Support Abby's Journey to an Accessible Home

TLDR; We are fundraising for adaptive technology for our home, unfortunately everything that is adaptive costs more than it does for able-bodied people. Abby wants to remain independent and grow in her independence in her new home. This goal is possible through this technology.

I’m Sam Mitchell and this is my fiancé Abby Marsh. Each of us love to serve our community through our church and in the disabled community. Abby loves to take part in adaptive sports, and I am studying to become a physical therapist. When we met in 2022, we were confident in our relationship. We also accepted that the future would present unique challenges for us. As Abby and I move forward into the future, one of those challenges will be creating and maintaining a home that assists Abby in her disability, rather than hinders her further.

At seventeen, a car accident severely damaged Abby’s spinal cord between her C5-C6 vertebras in her neck. After months of prayer, Abby would make an amazing recovery, but remain a quadriplegic, meaning that paralysis would affect each of her limbs. Twelve years after her surgery, her joyous aura and loving attitude, all fueled by her trust in God's plan for her life, far overwhelms the adverse effects of living with quadriplegia.

Through practice, determination and intuitive problem solving, Abby has adapted to her disability in a way that many have not. Despite this, her ability level is constantly dependent on the environment in which she finds herself. We want this home to be a place that can accommodate Abby in her daily activities.

As we build this home, many details often considered luxuries are necessities for Abby. Zero entry and wide doorways are needed for her chair to pass through. Abby needs about 4 square feet beside or behind a doorway to open them, although power doors are much easier for her to operate. The hallways and corners must have enough area for her chair to make appropriate turns. Additionally, there are many activities of daily living that Abby wants to facilitate her growing independence. These would include a kitchen with roll under counters that can elevate, and an inductive stove top to prevent burns where her sensation in her hands/arms is gone. Other equipment such as an oven, dishwasher, refrigerator and washing machine all need to be specifically oriented and adapted so that Abby can operate them.

These are only a few aspects of this future home that we are asking for your help with. Adapting the environment to Abby’s needs is often a fun challenge, and we expect and embrace this aspect. This introduction has only scratched the surface of what living with paralysis is like. We are asking for your help so that this home will be a blessing and not a frustration. We are asking for your help because we need it. We are grateful and thank you in advance for any help that you can offer us.

A breakdown of adaptive equipment in Abby's words:

To have these items, I will be able to create an environment where I can further my twelve year journey towards independence. Throughout this period, I've acquired cooking and cleaning skills, primarily through participation in adaptive cooking classes at BoltzStrong. These classes, conducted in a fully wheelchair-accessible kitchen, have broadened my understanding of the endless potential of an accessible and adaptable lifestyle for the disabled community. I am excited and proud to be a fore-runner in this field.

The items specified in the budget are critical for my independence and mitigating the health concerns exacerbated by traditional, non-adaptive home designs. Features like elevating counters will enable me to adjust my position in my power chair during periods of intense back pain, ensuring an independent and comfortable cooking experience. This accessibility also facilitates pressure relief on areas prone to pressure wounds. Incorporating elements like a roll-under oven, accessible refrigerator and dishwasher, alongside adaptive faucets, cooktops, and more, will empower me to achieve and sustain complete independence through accessibility alone. Please refer below to the list of each piece of adaptive equipment:

French door wall oven:

This wall oven is not marketed as an adaptive oven, however it has the features needed for accessibility. A french door wall oven can be set at a specific height to roll under. This model has a touch screen which is easy to use with my paralyzed hands and the french doors open simultaneously. By tying a rope around the handle, I can loop my arm and open the doors successfully. I use this oven in the adaptive cooking classes at BoltzStrong, so I know this is functional for me. For safety, I will have a board installed that can slide out from under the oven and mount to the wall underneath. Hot pans will be placed onto this board for safe extraction with custom made oven mitts.

Induction cooktop:

The safer option for cooktops, an induction cooktop conducts heats through ferromagnetic materials only. The risk of burning myself is reduced because the cooktop itself cannot burn me. This cooktop will be placed on the roll-under counter listed below. Having the ability to cook on a roll-under countertop and cooktop provides an ergonomic and manageable cooking experience. An inaccessible stove, which is very typical in traditional kitchens, is risky to use and I have been burned many times trying to cook on them. Lack of sensation in my hands and wrists makes a safer cooking option, crucial in significantly reducing the risk of burning my skin.

Accessible refrigerator:

The refrigerator in mind features the identical layout I've previously encountered and adapted to. The french doors are simple to adapt by attaching a looped rope on the handle which enables me to open the door easily. This fridge has an accessible water dispenser at wheelchair height, so I can serve and hydrate myself independently and efficiently. The handle on the freezer is reachable and will be adapted similarly with a rope.

Dishwasher:

This dishwasher is not marketed as an adaptive dishwasher, but it is conveniently designed to easily access. This dishwasher has a double drawer. The door rolls out rather than folds down, making it accessible by the top drawer. The drawer has a handle that can be adapted with a rope I can pull to open. After extensive research, this is the only appliance I have found of its kind and was recommended by other paralyzed friends who can use it independently. This dishwasher is necessary as washing dishes by hand is very difficult and exhausting, making it almost impossible.

Elevating counters:

These counters are designed with an accessible home in mind and marketed as such. With elevating counters, I have options. I can stand using my chair’s standing feature while prepping food or I can tilt my chair to comfortably fit underneath. The benefits of these options will help if I am fighting pressure wounds or chronic pain since being able to adjust my chair is key to alleviating these issues. This also reassures me that no matter the difference in the new wheelchair sizes and seating height for each new chair I receive with this lifelong diagnosis, I will always fit under the counter appropriately (I've experienced these problems before). These counters can support cooktops and sinks but will be installed separately.

Elevating cabinets:

Dishes are dangerous items to retrieve from a high cabinet. The total paralysis in my triceps, hands, and partial paralysis in my wrist and forearm create my inability to raise my arm high to reach above my head and grab the dish. In my attempts to retrieve cups and bowls from a standard cabinet, I have dropped and broken dishes against my wheelchair, arms, and head. Having accessible cabinets that will elevate down to the counter will make retrieving large and sometimes heavy and breakable dishes but also small plates and bowls much safer for me. I will have better access for my limited reach and the dishes will be flush to the counter, making the possibilities of retrieving a dish dramatically increased. An elevating cabinet is critical to my independence and safety.

Robot Vacuum:

A robot vacuum has many benefits for those in the disabled community such as myself. Sweeping and mopping is extremely difficult for me to do with my paralyzed hands, core, and partially paralyzed arms. When I tried to manage this task in the past, it took hours and triggered tremendous chronic pain in my shoulders. This vacuum comes with sweeping and mopping features. The pressurized spinning mop offers premium scrubbing capability, giving floors a better clean and completing a task that I cannot. Additionally, this robot will preserve my energy for household tasks I know I can complete efficiently, such as cooking. Owning this vacuum will save me from hiring outside cleaning services that I cannot afford. As we know, my service dog loves to shed so she will benefit from this vacuum as well.

I imagine my residence as a center for individuals with disabilities, a place where I can demonstrate the possibilities of autonomy and influence others in my community. My dream is to host, cook, and to share a meal together, thereby supporting and grieving life’s changes, discussing our goals and hopes for the future. This mission reflects how BoltzStrong has supported me. Supported by you, I know I will experience a profound transformation in my own life, and also the empowerment to lead and mentor disabled individuals and their loved ones.

I look forward to making significant contributions with Sam, to the communities we love so dearly.

Last but not least you may be wondering why the beneficiary is under my dads name. Well, because I am on government assistance, if I fundraise over a certain dollar amount in my bank account I will loose the assistance my life is literally dependent on. The fundraised money will still be going towards my future home, I just can't have it in my account.

We appreciate your support.

Sam & Abby