Exploring Paralysis: Insights on Visible and Invisible Pain

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Welcome to my “How It Looks vs. How It Feels” collection. Here I try to explore how concepts of paralysis look and how they actually feel.

Experiencing pain while being paralyzed is such a huge irony. I may not be able to feel physical sensation, but believe me… that neuropathic pain is doing its thing behind the scenes. This collection aims to explore some of the invisible symptoms that go unseen.

Paralyzed Anatomy

Book cover titled 'So, You Broke Your Spine?' featuring an illustrated doctor holding a model spine, with the subtitle 'A Very Clinical Review by Life Keeps Rolling'.

Illustration depicting human organs including the brain, lungs, heart, liver, stomach, pancreas, spleen, kidneys, large intestine, small intestine, and bladder.

Illustration of the human body labeled with humorous descriptions of organs and pain, highlighting issues like chronic migraine, medication processing, and various pains throughout the body.

Paralyzed Hands

Illustration of two hands demonstrating a specific gesture against a blue background with the text 'HOW IT LOOKS' at the top.

An illustration depicting a hand with a visible flame being directed towards it, captioned 'HOW IT FEELS'.

Illustration showing a hand with several bees around it and red dots indicating stings, labeled 'HOW IT FEELS'.

An illustrated scene of a person in a wheelchair interacting with a dog. The dog, wearing a collar that says 'PRINCESS', is playfully hanging upside down as the person gently pets it. The image features the phrase 'HOW IT FEELS' at the top.

Illustration depicting different sensations and perceptions of arm movements. The first panel shows a relaxed hand gesture, labeled 'HOW IT LOOKS'. The second panel depicts the sensation of burning with flames, labeled 'HOW IT FEELS'. The third panel illustrates the feeling of being stung by bees, while the fourth shows a hand covered by a plastic wrap, also labeled 'HOW IT FEELS'.

Paralyzed Legs

An illustration of a person seated in a power wheelchair, showing their legs and feet. The background is blue, and the image has a caption that reads 'HOW IT LOOKS.'

Illustration of a human arm covered in ants with red dots representing irritation or pain, against a blue background, labeled 'HOW IT FEELS'.

An illustration showing a foot with electrical symbols and words 'ZAP' and 'BUZZ', depicting the sensation of electric shocks, against a blue background with springs below.

A humorous cartoon image depicting a truck's rear with two stickers and a cartoon foot lying underneath the tire, conveying a sense of being run over.

A comic-style illustration showing four panels comparing how something looks versus how it feels. The first panel depicts a person sitting in a wheelchair, while the second shows a leg covered in spots, conveying discomfort. The third panel illustrates a leg reacting to electrical stimuli with 'zap' and 'buzz' effects, and the fourth features a leg adorned with colorful pins, representing a sensation of prickling.

Paralyzed Stomach

A cartoon illustration showing a person in a wheelchair with a pressure cooker displayed on their chest, conveying a metaphorical feeling of pressure.

A humorous cartoon depicting a person lying on the ground next to a bicycle, with a cartoonish creature resembling a facehugger from the Alien franchise emerging from their body, above which is the text 'HOW IT FEELS'.

An illustration depicting a person in a wheelchair looking up at a concrete truck pouring concrete, with the text 'HOW IT FEELS' at the top and 'HARD AS ROCK CONCRETE' on the truck.

A cartoon depiction of a man sitting in a chair, with a humorous representation of his midsection showing a squeezed appearance, accompanied by the phrases 'CRUNCH' and 'SNAP'. Above him, the text reads 'HOW IT FEELS'.

Comic strip illustrating the contrast between appearances and feelings related to wheelchair use. The first panel shows a person in a wheelchair, the second depicts them feeling like a pressure cooker. The third panel portrays an individual lying down with an alien-like creature, while the fourth shows a person being approached by a concrete truck, emphasizing intense emotions.

Accessible Parking

Three shopping carts are parked in a designated handicapped parking space, with reserved parking signs visible in the background and a forested area behind the scene.

A cartoon character in overalls and a cap stands in a parking lot designated for disabled use, holding a bottle and a tool, with a speech bubble saying 'GO ON, GIT!'

Accessibility

It is 2016. I am flying through a Walmart parking lot in rainy Tacoma, Washington. I am riding my Harley Davidson with my buddy Jason and the rain is pissing on us. We were running in and out to buy some chuck steaks and a 30 rack of Coors light for our weekend camping trip.…

Adaptive Van

Illustration of a minivan driving on a road, with trees in the background and the text 'HOW IT LOOKS' at the top.

An illustrated interior view of a vehicle showing a driver and a passenger in a mobility scooter. The driver appears startled, commenting on a strong gust of wind.

A cartoon-style image of a sailboat tilted to one side on rough waves with stormy skies, featuring the text 'HOW IT FEELS' above.

A cartoon depicting two characters on a boat. One is lying down and looks distressed, while the other, wearing an orange hoodie, is at the helm. Dialogue shows the first character saying, 'We're going to die,' and the second warning, 'Twenty-footer port side. Brace for impact!'

A cartoon split into four panels depicting experiences on the road and at sea. The top left shows a van on a scenic road with a calm atmosphere, labeled 'HOW IT LOOKS.' The top right features two passengers inside a van reacting to a strong gust of wind, with one saying, 'Sheesh. Big gust.' The bottom left illustrates a sailboat leaning dramatically on turbulent waves under dark clouds, labeled 'HOW IT FEELS.' The bottom right shows a crew member bracing for impact, saying, 'Twenty-footer port side. Brace for impact!' while another exclaims, 'We're going to die.'

iBOT PMD

An illustration of a person in a powered wheelchair, wearing a red hoodie and a gray cap, sitting on a path with grass in the background and a blue sky above.

An illustration of a person in a power wheelchair, wearing a red hoodie and a gray cap, set against a blue sky and grassy field.

A man in a red hoodie using a power wheelchair on a pathway with green grass and a blue sky in the background.

Illustration of a man in a red hoodie sitting in a power wheelchair on a road, with a blue sky and grass in the background.

A cartoon illustration of a red and blue truck with a simple design, set against a blue sky and green grass, with the text "HOW IT FEELS" above.

A cartoon illustration of a red and blue robot transforming into a truck, titled 'HOW IT FEELS', set against a blue sky and green grass background.

Cartoon depiction of a robot resembling a popular transformer character, standing on a road with grass in the background and text 'HOW IT FEELS' above.

A cartoon depiction of a red and blue robot, resembling a popular character from a franchise, with a speech bubble saying 'AUTOBOTS, ROLL OUT!' against a blue sky background.

Comic strip illustrating the contrast between how using a wheelchair looks versus how it feels, featuring a character in a wheelchair and transforming into an Optimus Prime-like robot.

Wheelchair User’s Bedroom

Wearing Real Pants

A woman in a red shirt is speaking to a man in a wheelchair, complimenting his appearance and asking about the occasion. The man is casually dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt.

A humorous cartoon featuring a man with long hair and glasses wearing only jeans, responding confidently to a woman complimenting his jeans.

A comic strip showing two panels. The left panel features a man in a wheelchair wearing jeans and a gray sweater, chatting with a woman who compliments his outfit. The right panel shows the same man, now shirtless with long hair, also in jeans, confidently asserting he knows about the compliment.

It is rare to find me in anything other than sweatpants now. Jeans are the new dress pants, I said what I said.

Here are some great adaptive brands for pants.

MRAP

An illustration of a man in a powered wheelchair ascending a hill, set against a clear blue sky with birds flying in the background. The text 'HOW IT LOOKS' is positioned above the image.

A military armored vehicle driving on rough terrain, with a soldier operating a weapon mounted on top, set against a blue sky.

A comic panel showing a man in a wheelchair on the left labeled 'How It Looks' and a military vehicle with a soldier on the right labeled 'How It Feels.'

In 2020, I applied for a grant through the Independence Fund. One of their initiatives is to provide disabled veterans with the Action Trackchair, a multi-purpose all-terrain wheelchair.

I was awarded one of these ground breaking machines right before my first winter in my new home. I got to spend that winter helping plow and shovel the driveway. It was an amazing feeling and a return to normalcy.

Riding over the snowy hills reminded me of cruising through the desert of Afghanistan in an MRAP (mine resistant armored personnel vehicles). Drives like a Cadillac.