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Life in Action is the membership publication of the National Spinal Cord Injury Association, a program of United Spinal Association.

 

 

Our mission is to empower Americans with spinal cord injuries and disorders.

 

Wanderlust

Ian Ruder, Editor, Life in Action

Ian Ruder, Editor, Life in Action

A little over a month after being discharged from my initial rehab stay in the hospital, I geared up for my first trip post-spinal cord injury. I honestly don’t remember whether I was scared or nervous leading up to the flight, but I do remember almost passing out when I realized that my plane had no jetway and I would be carried up a steep set of stairs by two questionable-looking dudes.
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This Edition
Destinations: Lake Tahoe

Destinations: Lake TahoeIf you’re looking to soar, swim or take to the slopes amidst majestic mountains and stunning blue water, then grab your adventurous spirit and book a trip to one of the country’s top vacation spots: Lake Tahoe. Disabled visitors will love the wide range of activities and adaptive sports offered in this world-renowned resort town. Whether it’s boating in the summer, skiing in the winter or gambling Vegas-style any time, Tahoe’s got you covered….
Getting There

Getting ThereAs a wheelchair user you get used to being the first one on the plane and the last one off. You learn to leave a little extra time for boarding and deplaning with an aisle chair and you learn to manage the motley crew of airline and airport employees who are supposed to assist you. But what happens if there is no aisle chair and there is no one to assist you?…
Attendant Road Rules

Attendant Road RulesI love to travel. It gives me much-needed relaxation and new experiences, and I feel like it soothes my heart and opens my mind. And because of this, I’ve traveled a lot. There was the 10-day road trip from the San Francisco Bay Area to New Orleans and back, the two-week drive through the Pacific Northwest and all the way out to Glacier National Park, and even a three-week adventure through Europe, from Barcelona to Amsterdam to London and Paris…
Access: Colleges

Access: CollegesGoing to college is intimidating. Going to college with a spinal cord injury? It can be overwhelming. On top of heavy reading loads, living away from home and managing your own time, having a spinal cord injury means you may also have to manage attendants, your health and a new environment that is often anything but accessible. Author Chris Tiedemann and her son Tommy, who has cerebral palsy, faced many of these problems when Tommy started looking at colleges nine years ago…