My Photo of McCormick Place Hyatt on Schmap.com
Oh my god! Look! One of my pictures got chosen to be included in Schmap! Schmap is a mapping project that is totally cool and new age. Check it out. It’s geared towards trip planning to major destinations and that type of thing.
My photo and it’s page is here
Windows and Mac, a rare face to face moment
Tonight we went to Unity Northwest, the church I fixed the disk duplicator for. As some of you may know I am officially a member of the Ministry of Sound at the church. I am also taking on role as Technical Operations Director to whatever extent I can.
Tonights visit was for a few things, the biggest of them all was adapting the sound equipment so that all of it is accessible to me. We all came to the conclusion that to make it universally accessible we should mount it all vertical in a rack similar to a server rack. I will be helping them wire the equipment into the rack system, coolies!
The churches board member JoAnn B. wanted her laptop wiped so she could possibly recycle it and donate it to the church, This was probably the most time consuming task of the night that lead into 2:45 AM, this was because the computer kept declining to accept my Windows XP Professional SP3 disk, so I finally fell back and used my MagicISO Windows XP SP2 Home, and VOILA it worked. Finally. The laptop looks and smells like new now! And without any crapware!
I set the churches main computer up with iTunes and it’s built in easy to use MP3 converter so they can make MP3s of the Sunday services for posting on their website in Podcast form.
I as Technical Operations Director have a dream for the church, it is below and consists of 3 main things.
1. Reduce the amount of clutter technology and centralize. This especially means, getting rid of individual printers and centralizing usage to the large color / monochromatic copier (Xerox) that machine in the long run will cost less to maintain and use centrally than it will cost to maintain 3 printers. This is just one example of reducing technology cost, and clutter. While centralizing and streamlining the administrative experience.
2. Bring technology into the sanctuary, by using a projector regularly and eliminating paper based hymn books we can easily make the lyrics to hymns large and readable for anyone in the sanctuary and reduce cost of replacement books when books are stolen / damaged. Use images / video during lessons and meditation as seen fit by the minister.
3. Already in progress, increase the churches web presence.
Children's Memorial Hospital Logo
It is time again, per the decision of my Nephrologist and me it is time to do another Urodynamics and CMG, this time with Voiding Cystourethrogram, which uses radioactive dye and an X-Ray Fluoroscope to image the bladder, and urethra. This test is being Re-Ordered as a follow up to my old Urodynamics test which was a disaster for my spasticity and seizures and tachycardia, and now that my tachycardia has worsened we have decided that for sure this needs to be done in a Special Procedures Suite with an anesthesiologist and anesthetic gas, probably good old nitrous oxide.
The orders list has been updated, we are pending scheduling now on these tests and pending scheduling for an endocrinology visit. The Gastroenterology appointment is canceled till further notice
we are also waiting on a few other things to be ordered after the completion of these, the next order batch is. All of the below are considered dead until converted to live orders.
Me at the Rock In A Box Control Console
I about two weeks ago filed the application below, and got accepted. Skipping down below
Application Form
Title of Blog:Alinssite Blog
URL:www.alinssite.info
First Name: Alin
Last Name: XXX
Email: XXX@XXX (the REPLY TO)
City: Palatine
State: Illinois
Country: United States
Title of Proposal: Rock-in-the-Box A meetup for people with disabilities like autism and physical disabilities and their caregivers
Now, describe your proposal a little more. Please don’t forget to describe:
a) The purpose. Tell us what you are looking to achieve.
b) The people. Tell us who you plan to share the event with.
c) The location. Where are you having this event?
A. the purpose of the meetup would be to bring people with disabilities in the Illinois and Northern Suburban area into one place to socialize, get together and have fun bowling!
B. The people would mainly be people with disabilities mental cognitive and physical and their caregivers and those interested
C. The location would be Arlington Lanes http://www.arlingtonlanes.com/ with whom I will negotiate charitable contribution of a party / conference room and a bunch of games of bowling
Describe how you plan to cover this event. Tell us about:
a) The angle: what makes this event unique?
b) The visual and written elements you plan to incorporate (pictures, video, charts, music)
Optional: Please provide a link to a post from your blog that you think best represents the way you would approach and cover this Meet-up.
A. this event is unique as it will be similar to a disabilities conference in some ways but will be fun at the same time.
B. I plan to hopefully have the bowling alleys DJ there to do music coverage. during the first hour or two of the event I will host an informational slideshow on different disabilities and where to donate, various buckets will be set out on tables to donate
C. I would probably myself take at least 50 photos and videos of the event and a Flickr photo pool will be made allowing other attendees to throw their photos into the pool along with videos under 90 seconds, a Youtube video group will be made for video though I do not anticipate as much video being taken due to the sensitivity of people with mental and cognitive disabilities
I would 1. Need a detailed letter from wellsphere denoting that I and wellsphere are organizing this event for this geographic area (to secure the donated resources from them) 2. I would need the money 3. I would need some help in organizing and planning the event, I am only one person!
Hope this is good enough 
This all said we met almost all of the above criterion except the Bowling Alley DJ and charitable contribution of room food and games.
The event last night I considered it to be more of a pilot study to see how viable the merchantability and logistics of the event are. The pilot study came out strongly positive supporting another Rock In The Box event for next year which will be the 2nd annual Rock In A Box. This year Wellsphere made a mistake by giving short notice and funding duration to allow proper marketing. Last night’s event was put on beautifully. The only big blunder was marketing it.
The event consisted of music, socialization, food, and could have consisted of a keynote speech, slideshows, videos, and bowling, and real food in the event of larger audience.
Next years goals are
1. Start marketing in January
2. Start a rockinthebox.org website
3. Ask for sponsorship and funding from more than one organization
4. Utilize newspaper ad space
5. Utilize public TV (PTV) ad space
6. Utilize slide shows and videos
7. Provide a keynote speech
8. If funding allows provide free game or two of bowling
9. If funding allows provide free buffet
The photos tell the story and the video does too
Click my picture above for photos. Click Youtube! for the video, click on Rock In a Box.
Feel free to contact me via proper channels in the Contact Me Page.
Rock In A Box Logo
It is announced, I am hosting a gathering specifically for people with disabilities, their caregivers, and anyone else interested in having fun and creating a community in the Midwest for people with disabilities. The event will be held at Arlington Lanes, 3435 N Kennicott Ave, Arlington Hts, IL 60004 (click for directions) This location was chosen for its exceptional accessibility directly off of the freeway, and also for its indoors accessibility to people with disabilities. If you are in a wheelchair, YOU CAN BOWL. There will be music, bowling, fundraising, food, and much more fun at the event. The event is sponsored in whole by Wellsphere.
Upon arrival at the bowling alley ask for the location of the Lounge you will be directed to the lounge by the on duty Bowling Attendant.
Upon arrival in the lounge you may hear music and people talking, the table closest to the door is the check in table, there is NO FEE for the event but people need to pick up a name tag and put their name on it for easy identification. Take a GREEN name tag ONLY if you consent to being Photographed / Videographed and Published. Take a RED name tag ONLY if you DO NOT consent to being Photographed / Videographed and Published.
Upon arrival at the check in table if you need SPECIALIZED ACCOMMODATION ASK TO GO TO THE MASTER TABLE.
Within the room there will be many areas for seating, at the BACK of the room will be the MASTER TABLE. At the master table you will find me or another event controller such as my dad or mom, the DJ area which will usually be manned by me or another controller. And the fundraising area. The master table is your place to go to get DIRECT access to a controller for many forms of help.
Bowling & Food is NOT PROVIDED FOR FREE. Weekend discounts DO APPLY to event participants. Event participants wishing to all bowl on one lane must speak to an event controller (me or my parents) for assistance in setting up a lane.
BOTTOM LINE: Arlington Lanes, 3435 N Kennicott Ave, Arlington Hts, IL 60004 (click for directions) 3-7 PM SATURDAY THE 25th
Medical Logo
Today I was going through and discovered I both didn’t add my Nephrology appointment for next Monday and didn’t add my Gastroenterology appointment for next wednesday. The schedule is corrected. Wheelchair is up as a PENDING INSURANCE. We decided against the CT and or MRI of my spine as we and the doctors deem that standard X-Ray images are sufficient at this time, we await scheduling of that, but I expect it to be in the next month or so. However since I turn 18 this coming month A lot of things are going to get very messy.
we are also waiting on a few other things to be ordered after the completion of these, the next order batch is. All of the below are considered dead until converted to live orders.
Medical Logo
Yesterday we went for my wheelchair evaluation which went really well. I had lots of fun with the Physical Therapist and the representative from National Seating & Mobility. I especially blew them away with how big of a nerd I am about this stuff and we all came to agree on almost all of the parts I wanted.
We are shooting to get at this point.
Permobil C500 VS base with Tilt, Recline, Elevate, Elevating Legrests, and Powered Standing Feature
Bodypoint chest harness
PinDot Silhouette Back & Cushion
Bodypoint leg harnesses
Bodypoint 4 point seat belt with SUB-ASIS pads
Bodypoint Ankle Huggers
ASL-509 Power Adapter
Bodypoint Midline Mount
So yeah it’s gonna be a complex chair, oh and my Stealth 2QCR headrest from my current chair will just move onto the new chair.
The orders list is a bit more tame looking now.
we are also waiting on a few other things to be ordered after the completion of these, the next order batch is. All of the below are considered dead until converted to live orders.
Medical Logo
Yesterday afternoon we went to my Rehab Physician to look at my CT Scan of my knees which revealed Pellegrini Steida disease, an uncommon untreatable disease of the knee joint that can cause pain and other problems on down the road. The wheelchair order is finalized, today we go to get eval’d and the final papers done. And she looked at the ulcer thing on my butt and agreed that it was some sort of skin infection that thanks to early combat did not turn into a real full blown ulcer. Coming into the office I had to hug her nurse since she is a cute larger woman and very snuggly. And then in the office she tried taking my blood pressure on an automatic blood pressure machine, for 3 tries and 3 minutes each time the machine inflated the cuff all the way to an arm popping 300 mmhg, most people I have spoken to who have had this problem say it’s an experience so painful they never want it again. There I am with a Cheshire Cat grin on my face just enjoying the really deep pressure on my arm, no pain, just awesome comfortable warmth and pressure. And I am laughing my ass off as she kept looking at me like doesn’t that hurt? Should I take it off? And I said uh nah just let the machine try to do it’s work. We ended up with her using a manual blood pressure cuff and her stethoscope which came out with a 114/72 blood pressure which is good. After which I had to hug her again and then hug her again on the way out of the office.
can anyone say pressure addict?
Medical orders changed to reflect updates.
we are also waiting on a few other things to be ordered after the completion of these, the next order batch is. All of the below are considered dead until converted to live orders.
My new GE Datex Ohmeda Trusat 3500
Today I got my pulse oximeter which is a GE Datex Ohmeda Trusat 3500. This machine will help us monitor my respiratory and cardiac condition much more closely. It also will give us early warning of when I have a condition that impairs oxygenation and or causes heart problems. Yay for me. Oh and did I mention that it’s also another awesome gadget for my medical nerdyness. 
Monitoring is one of my biggest nerd interests in medicine.
To view pictures click the picture above. For video go to the Youtube page and play the most recent video! I will take more pictures later today and tonight so expect the album to grow a little bit.
Radiology Tech by day Guitarist by night Mr. James
I don’t know who took the photo but my friend James from Yacktman radiology at Advocate Lutheran General Childrens Hospital E-Mailed me some pictures of him playing live guitar at the grand opening of the new 192 bed 8 floor patient tower! That is absolutely totally awesome. The dedication, grand opening, and tours were on this last Sunday the 12th. I wish I was there but I was at home enjoying the hot sun so an equally good get away. Either way, I am so looking forward to my next hospital admission, doesn’t that sound horrible! I want in on that tower dang it! haha.
In other news my OT evaluation is completed and is now being processed! The processing of this evaluation will take up to 2-3 weeks and the results will help us further understand my Autism’s sensory and Occupational Therapy Spectrum effects and help us order the right wheelchair for my needs.
The orders list has been updated.
we are also waiting on a few other things to be ordered after the completion of these, the next order batch is. All of the below are considered dead until converted to live orders.
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