dirty hands

[Sebastiang]

While pushing yourself in the wheelchair from day to day in the streets how do you keep from getting your hands dirty from the streets and sidewalks? I am not talking about rolling on dirt and mud but just sidewalks, streets and in some buildings. Doing my job that I was doing for a while, which was going door to door in small towns on sidewalks and streets, my hands would get filthy from the dust and dirt. How do you keep your hands clean?

[wheeliegirl]

My hands get dirty too. I wear push gloves if I am going outside, but they are not full-finger gloves, so my hands still get pretty dirty. I keep handy wipes and baby wipes with me all the time, in my desk drawer, my little under chair packe, etc. I also wash my hands before and after I use the bathroom.

It is really gross, I know, but there isn't really all that much you can do. When it rains where I live it's especially gross because the worms and snails come out. Our sidewalk is vurtually carpeted with sqirming little worms, that eventually dry and then are permanently part of the side walk!

I've just learned to deal with this and every other gross part of being paralyzed. :-)

[woman from Europe]

Just what I wanted to ask

Even if I wear gloves my hands are getting so dirty. Makes me feel bad.

And for the ladies inside here, how do you keep your nails nice? Mine is breaking all the time, I don't keep them espesialle long but after a while it looks like I have been digging in dirt

[Shannon]

Gloves are uncomfortable and not my style. Washing my hands numerous times isn't always possible.

I've given up on my hands. I usually wash them as soon as I get home, and I use hand lotion, however, these sorry hands are so dirty, dry and calloused! And my nails? Forget them!

Sorry, I'm not any help.

Alive for 34 years
T4/5 complete for 25 years
Mom for 6 years

[Spadfan]

I use Owen Model 921 handball gloves. They give excellent grip on the handrims and wear a long time. I cut the wrist straps off and they are easy to put on using the pull tabs. You also don't break the bank when you buy a couple of pairs.

See Owen Gloves

[maryonwheels46]

I keep a little bottle of antiseptic lotion with me at all times.When I go to eat I ask the server to bring me a wet towel. Then I wash my hands when I can. But, with it all I still have dirty hands. And we all know just how dirty it is when people spit on the ground, tobacoo, snuff, dog stuff, mold we are really germy so take care. Try not to rub your eyes.

[Sue Pendleton]

In town or at least my neighborhood I use my power chair and that helps tons. But when we go on cruises and I use my manual once I wash my hands before we go to a meal, that's it. My husband pushes till we get to the diningroom. With the Norwalk-like virus I am not about to touch my wheels and then my food. I also take the individual towelettes that disinfect.

Shannon, have you tried using Bag Balm or Udder Balm on your hand at night? It's inexpensive at Walmart and does wonders on calllouses.

WFE, I have fast growing nails but mine break most often if I let them get past about 3/8 of an inch. Too short and they get jagged edges, too long and they break below the nail edge. I think try to keep them about....40 mm? My metric math is a little rusty. I also have heard from a friend that silk nail wraps are great. She does work in the dirt a lot gardening and these last about 2 weeks. They don't hurt the nail like acrylic nails do. I hope I can find time to try them before our next cruise.

Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow."

[berny]

I use an antibacterial gel, the one wich doesn´t need to be dry it.it works wonderful until i can wash my hands the regular way.

Berny.

[QuadPro]

You might want to look into these....if I was a para I would definitely use these because of speed and cleanliness

(please reduce all digital photos to no more than 600X400 pixels before posting here. Edited to reduce size of photo. KLD)

[This message was edited by SCI-Nurse on 04-30-04 at 08:14 PM.]

[QuadPro]

sorry picture came out so big its my first time posting a pic.

but scroll to the right

i think the beach chair is pretty cool it looks like a toy