therapy room was in the basement. I looked forward to going to physical therapy just to get out of my room and to talk to my therapist. My therapist was fresh out of school from UND. In fact I was her first full-time client. For the life of me I cannot remember her name. I wish I could. I owe her a lot. I still do the one exercise she told me to do every night before I go to bed. She rode a Harley to work every day.

The other two days of the week I would go to occupational therapy which was on the same floor as my room. My OT therapist there was a complete knot head. I'm glad I cannot remember her name. I can still picture her and her nervous annoying laugh.

In 1999 or 2000 I had a skin breakdown under my right thigh. It wasn't really surprising because I was averaging about 10 hours in my chair every day during the first couple years at NDSU. I am only supposed to be in the chair around six hours a day. After my last final in the spring I had a doctor’s appointment the next day. The doctor told me I would need to lie down for three months in order for the wound to heal. So my summer was pretty much going to suck. It actually wasn't that bad. I had friends come over pretty much every day. Played a lot of PlayStation, drank a lot of Mountain Dew and chewed a lot of Skoal.

I must've behaved quite well for quite some time because I didn't really have anything else wrong with me until 2007 when I had another skin breakdown. This time it was on my lower back. They first tried healing the wound at home with help from Home Health. This is when I met another nurse who was just awesome. She would come to the house a couple times a week to change bandages, clean the wound and sometimes put on a vac. She is now head of nursing in the hospital not far from here.

My back never healed so I was going to need to do surgery. I thought this was just going to be a one surgery type of deal and a week in the hospital. It turned out to be three surgeries and three months at Triumph Hospital in Fargo. I met countless good people during this little hiatus.

My room at Triumph was way at the end of the hall by itself. It was a huge room made for two people but I was the only one ever in there. As I said I thought this stay wasn't going to be very long but it turned out to be a little over three months but the time flew by because of the nurses, staff and CNAs. When you are stuck in a room for three months you get to know people pretty well. I didn't hit my call button that much but the main reason I ever did was to get a fresh Mountain Dew. The nurses let me keep a stash of Dewsers in their refrigerator. Sometimes when I would hit the button the ladies in the office would reply back on the intercom, "Clint needs a Dew!" It was there pretty much stat.

During this hospital stay I had a lot of insomnia. Probably from all of the Mountain Dew now that I look back at it. Anyway as I said my room was way off in the corner and I got to know the staff very well. Every once in a while in the middle of the night while I was watching TV either a nurse or CNA would come in my room and hide for a while. My room was the hangout room. They knew I wouldn't say anything and they knew I didn't care. I enjoyed the company. There were some good stories told. They would hide out until someone would come looking for them or their pagers wouldn't quit going off.

I only had one bad nurse that I can remember during this time. My friends and relatives would always put some obnoxious thing on my whiteboard and she would clean it off every day. Jerk. It didn't last long though we would always make up for it with something more vulgar. She was also always pushing religion and crap.

Being cooped up for three months you sometimes go a little stir crazy. You want to get anything from the outside. I had one nurse that was pretty much my regular. She was great. She would go out for a cigarette break a couple times a day. One time she must've just got done with her smoke break and she was in my room giving me meds. I still laugh when I say this but I asked her, "Can I smell your fingers?" She just about choked. After she quit laughing, she complied with my strange request and let me. That cigarette smoke smelled amazing.

Having this big room to myself, I also had a lot of hiding places for my Skoal. I imagine some of the nurses knew about it and some that didn't will know about it after reading this. Depending on my visitor, I would have them grab a fresh pouch and throw it in my mouth. I can't believe I never got caught. Sometimes they would come take my temperature and I would have to slide the snoose over to the other side so they wouldn't notice. Evidently I'm pretty sneaky or else they just didn't care.

During one of my three surgeries I had this little event take place. It was back surgery so I was lying on my stomach. I remember going under from the anesthesia. But for some reason I woke up midway through the surgery. My face was in a doughnut type of cushion so no one could tell I was awake. And evidently my anesthesiologist wasn't paying too much attention to my vitals. Anyway like I usually do I started whistling. I heard one of the nurses say, "Who is whistling?" Pretty soon I seen the nurses face staring at me from underneath and she says, "It's Clint!" They asked me if I was all right and I said yep. But they decided to put me back under again. I was whistling "Patience" from Guns n Roses. It is my to go song to whistle.

Hospital food sucks. It doesn't matter where you go. It pretty much all tastes the same. Doesn't matter what you order. Another good thing about getting to know all of the staff is that they also know the hospital food sucks. I believe this was against regulations but numerous times nurses would bring me food from local restaurants. You don't know how much this is appreciated unless you have been cooped up eating the same slop for couple months. One time I got a steak from Ground Round. They are not known for their steaks but that is where the nurses were going and that is what I wanted. It did not suck.

During another one of these three surgeries while getting prepped, one of the nurses kept staring at me strangely. I could only see her eyes so I couldn't really tell who it was. Or if I knew her. But all of a sudden she said, "I think I know you. Do you go to O'Kelly's?" So that started a little reminiscing. Evidently she had seen me there doing karaoke or something. But then the doctor came in and we had to quit our conversation and start the surgery. Damn doctors.

Speaking of damn doctors. My doctor for these three surgeries was suspended for being drunk during operations. I swear a couple times when he came into my room I smelled booze. But I thought I was dreaming. Evidently I was right. Read the story below.

http://bismarcktribune.com/news/state-and-regional/surgeon-suspended-after-recording-high-blood-alcohol-level/article_1ee1108d-ea57-5bbb-936d-ffd1c5ead0ad.html

 If you have ever visited my rooms you know that there is always something going on. The white boards are always entertaining. Most visitors come and put their own trademark on the boards. Some nurses laugh at it and some are not so amused by the childish shenanigans. Either way it makes my day go a little faster seeing the reactions from different people.

Some people are just dumb, it doesn't matter how smart they are. That goes for doctors also. I have had some doctors say some really stupid stuff. One time a doctor told me to hop up on the table so we could get along with this examination. I stared at him like he was completely nuts. Then I looked at the nurse and she rolled her eyes. Evidently he didn't read my chart. There is no hopping. Another time I had a doctor ask me to swing my leg up so he could have a look. I should've told him, "If I could swing my leg up, I know where I would swing it."

The majority of doctors are pretty good. A couple years ago I had a very bad kidney infection and my doctors wanted me to come to Fargo to stay in the hospital so I could get two bags of IVs a day. I told them I didn't want to do it in Fargo, I would much rather not stay in the hospital. It turned out I could drive to Lisbon once a day and get it done there. Anyways, long story short I got to know the doctor that was on call that week pretty well. He is from Bismarck. After my first day of IVs he told me, "You are kind of neat."

A couple years ago I had a handful of surgeries for kidney and bladder stones. During my bladder stone removal surgery there was complications. Somehow the surgeon went through the wall my bladder and nicked my intestine. So instead of day surgery it turned into a four night, five day all-inclusive stay at the Sanford Inn. I would not recommend an extended stay. Because they feared they may have damaged my intestine, they put me on a strict diet of clear liquids for five days. And they did not mean liquor. I had great nurses and doctors during this little stay. They really didn't need to do much with me except force me to drink enough water to keep everything flowing smoothly. For some reason my room turned out to be the hangout spot again. As soon as visiting hours were over, my room turned into the place to be. Good times. On my last day there they wanted to make sure I could eat so I was treated with a bowl of creamed wheat with brown sugar, chocolate pudding and a glass of 2% milk. It was one of the best meals I've ever had. After the nurses got me ready and I got in the chair, I was burning down the hallway trying to get the hell out of there when one of the nurses said, "I want you on my patient list next time you're here." I hope I don't have to go back but if I do and you still work there, I will do my best to get on your list.

I used to hang out in Fargo just about every weekend. It didn't seem to matter where I would go I would run into someone that I have met in the past during a hospital visit. Sometimes I would remember who they were, sometimes they would remember who I was and sometimes it was mutual. But it usually turned out to be a good reunion of reminiscing. Most of these people have become lifelong friends.

I remember one time I was at the Spirits Lounge in the Holiday Inn when a couple of physical therapists that I didn't know, came up to me. They were so impressed that I was out and about. None of their clients ever go out. I have found that out to be true. I am usually the only person I ever see in a wheelchair at a bar. They were also impressed that I used tray on my wheelchair. None of their clients like using a tray. They asked me why I used a tray. My response was, "Where else would I keep my cocktail, cash, pull tabs, phone and tobacco products?" The next thing I knew one of them was riding on the back of my chair and we were burning down the hall and crashing someone's wedding reception.

One of my favorite compliments came from our local PA. She once told me, "You are my favorite patient." I said, "Why is that?" "Because you don't complain and you do what I say," she explained. Evidently I am like an old dog but I will take that as a compliment.

I am very thankful for all of the nurses, CNAs and medical professionals who do what they do. Over the years I have had some not so good medical professionals, but the overwhelming majority would do anything for me.