Here’s what happens when you insert your side supports that have been sitting in the sun for too long:

Fucking paralyzed triceps. I’m ready for the cure now. Really, God.

- Tiff

Tomas Young is 28 years old, sexy, well-spoken, from Kansas City, MO, and unfortunately, a T4 paraplegic. 

In 2003, he was shot and paralyzed by enemy fire (”Instantly dropping my AK 47,” he describes, after getting shot) after only 5 days in Iraq. Body of War is an amazing documentary that EVERYONE should see. Co-directed by the legendary Phil Donahue and Ellen Spiro, this film premiered at the SXSW Film Festival in March and is currently touring the country.

To learn more about this anti-war film, visit the it’s site, BodyofWar.com. Make sure to watch the trailer and to peruse it’s screening schedule; it may be coming to a city near you. I’m hoping that SOON it’ll be available on Netflix (I have the 3-disc unlimited plan), and I REALLY need to see this film in it’s entirety, instead of through dozens of various YouTube clips.

I almost had the opportunity to see it the first weekend of June here in Minneapolis at the National Free Press Conference, but due to PCA scheduling issues and my own damn fault, I couldn’t see the screening (or go to the awesome Q&A session afterwards with Phil Donahue). I’m still kicking myself over that.

ANYWAYS, Eddie Vedder (lead singer of Pearl Jam) wrote/performed a song for the film called, “No More.” It’s beautiful, poignant, and it makes me very happy to see such a high-profile musician affiliated with such an important film.

But yes, this film is great. It shows how brutal life with a SCI really is, how the VA has let Tomas down in re: to proper benefits to fully rehabilitate a paraplegic. and more importantly, how Iraq was a terrible mistake.

- Tiff

Enjoy my sage, awesome wisdom, my friends.

- Tiff

You gotta thank the wars our country has had for something: They’ve always helped disability rights. Why? Because disabled vets are a force to be reckoned with, and are once again changing the way society looks at disability. They’re bull-headed men/women who still want to live!

Look at WWII: It was because of those vets that adapted sports, better wheelchairs, the idea of independent living, etc, came to being. And in this fantastic article by FOX News (I can’t believe I’m pimping FOX News out. Help me God), Iraq vets are specifically making sexuality AND disability intertwined and a subject that has got the media talking. Check it out:

FOXSexpert: Can Disability Be Sexy? You Bet!

I specifically like this quote: “When most people think ’sexy,’ they don’t think disabled. Yet people with disabilities can be very sexual — much more than we give them credit for. Consider, for example, that some women with complete spinal cord injury experience orgasm.”

So, does this finally mean that AB guys no longer need to feel like they’re a perv if they find me sexy?

- Tiff

From the guy who brought you the award-winning movie, Super Size Me (Morgan Spurlock), comes the FX television show “30 Days.” It’s third season premieres June 3rd. And look what pertinent episode they have coming up!

“Ray played football for Baylor University from 1984-88 before his NFL draft in 1989. He won two Super Bowl rings in 1998 and 1999 as a starting member of the Denver Broncos. …In 1991, Ray was on the field with the Detroit Lions when his teammate and friend, Mike Utley, was involved in a play that left him paralyzed from the chest down.”

“For 30 Days, Ray will live in a wheelchair and will rely on his mental discipline to keep his legs immobile. His home and his car will be retrofitted to accommodate his needs. Coaching duties for his son’s football team will continue and Ray will join the Texas Stampede, the wheelchair rugby team featuring players made famous in the documentary film Murderball. He will attend a weekly support group for paraplegics at the Baylor Institute of Rehabilitation and meet with a physical therapist to monitor any potential side effects.

Throughout his 30 Days experience, Ray will be under the medical supervision of Dr. Robert Bruce in order to track any muscle loss, blood clots, pressure sores or other side effects that could occur while he is wheelchair-bound.”

How. awesome. is. that. Talk about a great thing for AB’s to witness.

Go Morgan Spurlock and Ray Crockett. You guys both get free swirly cones from my step-dad’s DQ!

For more info visit the show’s website @ 30 Days.

- Tiff

So I learned what all the hype was about regarding Nintendo’s Wii over the weekend. It is (yes really) an amazing, revolutionary piece of video-gaming technology. The sensors in it are just mind-blowing. And the greatest part: Even me, a chic who can’t move her fingers, can play some of the games.

Here’s a nice ‘n tasty list of all the games Miss Tiff can play on the beloved Wii: Wii Tennis, Wii Baseball, and Wii Boxing (cheststrap required for that one, since I have zero trunk control and both arms are needed to play that intense game)….but let me tell you, it is ESSENTIAL for Wii Boxing. Each fight lasts long and you are constantly punching for over 3 minutes. I felt like I was doing Tae-Bo. Since I sit all day and am rarely physically active, this felt AMAZING.

Wii Tennis however was by far my fav. Doing backhanded serves, jumping in the air and hitting the ball just barely “in” and getting a point, was hella cool. I was definitely channeling my inner “Venus Williams.” And it was all so easy. I honestly haven’t been able to decently play a video game console since my injury. So thank you Japan, Nintendo, the makers on Wii, whoever, for giving this American quad girl one hell of a long-deprived gaming experience.

I plan on buying a Wii pronto!

- Tiff

It was just published yesterday, and it talks about all the really exciting and varied options there are (stem cells, olfactory cells, estim, schwann cells, pharmeceuticals, ‘aggressive PT,’ and gene therapy) to hopefully treat SCI, and soon find a cure/treatment.

Advances offer hope for spinal cord injured patients

It’s just good to see this kind of stuff in the news.

The more public awareness on SCI, the better! For real! We can’t let Paris Hilton, pointless primary coverage, and news on Scarlett Johanson’s engagement hog the news ALL the time.

- Tiff

Wanna know? Really, really?

Ok, well here you go, the best way EVER to describe it:

Try to move your hair, as you would your arms, your fingers, your legs. See how it does absolutely nothing and is unresponsive? Well, that my friends, is what it’s like when a part of your body becomes paralyzed after a spinal injury.

It just stops listening. Like you and a best friend got in a fight and are now ignoring each other.

As you can guess, it’s immensely frustrating to have that ability siphoned away from you. Walking, moving, makes life SO much easier.

A cure can happen, folks, and is closer than you think! Believe and most importantly, donate!

- Tiff

Here’s a great video from my friend Cheryl Bogart that I thought I’d share.

Truer than most people would ever imagine.

- Tiff

After you screw up your spinal cord, the usual M.O. your doctor will pound over your head is, TO DRINK MORE WATER.

Is it just me, or is this incessant push for me to drink nasty, blah-water hissy fit-inducing? For all these 14 years of my quad-dom, I have never learned to enjoy drinking water. I’m rarely, if ever thirsty, and only on special occassions (usually after a long, dry day at the Renaissance Faire), will the notion of a cool glass of water sound appealing.

This is where I say, “Thank you Jebus!” for Crystal Light flavor packets. These little babies came out last year, they’re sugar-free, and they can be added to a glass of water to mimick the best tasting juice ever, but the awesom part, it’s not juice. Bonus for my poor beat-up bladder.

You can find Crystal Light flavor packets at most grocery stores in the Kool-Aid or energy drink aisles. They run about $3.50 per 14-packet box.

Just stay away from the Tropical Punch flavor! Even though it’s amazing and by far their best flavor, if you spill it on your carpet, take it from me, you will never get it out.

- Tiff