Vineet's First Power Wheelchair!!!

WHEELCHAIR  NUMBER  8

I had my eyes on the Power wheelchair for Vin long enough now and was under the impression that it would cost us the moon. So I told myself to wait for some more time till Vin really needed it. And one fine day when I was going through some local companies for it, I stumbled upon the official site of 'KARMA' wheelchairs in India and was pleasantly surprised to find a decent model that cost only Rupees Ninety Thousand!( Fourteen hundred dollars approx). It was even amazing that there was a dealer right in our small town!! We spoke to them for a demo which they readily agreed for and we took Vin to the shop. He was just as excited as we were coz he was getting a little tired of 'being pushed around'!! hahaha! And he's too lazy to push himself except when he's on his fav wheelchair at home.

We came back home and pretended to Vin that we would not be buying it - it was way too expensive! :P We planned to surprise him on Valentine's Day which was just after a few days and he's 'Our Valentine' of course :) So on Valentine's Day 2015 we surprised him in the evening with his new Power chair and he was overjoyed! I took some snaps and few videos too, but by mistake they got deleted from my phone :( A few that got saved which I uploaded to FB are here in the links - Have a look and BE HAPPY!!!! Share our small and big joys! Thankyou!

The link to a small video on the first day! --

Click here to see a small video of Vineet in his new power wheelchair

Vineet scalded his feet. Yet again for the second time ( Puri ,March 2015)

I can't believe its been more than a year since my last post last year. Well its not that nothing related to Vineet has not happened, maybe it was just procrastination on my part. So let me go back and shake up my 'getting-old-brains' and give you all an update. So as far as I can remember , the Most important thing that happened these past few months is that Vineet burnt/scalded his feet. Again. This time not below, but above. I mean the last time it was when he accidently rode on a bike with an Uncle with his feet up on the 'silencer'. It was only the next morning when I saw his right foot with 2 big blisters underneath that we rushed him to the medics. So as the story goes, this time we were travelling in a different city and the roads were very crowded due to construction work going on, and a biker (again) wouldn't let Vineet's wheelchair cross the road. Daddy picked up a verbal fight with him and while that was happening, another biker onlooker stuck his bike silencer (again) very close to Vineet's foot(right one again) and scalded him unknowingly. We noticed it only after crossing the road. Vineet was about to go to the beach but instead we ran for medicines. After a preliminary treatment, he sat at the edge of the waters as his sister and cousins enjoyed... It was a sad day for him as well as for us....

You cannot expect a mommy to see her son like that. So I decided, What the heck. Let him go and have fun on the beach. We've seen worse days and worse wounds.  They ALWAYS heal.... :) At first Vin didn't want to go and after a lot of persuasion that I would take care of the burn, he agreed. And look at all the fun he had that day!!!

Mommy and papa were super happy and Vin was over the moon!!! What more can we ask for...... :)

Okay, so now about the wound. Yes the blister had punctured and now it was a wound. After coming back to the hotel room, I got all those medicines and paraffin gauzes, etc that I had used last time. I spent 3-4 days doing the same dressing. But when we returned back home, we had to see a doctor. He changed the ointment and gave some antibiotics as well. Naturally. I kept doing the dressing and finally the wound closed.

Those were some real trying days...Its perfectly alright now, Praise God! Thankyou  All for going through our 'Journey with Vineet' :)

Vineet's 'Confirmation' on 19th January 2014

'Confirmation' is a Christian religious ritual in which a boy or girl renews his/her Christian faith in a more mature way. Which is why it is imparted to them when they are in their teens. Now this post may be a little bit emotional (as it was for me), but please bear with me... :)


So as the story goes, the children who were to receive Confirmation this year had to attend their Catechism classes since last year. Now Vineet was given the special option of staying at home and learning some notes. Which was fine, until in the last month, i.e. December, we got to know of a Test for it just before the week of the Confirmation. Vin studied for it and when he went for the test, he was told that it was difficult for him to receive Confirmation without having attended any classes. I was stupefied when I heard of this from my husband, having become extremely angry (and quite the Mother Bear as I become at times for Vinsy ) and was ready to fight on this. However, Vin's dad said that he would be attending Special classes for a week and then the Final decision would be taken. I gulped down my anger and frustration and offered everything to God - in full confidence that He had never let my Vinsy down till now ever....


After 3 or 4 days, Vin was called for the Ceremony's practice sessions to Church and it was then that we realized that he was in. I went with Vin the first day and saw his Catholic friends - some from school as well. They ALL are very fond of Vin, and that was the First time it struck me - Vin's friends were so tall, they looked so good, they were already looking like teenagers with facial hair, deep voice....and there was my Vin among them....still looking like a small kid in a wheelchair. My eyes welled up. Some of them even had girlfriends. Ah yes, there were girls in there too- all his age or maybe a year older and they looked big too. And I noticed...that none of the girls noticed Vin. And as I type this, I hope to God that maybe I am wrong....Maybe he was noticed, but in a different way...


And so finally on 19th January 2014, my Vinsy received his Fourth Holy Sacrament - The Confirmation. As luck would have it, we couldn't get a foto when he was being given it from the Holy Bishop. I am putting up a foto of the group that was clicked right at the end and am ending this post with a heavy heart and a prayer that whoever reads this may put up a silent prayer for Vin that God may always be by his side ever... Amen.

FINALLY ! The search is over - New wheelchair for Vineet

KARMA- AURORA 3 +

WHEELCHAIR NUMBER 7

So we had long decided that when we would be visiting Kolkata for my Godson's First Holy Communion on the 17th of November , we would allot one day to search for Vin's new wheelchair. So on the morning of 16th, we left for the place in Kolkata renowned for All types of  Mobility stuff- Chittaranjan Avenue. I was looking out for Model 938 by Vissco as Vin had tried it out in a hospital and suited him and us well. Then a store showed us this- Karma(number one brand in India as of now). It had swing-away handrests, removable leg rests, removable big wheels, foldable, etc. But the Best Part was - Vin's legs fitted on to the rests PERFECTLY.

 His papa was happy it could be made so small as to fit inside the car's boot comfortably. But in the first store, the left leg rest was not swinging back into position with a click as the right one. So they made us wait for over an hour saying they would get another piece for us. Only there was no other piece with them. So Vin's dad walked down the lane and found the same model in another shop and a few hundred cheaper. It took us 5 minutes to check that one out and load it into our car :). Vin looks very comfy in it, and I am happy for the legs :)

VINEET THE ROCKSTAR!!!! [SPECTRUM 2013]

28th September 2013. Saturday. 12 noon approx.
Vineet performed on his Octapad for the first time in front of approximately 200 or more people (mostly participants, teachers , parents, guests from the 5 Topmost schools of Asansol). The venue was his own school - St. Patrick's Higher Secondary School's Auditorium.

So as the story goes, Vin was supposed to take part in his Annual Talent show in school in August. I had in mind Justin Beiber's 'Baby' song for it and by pure chance, even got a video song of it where Justin sang the song only with a guitarist. It was the Best option and Vin started practising for it with the help of his Octapad Teacher (who's very kind enough to give him his classes at home once every week). At first Vin was a bit reluctant- he said there was not much time. Then we got news that the Talent show was only for kids upto Class 7. Then came the Half-yearly exams and we forgot all about it. Then after exams we came to know that the Annual Inter-school Fest of St. Patrick's School - ''SPECTRUM 2013'' was going to be held and Vin would perform the very same song. Vin was a bit nervous again, but his Sir gave him confidence that he would practice with him and it would be just fine. So they practised some more for 2-3 days and then his Sir had to leave for somewhere Outstation for an emergency, then our player (was supposed to be) conked out, and I was all worked up.I made Vin practise the last part with a 'roll-over' with the computer's help, but Vin would get worked up. I thought he wouldn't be able to perform. Then , as I believe , 'God Helps those who help themselves', things started falling in place. The night before the Programme it suddenly struck me that I had 'cut' the video from the point where Justin is playing the fool and laughing with his guitarist , at Vin's behest and had saved it in a format which my player was unable to read. And at 11.30 p.m. I tried out the original piece without cuts and it played perfectly well. So my player was perfectly alright. I beamed 'coz Vin's Sir would be coming early morning to help him practise last minute before he went on stage. By now Vin was already playing like a pro and I left for my work with a lighter heart :)

When Vin's part came, I gave the 'cut' CD to the person in charge of the music and during our short conversation , I think I confused the poor fellow. He stopped the CD seconds before it ended. So Vin could not do the roll-over. But inspite of it, the performance was great and everyone cheered for him. He even got a 'Participant' token! :)

He was Vineet, the Rockstar that day!!!

Click here to see the video of Vin's performance

Urinary Tract Infection after 6 years....

The last time Vin had a Urinary Tract Infection was way back in 2007, when his ureters had developed a false passage and CIC was becoming increasingly difficult. And then one night I punctured something and blood started coming out in the urine to my Horror!! We then rushed first to Kolkata for the tests and then to 'Christian Medical College Hospital, Vellore'. It was there that we were introduced to overnight draining, etc.
          I don't know whether this infection was related to the seasonal flu that Vineet had just had the week before. He was on antibiotics for it and hence loose motion due to them. And then the fever came back. It couldn't be anything else, so we did the Urine culture and there it was.... a UTI. Well, he got antibiotics again, they are over now, and his fever is gone too (Praise God), but UTIs do something worse- weaken him. He's still recovering though he looks better. So our strategy of thinking that 'we need not do a CIC during the day because he has overnight draining' is not going to work perhaps. And of course there is always a Bigger problem - Vineet does not drink adequate water. Especially in school. It leads to his urine being stagnant for longer periods in his urinary bladder and hence the more chances of infection. I'm supposed to give him Cranberry juice which works well for bladder - flushing, but its not regular in supply here in India. I might have to try the online shops now. So thats all for now folks...thought I'd pass on the details...
                       The latest is, Vineet is preparing for his Talent show this year to be held soon and this time he plans to play the Octapad for Justin Beiber's 'Baby' vocals :) Will let you know how it was....till then..

 

The Cure - Episode 5 : Wearable Robot (courtesy- AlJazeeraEnglish)

I am goin to have a sleepless night because of this video I saw today!!!!!!!! I'm just SO SPEECHLESS!!