stand stories: the final frontier

enamel pots. 

we all love 'em, it seems. but they're a pain to get into. i've seen some truly crafty artisans customize them into functional stands, but boy are they hard to come by to be used as decorative stands in their original form. i've always said, if the universe would have wanted us to use enamel stands, he would've made our preferred propping limbs much larger on average. enamel pot sized. but alas, i guess we're sticking with wood/glass/ceramics/plastic/textile/stone/concre –

 wait… i guess we don't get such a bad deal.

fashion stand dilemma

i have come upon a crossroads… as an educator, i've always been quick to discourage patients from performing a stand-in-PPL setup. we all know that stands should be used with an interior support stick in the PPL, and the PPL lodged safely in the stand opening. we all DO know that. but…

i have such a beautiful oscar statue that i want to convert into an award-worthy fashion stand! oh my god, i would love it so much! its interesting shape paired with the camp factor would make for a gorgeous stand concoction. why, oh why must this PPL-in-stand rule be in place?

oh, that's right. because i fall off properly-fit medicinal stands, let alone badly set-up decorative ones.

get a bigger oscar statue, dummy.

beautiful soft stand

gorgeous news! i have been gifted an amazing creation: an angel-themed soft stand. as we all know soft stands don't allow you to stand upright for long and are mainly for lounging comfortably, but isn't this one a cutie! can't believe it's mine! 😊 😃 

beautiful soft stand. a gift from my friend.

good news re: medicinal stands

yay! my medicinal stands are set to arrive in a week. so excited. have been looking for a good sturdy/quick setup option for days. and – double whammy – the hospital no longer has a policy on flat customization! a layer of paint below 1/8 inch thickness may be applied to these returnable stands! i hope this will inspire a spirited sharing economy, where you can get a stand assigned to you with someone else's artwork. so excited! good day!

an open letter to stick makers:

polish your sticks. remove the splinters.

standstravaganza

can you believe these stands?

mobility, storage, beauty – they ensure it all. can't believe these babies exist. take a look:

if anyone needs me, i'll be working double shifts to cover my stand addiction. i just need 9 more. 😊

hat day

i've taken to a virtual shopping trip to try and cure my blues. these are some gems i have found:

was in love with these, thinking of opening an etsy shop for similar-minden and similar-PPL'd folks. also, would love to see if anyone has any recommendations.

medicinal stand malfunction

i have been in a mood lately.

i have informed my GP that i will be needing different medicinal stands, as the ones the hospital last provided me have proven to be VERY unstable. it is a surprise, as they are supposed to be fit to my SHAPE and SIZE, but alas, the budget cuts might've forced the hospital to issue these to all medicinal stand users, no matter their individual situation. they are green and their opening is wider than their bottom, which might be what is making them so very difficult to deal with. on the bright side, they have good ventilation and have served as appropriate storage for my aluminium foil balls. they can also be stacked. they do require you to use a girthier interior support stick, one that won't fall through the ventilation hole in the bottom, which i guess is a good way to make you go for the quality stick option. if your preferred propping limb allows it, of course.

green medical stands serving as storage for my aluminium foil balls.

scratch everything, though, it's very unkind of the hospital to require patients with narrow PPL openings to purchase one of those elusive uneven-width sticks. these stands are terrible. the new ones are set to arrive in up to three months. good riddance, green stands. looking forward to not falling over. :-D

comprehensive guide to stand-based mobility aid terms

i recently made an a set of instagram posts where i explained what medicinal/aesthetic stands and interior/exterior support sticks were. i have since felt the need to expand this vocabulary lesson to include abbreviations such as PPL, ISC and ISS, as well as terms such as propping. in order to explain these clearly, i have created a small story based on my daily mobility stand setup.

this is a guide for those who are new to my condition and shouldn't be used as the only reference when researching what to do if you or a loved one are suffering from it.

good morning!

good morning! i have woken up and am ready to start the day! after i brush my teeth, it is time to see what i need to do today. hmmmm… if i don't have anything to do, i'll lounge at home freely or use a lounging stick, which is a longitudinal object with a square or rectangular cross section. this will enable me to rest against a flat surface without rolling around. i will insert the lounging stick into my preferred propping limb (PPL), the limb i like to be propped up on when i use my mobility aids. a mobility aid is something i use so i can move around as i wish to, and not ROLL AROUND aimlessly. i've now checked my calendar. oh, it turns out i have to go to the bank today, and to a fundraiser in the evening. maybe i'll throw in a mid-day stroll with my carer, the person who helps me move and do things as i am disabled. whatever i decide – it will be a long day. i will choose a medicinal stand or a sensible decorative stand to do my errands in. a stand is an object into which i fit my preferred propping limb so i can stand upright and move. a medicinal (medical/functional/hospital-issued) stand is one prescribed by a medical professional, that is used for utalitarian purposes and fit exactly to my preferred propping limb's SIZE and SHAPE. a decorative stand (fashion/aesthetic stand) is to be enjoyed for aesthetic purposes, and often needs customisation to fit my preferred propping limb. a sensible decorative stand entails it is fashionable, yet very practical. another type of decorative stand is an improvised stand concoction (ISC). this is a custom stand created from many different pieces. when i have chosen my stand, i will need to choose an interior support stick, one that is inserted into the stand opening and into my preferred propping limb to ensure stability and, if the stick is good, minimal unwanted rotation (if it is too thin, my head might swirl around in the wind). i will choose a stick that fits into the stand opening and my PPL well and provides comfort and function. to ensure i always have one on hand (maybe the stability of my stand makes me forget i might need it if there is a large crowd or strong wind) i'll ask my carer to carry around an improvised support stick (ISS), such as a long pencil or chopsticks. when deciding about my preferred mobility aid, i also have the option to use the very functional but aesthetically-minimal exterior support stick (ESS). it is a very long and girthy stick that is inserted only into my PPL. it is used to add height and extreme mobility. i choose this option when i'm truly jumping from appointment to appointment, with barely enough time to catch my breath. for today, i will choose a medicinal stand to do my bank errand in and a decorative stand to attend the evening fundraising gala. if i am feeling up to it, i might use a decorative stick along with my decorative stand.

i hope you have learned something useful and that i've cleared some things up for you. 

you heard it right: a guide to decorative support sticks

now, you might be thinking to yourself: what? how – whaa? well, i'm here to tell you this is no practical joke or pipe dream. they're real. and they're a lot easier to come by than you think.

decorative sticks have long been a dream of mine, and, i thought, an invention of mine as well. it wasn't until a friend in the community informed me that they have been a thing for ages AND that she personally uses one. she used it for a rather ingenious purpose, though – it didn't stick out of her stand, but she would insert it into a transparent glass stand. genius! she said that whatever her stand concoction was, even a regular mason jar, the stick would immediately up its wow-factor. WOW, truly! and i know just which sticks to show you:

Vertical line scored dowels: i am using a picture of a tiny dowel, as the larger specimens i constantly see in the stores have proven to bee quite elusive creatures on the Internet. this one is a simple, elegant, and modern option, ready to go with any simple-shaped stand and also ideal for stacking with some of it's brethren. imagine having a cornucopia of support from 8 of these guys! such luxury!

Colored dowels: 

these ones are also very functional, if somewhat flashier. they add a certain flair and twist to any stand, especially if it's a transparent colored one and the colors overlay to create a veritable rainbow of luxury. what's great about these guys as well, is that they come pre-cut in pretty handy sizes. i've never shortened a colored dowel, or been disappointed it isn't longer. they're mainly found in crafts stores.

Decorative wooden legs/curtain rods: 

these are a dream! sure to zazz up any stand concoction, and they come in so many wonderful shapes and finishes! when i first got my hands on one of these, i couldn't stop wearing it. my daily duties were not ones that required this degree of boozhee-ness, but i was just so amazed i couldn't resist. find them at yard sales and flea markets, because they're much cheaper there and often come with an interesting story.

DO NOT use whirly-shaped or asymmetrical sticks if not so advised by a medical professional! it can cause dangerous amounts of spinning, instability and the unequal straining of the right and left side of your PPL! please, stick to the suggestions above to insure you're safe, as well as fashionable.

the easiest ISS hack when you're on the go

i know, it happens so often: you leave the house with your preferred stand for the day, go about your daily duties, when you realize – the wind isn't ceasing, there's a lot of knees and elbows around, and you haven't secured your ISS for the day. realizing that makes for a terrible, nightmarish moment. this means you have the choice to either duck, oversimplify your movements and probably forego some tasks, or get injured. but fear not, i am here with a cure for your worries:

chopsticks. you heard it right. they're stable, durable and compatible with a couple (but not countless – hey, you're in a rush and anything will do) stand options. certainly compatible with the stand you use when you're moving and on the go. you can get them at any chinese food place (they should be courteous enough to provide a complementary pair when you explain the situation – you also get two 'for the price of one') or ask your carer to pack a pair to have on hand whenever you're in a rush. when you get them, just take one and use it as an ISS. i know some have been adept at using both for a certain stand/body shape, but i have not been in a situation where i needed to master that skill. probably would come in handy as a short lounge stick, but hey – you're doing errands in this scenario, and i doubt one of them is professionally lounging around.

let me know if you've tried this trick, and how it has worked out!

support sticks: a world of warmth and whimsy

you can't beat the feeling of being in your preferred stand, knowing that nothing can tumble you, as your interior support stick is safely lodged inside. it is a feeling of freedom and power. an escape from the daily struggle of choosing the appropriate stand and seeing if today will be the day it proves in-appropriate. that's why your choice of interior support stick is integral: it is a toll that, if chosen wisely, can be your greatest comfort and ally.

as i use my ISS almost exclusively for decorative stands, i make sure to get one that is simple and sturdy. simple, so it can be appropriated for any breed of stand (visually and functionally) and sturdy so i know it won't desert me in my hour of need by unwittingly rotating my head around its axis. for pictures, yes, i might use whatever i have lying around, as its purpose is served for a mere couple of minutes, BUT, when i know i have something to do, i make sure to go for one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Wooden-Dowel-Rods-Unfinished-Woodpecker/dp/B01BGZJH2E/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=wooden+dowel&qid=1559829390&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=11/4” x 12” Wooden Dowel Rods, Bag of 25 Unfinished Hardwood Sticks, DIY Photo Prop Sticks, For Crafts and DIY’ers.by Woodpeckers

coming in at around 1/$ inch (about 6mm for you european folks) and a mere $6.35 for a bag of 25, this proves to be a multi-functional and very affordable option. it is, as the website states, excellent quality, great value, smooth and ideal for crafty people. check, check and check! and i sure am crafty. i have been known to use these badboys with everything from multi-layer improvised fashion stands to sturdy but unfortunately ill-fitted medicinal stands. they truly work for everything. as they are often too long, i usually ask someone to cut it down to ¾ or ½ of its original length for me.

https://www.amazon.com/Wooden-Unfinished-Hardwood-Sticks-Straight/dp/B017Y25R40/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?keywords=wooden+dowel&qid=1559829390&s=gateway&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1
Wooden Dowel Rods 3/4” x 36” | Bag of 5 Unfinished Hardwood Dowel Sticks | Straight - Smooth and Sanded | for Crafts and DIY’ers - by Woodpecker Crafts
by Woodpeckers

whoa! an exterior support stick in a mainly interior support stick post? you got it! coming in hot with 4.5 stars based on 163 customer reviews, this baby is a real banger. with its impressive girth of ¾ inch (1.9 cm overseas), its measly price of $15.45 for a bag of 5 36-inch rods (around 90 cm) makes it a steal of an exterior support stick option! the unwanted rotation on this baby is a mere 5%. has to be a real windy day for it to malfunction. a bit harder to cut, i should add, but i love this baby so much i'm using it as an extremely-heightening ESS. who said short girls should have all the fun?

https://www.amazon.com/Darice-9162-00-Unfinished-Natural-2-Inch/dp/B004KQS2IC/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=wooden+dowel&qid=1559829390&s=gateway&sr=8-7
Darice 9162-00 Unfinished Natural Wood Craft Dowel Rod, 1/2-Inch
by Darice

these have proven to be a lifesaver. i've never had such a light-weight support system. their unfinished-ness makes them so soft on the skin and their ideal ½ inch size makes them compatible with so many aesthetic/medicinal stand options. it has been a joy to have these around, especially as i've recently been moving, as they are very easy to carry when you're on the go. they've really proven themselves to have no limitations. and – as you might very well know – if the opening of your stand isn't big enough to accommodate these, and you have a similar sized propping limb as me, that 'stand' is a no go and does not qualify as a mobility aid for you. this would mean you would have to insert the ISS and then insert both the stand nozzle and the stick into your PPL (preferred propping limb). this means possible instability, and certain damaging of your PPL! don't do it!

let me know if you tried some of these and how you liked them!

guide to stands: where to get them/how to modify them

i find the best decorative stands can be found in the bargain bins at dollar stores. there you'll see stand opportunities of varying materials, shapes ad functions. ceramic stands will do you very well. glass stands also. they are sturdy and tend to come in many kooky & fun designs and colors. on the functional front, stands that can double as storage/holders are also a big plus. i remember i once found a multiple hole stand that could carry me, as well as as many longitudinal objects as i desired. if you are VERY lucky, you will find a stand with a built-in drawer, or even cooler, a sliding door compartment. the sliding door will enable you to store many things safely, and, if it is well made, won't spring open (like regular cabinet doors) and make you take up too much space/drop what you are carrying inside. it is also VERY important that, if you find a stand that doesn't fit your preferred propping limb (the one you insert into the stand) you DON'T try your luck and forego using an interior support stick. believe me, you WILL regret it. injury is a stick-averse day away.