Project Walk client featured on Extreme Homemakeover Sun 12/10

[Snowman]

December 6, 2006


Extreme Home Makeover features Project Walk Client

When: Sunday December 10, 2006 at 8pm on ABC


Kristina Ripatti is an LA Police Officer who was shot in the line of duty and subsequently suffered a spinal cord injury. We are excited for Kristina and her family because she was chosen to receive a home makeover by the ABC hit program “Extreme Home Makeover”. Kristina’s story airs this Sunday, December 10, 2006 at 8:00pm.

The SCI community knows all about lifestyle changes after a spinal cord injury but the average person doesn’t understand how it changes everything. Your house was once your home, it was comfortable and safe; it was an extension of you. In an instant, what was once your home is now just a house, it’s no longer friendly. You can’t maneuver around freely; nothing is where you need it; you can’t get into the bathroom, the shower and bath can’t be used; you can’t go upstairs to your bedroom or your child’s. The design is just all wrong now…what do you do? Does insurance help? Does the government have aid for you? Who is going to help make your house a home again?

The answer is almost always the same--the responsibility is placed on the injured person and their family! Medical bills are in the millions, jobs are lost, income is gone; where is the money for all these necessary lifestyle changes going to come from?

Please watch Extreme Home Makeover this Sunday. You will see firsthand the modifications needed to make a house a home once again. If you know of anyone in your community that has recently suffered a spinal cord injury, you will now have a better understanding of what the family is going through and how much they need the community to help them get through one of the many obstacles of living with a spinal cord injury.


Ted & Tammy Dardzinski & the Project Walk staff
www.projectwalk.org

[Emi2]

I thought this was a great episode! Kinda sad that I couldn't afford Project Walk! Looks like an amazing facility. Keep up the good work.

[Jim]

Snowman, ya'll are doing a great work, thanks.

My rugby teamate Darren T, has trained at PW a few times and has seen much improvement.

They didn't explain about the trac system installed in Kristina's new house, know anything about it?

[KiranA]

I caught the episode also. I thought it was great to see how accessible a house can be made, and it brought a lot of necessary awareness to places like Project Walk and the Life Rolls On Foundation.

Ms. Ripatti was hurt in the line of duty, which is quite tragic, but it seems like she has a strong support system that will allow her to get through this.

The only thing that peaked my curiousity was that she looked like she was perhaps a high level para. Why did she need her husband to carry her out of the car and also carry her onto and off of the bed towards the end of the show? He also was pushing her around quite a bit. Perhaps there is something more to her injury that I was not made aware of, but it appeared that she was quite dependant on him. He also said numerous times how hard it had been because he needed to provide a lot of care for his wife so he was unable to look after his daughter. Although I'm a low para, I have friends who have the same level of injury who are a lot more independent than her. I'm curious why it was depicted that she required more help than she actually did? I don't want to sound insensitive and perhaps I don't know exactly what her injury is, so perhaps someone can fill me in.

I guess my frustration comes from the fact that as good as it is that millions of people tune into this show because it promotes awareness, I also felt that that this episode perpetuated some common misconceptions of individuals with disabilities, especially women and the large viewing audience that does tune into this show will leave with those misconceptions.

[SCI-Nurse]

Kiran, I had the same thoughts. Even at a T1 level, I would expect her to be totally independent with her transfers, personal care, ROM, etc. Even her poor skills at going up the ramp on the old house were a surprise given her history of working out and how long she has lived in the house. I was dying to find out where she went through rehab. You would think that LAPD worker's comp would have paid for the best. Even her chair was a clunker for her level of injury.

I also had some problems with the depiction of PW....and how they defined rehab vs. recovery to the producers, who just took it at their value. Rehab is NOT just about using what is working, but also about teaching adapative techniques, as well as working with what comes back when it does (just like PW). They made it look like the same old story that if you work hard enough you will get return, and that the only reason someone does not get return is lack of will/desire/hard enough work. No mention at all of the vast differences between an ASIA D tetraplegic (depicted working out at PW) and an ASIA A high para.

The ceiling track system (which looked like overkill to me...who needs it throughout the entire house!!!!) was a Guldmann. A good company, but definately NOT cheap.

(KLD)

[bigjoke]

December 6, 2006


Extreme Home Makeover features Project Walk Client

When: Sunday December 10, 2006 at 8pm on ABC


Kristina Ripatti is an LA Police Officer who was shot in the line of duty and subsequently suffered a spinal cord injury. We are excited for Kristina and her family because she was chosen to receive a home makeover by the ABC hit program “Extreme Home Makeover”. Kristina’s story airs this Sunday, December 10, 2006 at 8:00pm.

The SCI community knows all about lifestyle changes after a spinal cord injury but the average person doesn’t understand how it changes everything. Your house was once your home, it was comfortable and safe; it was an extension of you. In an instant, what was once your home is now just a house, it’s no longer friendly. You can’t maneuver around freely; nothing is where you need it; you can’t get into the bathroom, the shower and bath can’t be used; you can’t go upstairs to your bedroom or your child’s. The design is just all wrong now…what do you do? Does insurance help? Does the government have aid for you? Who is going to help make your house a home again?

The answer is almost always the same--the responsibility is placed on the injured person and their family! Medical bills are in the millions, jobs are lost, income is gone; where is the money for all these necessary lifestyle changes going to come from?

Please watch Extreme Home Makeover this Sunday. You will see firsthand the modifications needed to make a house a home once again. If you know of anyone in your community that has recently suffered a spinal cord injury, you will now have a better understanding of what the family is going through and how much they need the community to help them get through one of the many obstacles of living with a spinal cord injury.


Ted & Tammy Dardzinski & the Project Walk staff
www.projectwalk.org (http://www.projectwalk.org)

I am not so sure I liked the piece. It looked like all her needs were met. No need for a cure. All paralyzed people must have decorator perfect houses. I would ask how many people have all those modifications? You are plugging project walk aren't you? Even that, who knows how helpful it really is. As it turns out, maybe I like Bob Clark's comments. Until you find a way to offer this to everyone shove it. How non profit is it really?

If it really really worked and only people with funds could afford it I wouldn't mind because eventually it would be available to all. Is it not like a little bit of pampering without much real gain?

[bigjoke]

Think about this. If we are looking for millions of dollars in funding to get results from research that project walk offers now, would we think it was worth it?

We need results and not more bull

[Jadis]

i didn't understand why her husband was transferring her either. i also didn't agree with the "you can walk again if you just work hard" statements either. There are plenty that bust their asses to walk again and are still wheelin.

[bigjoke]

It wasn't a good piece for sci. It was a good piece for profiterrers to sell their wares

[Myc0]

Kiran, I had the same thoughts. Even at a T1 level, I would expect her to be totally independent with her transfers, personal care, ROM, etc. Even her poor skills at going up the ramp on the old house were a surprise given her history of working out and how long she has lived in the house. I was dying to find out where she went through rehab. You would think that LAPD worker's comp would have paid for the best. Even her chair was a clunker for her level of injury.

I also had some problems with the depiction of PW....and how they defined rehab vs. recovery to the producers, who just took it at their value. Rehab is NOT just about using what is working, but also about teaching adapative techniques, as well as working with what comes back when it does (just like PW). They made it look like the same old story that if you work hard enough you will get return, and that the only reason someone does not get return is lack of will/desire/hard enough work. No mention at all of the vast differences between an ASIA D tetraplegic (depicted working out at PW) and an ASIA A high para.

The ceiling track system (which looked like overkill to me...who needs it throughout the entire house!!!!) was a Guldmann. A good company, but definately NOT cheap.

(KLD) When they were talking about her injury it sounded like it was about the same level as mine (T6), but then they mentioned her excercising her abs, so I'm thinking maybe it was lower.

I also thought it was a bit odd that she was athletic but didn't do her own transfers. I wonder if her husband was lifting her to appear more supportive for the show?

The PW part bugged me too. They made it sound like if you work hard enough in rehab you're spinal cord will magically heal itself. :rolleyes: Like most of us are just too lazy to get walking.:mad: The rehab vs. recovery thing seemed a bit sketchy too.

I still don't understand exactly what the track system was all about. I thought they said it would get her into a standing position. Is it like a standing frame on a tow-rope or what? :confused:

[Andy]

The thing about these makeover shows is that sometimes the quality of the 'stage' that they are building might be rather questionable. In Chicago one of these show (if not this one) did something like that and it seems the owners are in some sort of lawsuit with the production company for stuff like drier vents going into a bedroom, whirlpool tubs sucking paralysed limbs into the piping or something like that, along with numerious code violations. Either the Daily Herald or the Chicago Tribune did a series of stories a year or two ago about this, search around for it if you are interested.

[Juke_spin]

They made it sound like if you work hard enough in rehab you're spinal cord will magically heal itself. :rolleyes: Like most of us are just too lazy to get walking.:mad: The rehab vs. recovery thing seemed a bit sketchy too.

This so reminds me (and, I'll bet, a lot of us) of the obnoxious strangers who've just got to start conversations with us in public to let us know about how they once were in a w/c too but were much too determined to remain in it. The clear implication being that either we haven't tried hard enough or we'd be up and out of our chairs or we simply must get our shit together and make the necessary effort.

Makes you want to bixch-slap them, well, me anyway.:D "There! Now if you'd have been trying hard enough, I couldn't have bixch-slapped you." Opps, see, you're still not trying hard enough, are you?:D:D

[SCI-Nurse]

Virtually all ceiling track systems can be fit with a sling that can be used for some suspended gait ambulation, but as an ASIA A she would need to have someone else do the leg movements for her in the absence of a machine like the Lokomat. We use ours in the gym for suspended gait ambulation for those who are incomplete all the time.

I did not hear that she wanted it for that...they mostly talked about "being able to get anywhere in the house" (which she can do in her wheelchair now that it is accessible, no??) and being able to get on the floor to play with her child (which most strong people with a paraplegic injury can do by themselves without needing a lift).

(KLD)

[wazabiker]

Hey, this was made for national TV and the audience, for the majority, was not disabled. Thus, many scenes like hubby helping with transfers. etc., were made for their entertainment value. I do not fault the vendors for making their wares available in the best light available. We use their goods and many of us wish for devices that are out of our reach. Like many of the reality TV shows, "reality" has little do do with the finished product shown. Hum drum lives do not attract sponsors or viewers.

[rollin64]

the thing that tingles my mind is wondering about the quality of workmanship on a house being built totally from the ground up in 6/7 days. :thinking:

i was in construction pre-injury and things just don't happen this quick unless it's just THROWED together. and then, theres things such as plumbing pressure has to be checked/inspected, electrical wiring same thing, sheetrock mud takin a day to dry between coats then having to sand it all and so on before you can proceed to the next phase. i know theres like 5000 ppl working day and night but still, they can't stand on each others heads or work over each others shoulder at the same time. what about things going wrong or running out of a certain supply? cutting something wrong, something not fitting, something getting broke. i've never been on construction site where nothing went wrong and it didn't take a day or two to get straightened out, lol. i see a lot of time consuming and meticulous things going into these houses and its nearly impossible to do in this time span, IMHO.

just throwin my lil rant in the mix. :D i like the show though. :)

[Snowman]

I also had some problems with the depiction of PW....and how they defined rehab vs. recovery to the producers, who just took it at their value. Rehab is NOT just about using what is working, but also about teaching adapative techniques, as well as working with what comes back when it does (just like PW). They made it look like the same old story that if you work hard enough you will get return, and that the only reason someone does not get return is lack of will/desire/hard enough work. No mention at all of the vast differences between an ASIA D tetraplegic (depicted working out at PW) and an ASIA A high para.

(KLD)


Danny (the one standing on the BOSU ball) was ASIA C when he came in and was told he would never walk again when he left the hospital. The other gentleman they talked to , John, was diagnosed ASIA B.

Unfortunately, the producers left A LOT of the PW footage on the cutting room floor. They were here for ~ 3 hours and interviewed a lot of people. I think they talked to and filmed Ted for half the time they were here and they only took the first 10 words out of his mouth....that's TV for you.

[rickhemi]

Well, my family enjoyed the program. We watch it regularly and have always enjoyed it.

Sarah really enjoyed seeing all the folks from PW, calling each one she saw out by name. She evened called her best friend during the show to tell her, "This is where I've been the past two summers!".

We saw everyone, but Eric. Sorry for that, you should have been the one they interviewed, IMHO.

[Emi2]

I thought she seemed a bit Dependent too but she was just 4 months post... I felt for her, as a mommy toanother wheelie mommy. Kindafeel like I should email her or something.

[shelley]

She always seemed to be leaning over in her chair. I can't remember seeing her sitting up straight, she was always sort of folded over. Even at the table she looked like she was leaning on it. I don't know if that means anything.

[betheny]

I did a tv interview once. They seemed oddly fascinated by the few adaptations I have, like typing w/ my thumb knuckles. I guess the public must eat that stuff up. I didn't see the show but don't like the sound of her being more disabled than she should be. I hope that was just creative editing.

[Myc0]

This so reminds me (and, I'll bet, a lot of us) of the obnoxious strangers who've just got to start conversations with us in public to let us know about how they once were in a w/c too but were much too determined to remain in it. The clear implication being that either we haven't tried hard enough or we'd be up and out of our chairs or we simply must get our shit together and make the necessary effort.

Makes you want to bixch-slap them, well, me anyway.:D "There! Now if you'd have been trying hard enough, I couldn't have bixch-slapped you." Opps, see, you're still not trying hard enough, are you?:D:D :laughabv::applaud::lolz::applaud::rofl:

[rollin64]

I didn't see the show but don't like the sound of her being more disabled than she should be. I hope that was just creative editing.

prolly cause she was newly injured and hubby bein over-helpful, IMO. hopefully he'll learn to sit back an watch more or either she'll always be or feel needy.

you know as long as somebodys over ya, helpin you do everything she will never learn on her own.

[Snowman]

You have to remember that she was shot and had alot of internal injuries...

[Norm]

I'd love to know what they used on the bathroom floor for the roll in shower. It didn't look like tile.

[shelley]

You have to remember that she was shot and had alot of internal injuries...

Good Point!!

Was she shot more than once? It seemed like her partner was saying that she was shot in the upper chest just under her shoulder area. It didn't appear that he was pointing to an area that was near her spine.

[Wheelie_girl_]

I caught the episode also. I thought it was great to see how accessible a house can be made, and it brought a lot of necessary awareness to places like Project Walk and the Life Rolls On Foundation.

Ms. Ripatti was hurt in the line of duty, which is quite tragic, but it seems like she has a strong support system that will allow her to get through this.

The only thing that peaked my curiousity was that she looked like she was perhaps a high level para. Why did she need her husband to carry her out of the car and also carry her onto and off of the bed towards the end of the show? He also was pushing her around quite a bit. Perhaps there is something more to her injury that I was not made aware of, but it appeared that she was quite dependant on him. He also said numerous times how hard it had been because he needed to provide a lot of care for his wife so he was unable to look after his daughter. Although I'm a low para, I have friends who have the same level of injury who are a lot more independent than her. I'm curious why it was depicted that she required more help than she actually did? I don't want to sound insensitive and perhaps I don't know exactly what her injury is, so perhaps someone can fill me in.

I guess my frustration comes from the fact that as good as it is that millions of people tune into this show because it promotes awareness, I also felt that that this episode perpetuated some common misconceptions of individuals with disabilities, especially women and the large viewing audience that does tune into this show will leave with those misconceptions.
I was thinking the same thing..i mean great that she got the make over butshe was acting ... she wasnt that helpless... for crying out loud Im a quad and way more independent than her.. para and needs to be lifted for transfering... ???????????common Krista i know you want the make over but don't make others look helpless:nono:

[Norm]

I think people are over reacting. Maybe they wanted her to move fast or have her husband pick her up like a new couple in a new home wedding kind of thing.

[SCI-Nurse]

She explained on the show that the bullet in question went in under her armpit, ricocheted off her rib, and then ripped through her spinal and cord. No question that she has a cord injury, and probably major lung injury too. She may have had some brachial plexis injury this way too, which would explain some shoulder/arm weakness on the left more than just from being a para and not working out enough.

I am still dying to know where she went for rehab. If she were so ill at first, she should have had a longer rehab stay. Worker's comp for cops (in my experience) is very flexible about length of stay in rehab.

One of the problems I have with this show is the "Jerry's Kids" approach to disability that they tend to lean toward for the shows that feature someone with a disablility. It definately is not the independent living (non-medical model) that is probably more acceptable in the disability community.

(KLD)

[darkeyed_daisy]

Isnt it some sort of tradition to carry your wife over the threshold of a new house? Good luck or something?

[shelley]

I totally missed that explanation of where the bullet went. I wasn't questioning whether or not she had a spinal cord injury, I just couldn't figure out how it got there.

[2jazzyjeff]

the thing that tingles my mind is wondering about the quality of workmanship on a house being built totally from the ground up in 6/7 days. :thinking:Look at it as 8 hour shifts.. 3 in a day over 7 days would equate to 3 weeks. Not hard to do in those terms, but I see your point on things. They use a mix of faster drying concrete that I think dries in more than 1/2 the time, also with sheetrock mud. They brought it up on one of the episodes where it rained a lot and I was starting to wonder how they could start. They have all the framing built off-site prior and with all the weeks of planning, things go really smooth. The house they did here just over a year ago, I spent 3 days out there. I have never seen so much going on being orchestrated so well. They have it down pat on how to stay efficient.. atleast from where I sat.

As for the depiction, I think she had too many amenities, but like Redneck said, that's reality tv.. That lift is very nice, but I only see a need for a track system to go from bed to shower, and that's even for high quads too.. in most cases. They mentioned that she could indepedantly move throughout the house on it.. then what? Drop in the floor?

I was a bit ruffled by the piece at PW. I agree that it makes us look lazy and that we aren't working hard enough. I dare someone to come up to me in my chair and comment that they watched the show.. I hear you Snowman about the producers leaving stuff on the cutting room floor, but someone at PW should have made damn sure before airing that things were realistic, right?

I think she was still very weak. It's been 3 months or so, but it usually airs 6 weeks after taping. That timeframe doesn't make sense.

[KiranA]

I just wanted to reiterate that as mentioned before, I wasn't aware of the extent of her injuries and if her husband had to carry her out of the car, push her around and lift her on and off the bed because of it, my bad.

I'm still surprised that as a para, she requires him as her full-time caregiver, which he mentioned numerous times. It made me somewhat uneasy because it leaves the general public with the impression that we have no ability to take care of ourselves, and anyone signing up to be a significant other of someone with a spinal cord injury will face some giant burden.

[Juke_spin]

I just have this image of her floating all over the house on that suspension track like some figgin ghost. It may be in bad taste but it makes me laugh. On the other hand, from a sexual access POV, I can see where the suspension track could avail one (or two) of many otherwise missed opportunities.

[Rick1]

I was a bit ruffled by the piece at PW. I agree that it makes us look lazy and that we aren't working hard enough. I dare someone to come up to me in my chair and comment that they watched the show.. I hear you Snowman about the producers leaving stuff on the cutting room floor, but someone at PW should have made damn sure before airing that things were realistic, right?

I didn’t sense any negative inferences in the PW segment. I thought it was rightly focused on the very real accomplishments of PW's own clients.

Also, I don’t think PW could have expected final edit privileges (on a reality show?) any more than Dr. Young would for the interviews that he agrees to.

[Bonita]

Good Point!!

Was she shot more than once? It seemed like her partner was saying that she was shot in the upper chest just under her shoulder area. It didn't appear that he was pointing to an area that was near her spine.

Being a gun shot victim myself, I know it doesn't exactly matter where the bullet went in. I was shot in the left chest, midway between my armpit and sternum. The bullet ended up lodged near the T10/11 vertebrae on the right side of my body...after tearing through my lung, stomach and diaphragm. I still have a lot of pain...but its improved greatly. At the same time, they started rehab as soon as I got out of the ICU and once I moved onto a rehab facility a few weeks after my injury they immediately started working on transfers...which thanks to my short arms and ill fitting brace I had to put on hold. But I've been transferring independently ever since my second stint of rehab without the brace. What drove me to gain my independence was not having to rely on my mother, and give her a break...I hope her husband realizes he's not exactly helping her by doing everything, at the same time, I hope that too was creative editing. I'd love to have her long arms...but I manage.:)

I too was a bit dissapointed by the message the show seemed to convey. That if you work hard enough and want it bad enough you will walk again. They don't take into the consideration that many don't have the money or the means to do so...no matter how much they want to. If all it took was determination and hope, we'd all be running marathons right now.

I've looked into a few programs, I live in KC and the closest facility similar to that is in Ohio. Sci-Step. If I was able to go, and my insurance happened to cover the therapy it would still be a huge expense just to live away from home for a few months. So, for many its either try everyting you can afford and have access to...or do the best to move on with your life...and its a bit disheartening knowing that sometimes.

Just my thoughts...

Jennifer

[rickhemi]

So, for many its either try everything you can afford and have access to...or do the best to move on with your life...

Just my thoughts...

Jennifer

Beautiful thoughts Jennifer.

I think it's important to do both of these to the best of your abilities. My wife and I focus on having access to anything to help Sarah recover (and fortunately, Sarah has gone along with most of it, lol.), while Sarah has really sought to accomplish the task of moving on and living her teen years to the fullest.

[betheny]

I too was a bit dissapointed by the message the show seemed to convey. That if you work hard enough and want it bad enough you will walk again. They don't take into the consideration that many don't have the money or the means to do so...no matter how much they want to. If all it took was determination and hope, we'd all be running marathons right now.



Hey, Bonita, another Kansas girl! I grew up in Kansas. I also hate how they don't explain the impact of a complete vs. incomplete injury in most of these programs. The best therapy is only as good as the amount of spinal cord left hanging.

I doubt PW had much, or any, control of the final product. We're at the mercy of the media when we're interviewed. The media is a necessary evil but this is why I dislike being interviewed so much. Some people seem to love it, not me though.

[Snowman]

Project Walk had no say over what was or wasn't aired. The only control we had was whether or not they were allowed into the facility. It was up to the clients whether or not they wanted to be interviewed.

[Juke_spin]

Hey, Bonita, another Kansas girl! I grew up in Kansas. I also hate how they don't explain the impact of a complete vs. incomplete injury in most of these programs. The best therapy is only as good as the amount of spinal cord left hanging.

I doubt PW had much, or any, control of the final product. We're at the mercy of the media when we're interviewed. The media is a necessary evil but this is why I dislike being interviewed so much. Some people seem to love it, not me though.
"The amount of spinal cord left hanging." That there is some beautiful imagery, there, betheny.:applaud::);) Yours?

[elizabeth_ann08]

I thought the show was great. On December 28,2006, my sister rolled her jeep. She was seriously injured, and now is paralyzed. She has gone though a rough time and has spent a lot of time in hospitals. Seeing this show it made her, and our family have hope for her walking again, even when the doctors said she wouldn't. Especially around this time of the year, it gave her hope. It was good for her to see someone else who is going through what she's gone through.

[Bonita]

I thought the show was great. On December 28,2006, my sister rolled her jeep. She was seriously injured, and now is paralyzed. She has gone though a rough time and has spent a lot of time in hospitals. Seeing this show it made her, and our family have hope for her walking again, even when the doctors said she wouldn't. Especially around this time of the year, it gave her hope. It was good for her to see someone else who is going through what she's gone through.

Just about everyone with a spinal cord injury has been there and done that. Hope is a good thing...but hope alone isn't going to get anyone anywhere. Eventually reality will set in. Its just as important to accept yourself as it is to have hope. It doesn't have to be one way or the other, but there should really be a balance.

I have had my hope crushed numerous times, the more I find out about my injury...but that doesn't mean I have given up on hope or my faith either.

Once again, just my thoughts.

Jennifer