885speed

Just wondering if theres any paraplegic camaro/firebird owners/drivers here on the forum.

reason being, within the next two to three weeks I am going to be undergoing a very serious spinal surgery to correct spinal cord/severe scoliosis complications that right now render me barely able to walk, let alone drive my beloved camaro.

Getting onto the point of this thread...
with this surgery theres a VERY possible chance of me becoming paralized from the chest down. however im not new to the car world, i know the difficulty of doing a T5 to 700R4 swap, but whats it like to drive a car(let alone sports car) with hand controls

i think i can get away with using the tilt steering, to help me have room to get in and out, and just get one of those collapsable wheelchairs that i can stuff between the drivers seat and the door jamb.

im just really trying to stay on the positive side with this being sort of life changing and all, so worst comes to worst i wont have to give up my camaro

im just hoping to come out of it walking and running like i used to

off topic, but being 16 and having the ability to run, jump, and even work at a simple grocery store being taken away from you makes you really realize how good you had it

any help/opinions are valued
thanks guys/gals

david068513

I have a friend with a 4th gen t a that he has hand controls on. he loves driving it. misses the 6 speed BUT still loves driving a sports car and says it just as fun to drive

885speed

glad to hear its been done before!
kind of gets my hopes up!(although hopefully i DONT lose function of my legs lol)

anybody else?

Cadillac

Good luck!

I found this site for you to check out:

http://www.wheelsunlimited.com/portablehandcontrol.html

Of course, you should think positive. You won't need any of this...

Jaysz28

I wonder, with the introduction of drive by wire on the later model lsx cars, if hand controls wouldn't be even easier to use/implement. Could almost throw a motorcycle styled handgrips... could almost be fun! LOL

Good luck with your surgery. I can't imagine going through it at such a young age, but youth is on your side.

-jason

Stephen

Well, I'm not quite what you were looking for but....

3.5 yrs ago, due to a car wreck, my whole left side, was partially paralyzed, arm & leg. I just use a cane now.

When it came time to be on my own again, 8 months hospital stay, 9 months live-in rehab, I wanted to find me a car again. Tired of the "Can you come take me shopping..." routine.

My thoughts during that time were a big dually truck, or big van. Sometghing big...Something heavy....Something full framed!

But, as time went on, my love for 3rd gens (I've had 4 before) took over. Then, a buddy said he was gonna sell his GTA. 3 days later, I bought it! Took 3 days to get a ride to the bank to get the money, or it woulda been the same day!

ANYWAYS.....No hand controls, but I drive 100% one handed. I picked up one of those steering wheel spinning knobs, like were poplar in the 50s & 60s, from Tractor Supply, so I can easily spin the steering wheel in sharper turns & corners. My biggest issue is the turn signal stalk. It is on the left, but my useless left hand can't reach it. So, I either really PLAN when to use it by reaching with my right hand, which means I no longer have the steering wheel in control in my hand, or I just don't use the turn signals.

One of my Rehab counselers was wheelchair bound. He drove a newer Mini Cooper! Never did see how he had the car setup, I just knew what he drove.

Look on the upside...You'll get front row parking at stores! While your buddys parking WAY out, you get to park up front, then wait for them drive around to even FIND a parking spot, then hike up from the parking lot! I know...Bad joke. I'd trade my handicap for parking 1/4 mile away, any day.

Anyways, disability isn't the end of sports car like. But be prepared for looks as your sportscar pulls into a handicapped spot. People will suspect you only have handicapped plate because of somebody who normally rides with you, & your just taking advantage of the plates. People never say anything, and realize once you get out, you have the right to park there.

__________________

17"x9" ROH Snypers (with the correct 3rd gen backspacing, no spacers needed), 275 front/285 rear, no rear seats, 4th gen front seats, OEM 2001 TA rear wing, OEM 1997 TA side mirrors

Home of the STS (Sequential Turn Signal) mod
Photobucket of 1989 Pontiac Trans Am GTA-parting out
GOD Bless America

885speed

Wow! I really have to thank you guys for all your input, the more I talk to people about it, it takes alot of the negative side out of it.

and actually Jaysz28, age is 100% on my side. The doctors expect a full recovery if there are no complications, but I do still kind of fear that little chance with spinal cord damage...

Stephen

And remember....Dr.s will give you the worst case scenario, not the most likely.

The stories they told my family & the chances of ANY recovery they gave me....I wish I could find those Dr.'s, I'd.....Well, let's just say...I wouldn't be very nice, m'kay?

So...Don't put too much stock in what they said COULD happen. Hell, every time you drive somewhere, you COLD get killed in a wreck, right?

Here's pulling for ya!

__________________

17"x9" ROH Snypers (with the correct 3rd gen backspacing, no spacers needed), 275 front/285 rear, no rear seats, 4th gen front seats, OEM 2001 TA rear wing, OEM 1997 TA side mirrors

Home of the STS (Sequential Turn Signal) mod
Photobucket of 1989 Pontiac Trans Am GTA-parting out
GOD Bless America

885speed

Haha, thats a good point, well put Stephen.

thirdgenSS

i have a friend that is in a wheel chair and drives a 4th gen SS with hand controls. no matter what happens your third gen brothers will still be around to help you in any way possible. keep us up to date on how things are going

dsull357

I wish you all the luck with your surgery and everything will be good. My son had to have rods put in his back to fix his surgery for scoliosis. But he has other health issue other than that. But you will come out good and deffinantly don't take the Dr.'s words for everything he says they try and take all your hope away from you. Just for you to find out later that they were wrong with the worst case not happening. Keep us posted and we are all pulling for you.

885speed

Thanks guys, I'll be sure to keep everyone up to date with my condition in this thread.


how many degrees of curvature did your son have? if you dont mind me asking
the only thing that really worries me with my surgery is that they actually have to remove two vertebrae that never split apart after birth(one of them being mis-shapen) and replacing it with a titanium cage.

Jaysz28

Ok, that got my curiosity.... what level is the malformed vertebrae???

and I know all about the advantages of youth. I participated in a surgery for a 9 yr old who was in a bad car accident, that almost took his head off. The doctors reattached his Odontoid Process, which is what interlocks the first two cervical vertebrae and basically holds your head on. The surgery took two or three hours to reattach that little piece of bone, then fixate his neck. Two days later he is up and playing his gameboy in his room.....

Again, good luck

-jason

885speed

Well, all I know is the technical term for it, they called it a Hemivertebrae
what they really want to focus on though is my spinal cord because thats the root of all my walking/balance problems
the way they described it was:
"If your spinal cord was a garden hose with running water and your spine was a fence post, imagine throwing the hose over the fence post and putting pressure on it, it cuts off the water flow"
which in my case its cutting off alot of nerve signal flow.

Hell, you could put a bullet in my foot with me blind folded and ears plugged and all I would feel is a pinch

dsull357

Don't remember exactly but I know it was close to 90 deg.'s before the surgury.

Jaysz28

You need to find out what levels they are working on. It is your back after all, and you should be proactive in your care.

Do a search and find some images of a spine. Understand the 3 basic levels, and what they are doing at each level. It looks like a lot, but its pretty straight forward. I would be concerned about the nerves, especially if you are having nerve compression already.

I feel it is imperative that every patient understand what is being done to them before they get sliced open by a doc. Too many cases of the wrong foot being amputated and the wrong lung removed to not be involved. Granted you only have one spine, but if they put the screws in the wrong place, or twist it the wrong way the results could be devasating.

Again, good luck

-jason

885speed

lol, way ahead of ya
had alot of it done awhile ago, when they mentioned surgery and what was going on



to dsull357-
mind was measured at 65 degrees and it looks crazy(looking at my xrays.MRIs and CT's) i couldnt even begin to imagine what close to 90 would be like

car_fixer

I wish you the best with the procedure, but I know a guy that still races his camaro (2nd gen but that is not important) with a roll bar, what he has set up is kind of neat. He has a wheelchair with some sort of quick release wheels. and has a holder for them in the passengers seat area, and puts the rest of the chair behind the seat. I belive he has hand controls in the car, but i may be wrong. I could ask him to drop in and visit this thread if you would like. If all goes well then all this wont matter anyway, so good luck

86WS6

Good luck with your procedure! I have been through something similiar, and although the road has been long and difficult, I came out OK. I was 24, had mild case of symptomatic scoliosis, but the real kicker was when I broke my back. I disarticulated the L5/S1 vertabrate, and had to undergo x4 spinal fusion surgeries over the next 12 years. At first, the doctor told me that I would be paraplegic, however things worked out somewhat better. I ended up with S2 nerves intact, S1 and S3 were history. The good news is that S2 controls bowel, bladder, and erectile functions, WOO HOO! The bad news is that with S1 and S3 out, I had little sensation in my lower extremities, with the left side nearly numb. The body has great capacity for healing, and over time I got the function in my lower extremities back. I attended the core classes for nursing school wearing a leg brace, using a walker. By the time I got into the clinical part of school, I was walking in the brace. I also completed a degree in psychology, and a Master's degree in Social work. Through out most of college, I drove an 83 T/A, auto, using the right leg only. Got lots of stares getting out of it in the handicapped spots. Later the doctors would make the decision for me to try walking without the brace. Six months later a tendon snapped in my left foot that was weakened from the foot drop, and I underwent a five hour tendon transplant surgery. While all of this was going on, I survived and recovered from a stroke and, and then a from a brain tumor. Today I have a slight limp, and am deaf on one side from the tumor. I have no balance function, however I learned to balance by eyesight. Now for the incredible part. I am 52, and work about 70 hours a week as a floor nurse on a busy medical surgical floor. Tonight, I am assigned six patients. During my free time I hike in the mountains, workout, built part of my house, and remodeled the other part. Pain is a part of life, however it does not rule my life. My wife and I raised four children, and are currently enjoying spoiling our 12 grandchildren. I have been very lucky, have also put a lot of work into rehabilitation, and I also believe that a lot of disability is what one chooses to make of it. Good luck. Try to stay in control of your options and in control of you life. Keep us posted. You are in our prayers. Charles

885speed

Wow, thank you for posting your experience!
Its really going to keep me upbeat and staying strong in the tough times. I'll be thinking of everyone here who has wished me luck.

lilred406

god bless u , & stay strong.........
BTW: GOD KIND DO ANYTHING BUT FAIL............

87zjeff

There is a guy that works at the local Walmart were i live that drives a sweet looking thirdgen. he uses a wheelchair. I don't know why he uses it because i figured it was one of my business but i can go talk to him and inquire if you like to see how he has it set-up. we have only talked about the basic stuff(engine/tranny/ other common mods) so i don't know what his set-up is.


BTW, i had an aunt who was brain dead that recovered with minimal memory loss. So, anything can happen...don't let them get you down.

885speed

Ok guys/gals, I have an update on the situation...

after my last appointment for testing today, a few conclusions have been made, both personal and literal(bad way to put it but follow me on it)
in the personal sense, i sort of took a blow to my positivity since they gave me a walker, and got my final brace marked for trim to make it more comfortable...
the walker was a blow to my self esteem, to an extent
and the brace was a blow to my hopes of maybe getting back behind the wheel asap
(basically a plastic cast from my hips to my ears really)

had a brain MRI this morning as well since the last one didnt seem to be clear enough, followed that up with a visit from a neurologist, telling me that i have a cyst in my brain. thankfully its not interfering with my problems with my back/spinalcord.

but it needs to be taken care of next, considering it COULD develop into a brain tumor, but for now its for the most part harmless

surgery is set on the 22nd of this month, and ill probably off the forum for a good while but when i get back ill be sure to put up an update of how everything turned out.

Jaysz28

Eh, don't worry about it. They are trying to keep you safe and mobile....

Remember, you'll heal faster if you are up and moving rather than just laying in bed......

btw, I never noticed you were only 2.5 hrs north of me! I live in Fort Myers, FL

-jason