Greetings friends of Scotty Hard, aka Scott Harding.
It is amazing what a difference a day made, in the words of Dinah Washington. And it is amazing what love and friendship can do in a simple year's time. And it is humbling to know what we cannot do.
And through all of this, we continue to marvel at the man himself, and how he chooses to live his life.
No is not an option.
Scotty Hard is made of Hard stock; anyone who has met his father, and had the opportunity to enjoy his mother, or the equally talented brothers, Mike and Brian, know the Hardings are a special stock.
In this time of bailouts and stimulus packages, it is inspiring to know that we can all be stimulated by the gift of friendship.
Love to Scott, Mike, and all Hardstockers.
Dennis
http://www.densemilt.com/http://www.holyhardstock.com/http://www.workhardprayhardscottyhard.com/
----- Original Message -----
From: Tom Camuso
To: Leif Arntzen
Sent: Sunday, February 15, 2009 11:44 AM
Subject: 2009 Update from Mike
Dear Friends of Scott,
About a month before Christmas, Scott made the unexpected decision to come to Vancouver for the holiday, after we had realized that there was really no place where the four of us (Scott, Dad, Brian and I) could spend it together in NYC. Very fortunately, Heesok was also visiting so Scott got the same flights and had a much needed travel companion. I had not seen him since August at Mom's funeral and I was looking very much forward to seeing for myself how his life has progressed since leaving Beth Abraham Rehab Centre on September 5th. Since then Scott has been living in his own apartment in Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn in the same building as his good friends Joel and Rachel and not far from Heesok and Carrie.
Being in his own place for the first time since the accident in February was always going to present new and difficult challenges. The change from institutional living would not be easy or simple. Managing dozens of everyday tasks from a wheelchair, with only the use of your body from the mid-chest upwards... During this transitional time, before he can live fully independent, Scott has four full-time, around the clock home health aides (they work in 2 12 hour shifts per day) to help him with household tasks, dressing, showering, turning him over every two hours at night, accompanying him to therapy and doctors appointments and other things.
So after a lot of preplanning with Scott, scouting suitable accommodation, booking and hiring a home-care worker, gathering supplies and other logistical things, Brian and I picked Scott and Heesok up in the middle of Vancouver's worst snowstorm in (30?) years at 1am on Dec.22. For Scott to get around requires more planning and consideration than just, 'We'll pull up'. First you have to find an area that he can even get up to and of course at the airport the snowplows had just pushed massive piles of snow from the road up all over the "Handicapped Loading Area", rendering it utterly useless, which any person with an ounce of brain matter could easily have figured out as they were doing it. So we have to park in a bus zone and get yelled and screamed at by the 'parking diva' until she sees this guy in wheelchair and then shuts up... Find just the right spot and angle, maneuver the chair into position, everything has to be all lined up just so, and then he can do the transfer into the vehicle, fold the chair up into the trunk and then you go. Then of course it all happens in reverse when you get there. My Dad's place would be have been totally inaccessible to Scott but for us serendipitously receiving a motorized stairway-chair from a family friend who passed away. And here too it's an equally involved scene as the one for the car.
Just getting around takes up a huge amount of Scott's time and energy. Going for the 'convenience' of the wheelchair cab isn't always the better alternative either. Vancouver cab drivers couldn't miss an opportunity to shame themselves in this painfully prolonged run-up to our "Great International Showcase". (Hey, I'm sure taxi companies are huge supporters of the Paralympic games). A bunch of us involved in the Hardstock Benefit shows gathered for a great lunch at Hy's downtown, organized by Dennis Mills. Afterwards Scott, Juliana and I tried some Christmas shopping in the snowy, messy downtown. To get home we waited over an hour and a half for a cab that - as far as we know - is still coming. Attempts at flagging just ended in drive-offs (is that a word?). Last option, we took the subway/skytrain (make sure the elevators are working!) and then literally 'plowed' our way through a few blocks of snow to get home. This kind of treatment was a revelation to me (maybe it shouldn't have been), but I guess it's reality when you are disabled; constant reminders that some people want to push you aside and forget about you. Scott has stories of being left at the side of the road, stranded(!), by Access-A-Ride, of their constant lateness or taking the wrong routes to his appointments and ending up in the wrong part of town. The good news is that Scott's gearing up to start taking the bus on his own soon. Small steps towards more independence!
Mobility in his own neighbourhood in Brooklyn is also far from ideal as the sidewalks are in poor condition and the ramps often not usable by wheelchairs, severely limiting his ability to get around. He's hopeful of moving to a new place in downtown Brooklyn where the streets are better maintained and lots of shops and other things are within easy 'wheeling-distance'. This potential new place is somewhat smaller but set up much better for wheelchair accessibility. Affordable, (wheelchair)-accessible places are not easy to come by. But even this, despite gargantuan month-long efforts - thanks to Carrie Goldberg, Lauren Hall and Cate Oberg for steering the application process - is far from certain to happen. For Scott it's just not as simple as: 'Hey, I think I'll move...there!'
All of these obstacles and more Scott is meeting with a kind of equanimity and poise that I could hardly imagine myself summoning were I in his place. Spending time in Scott's orbit you'll come to greatly admire, as have I, the quiet resolve he brings to this day-to-day struggle.
Scott, as ever (he hasn't changed in that way), prefers to dwell on what's positive in his life. So we talked about the new studio and the work that's gone into it (mostly done by the indefatigable Tom) to make it accessible for him; his successes at setting up a small but useful work space in his apartment and the good feeling of being able to do some work again. Of the joys of being able to see his many friends in his own surroundings, to cook dinners, watch TV and just hang out together. A huge and welcome change from previous. About the slow but steady progress he makes in his various rehab programs. He takes occupational therapy and physical therapy three times a week at NYU/RUSK as well as his own 'self-directed' weight-workouts in the gym at Heesok's building multiple times a week. Beginning in a couple of weeks he is starting tai chi classes. All that in addition to irregular doctor and social worker appointments for blood tests, check-ups, etc.
Just because he was in Vancouver, Scott decided that his traditional Boxing Day's Party shouldn't have to be cancelled. (Americans: What is this 'Boxing Day'?). Some used the weather as an excuse to jam out, those who didn't discovered what a a brilliant cook Brian is and a novel and potent concoction called 'Bushnog'. Scott was truly in his element here holding court before many dear and long unseen friends. Ya missed a great one.
For the next few months Scott wants to really concentrate on his health and his re-hab program. With the new studio in Greenpoint nearing completion there will a be chance to ease back into some part-time work, as it goes. Being with and around Scott on a daily basis for a full week really illuminated for me the grinding details of the life that's been cruelly imposed upon a totally innocent person. Living across the continent it can become all too easy to forget that he's now living on such a radically different level than ours. Brian, Dad and I want to acknowledge and thank the people (too many to name all) who have been so central in supporting Scott in the past year, especially: Tom, Leif, Christina, Heesok and Carrie, all of whom I've had the privilege of meeting and spending time with.
It's been almost a year since Scott's accident - but really this is just the beginning. There is still so far to go, so much to do, so many challenges to be met and overcome. I hope that all of you have a chance to be with Scott sometime soon and experience the dignity and courage he exhibits and with which he will ultimately conquer this enormous test. Scott truly values and needs all of our support, in whatever form or amount. Please go to the links if you want to contribute, organize a supper or just drop a line to say hello. Thanks to you all for keeping Scott in your thoughts this past year and I hope you'll continue to do so.
Mike Harding
http://www.scottyhardtrust.com/
http://www.scottyhardsuppers.com/
It is amazing what a difference a day made, in the words of Dinah Washington. And it is amazing what love and friendship can do in a simple year's time. And it is humbling to know what we cannot do.
And through all of this, we continue to marvel at the man himself, and how he chooses to live his life.
No is not an option.
Scotty Hard is made of Hard stock; anyone who has met his father, and had the opportunity to enjoy his mother, or the equally talented brothers, Mike and Brian, know the Hardings are a special stock.
In this time of bailouts and stimulus packages, it is inspiring to know that we can all be stimulated by the gift of friendship.
Love to Scott, Mike, and all Hardstockers.
Dennis
http://www.densemilt.com/http://www.holyhardstock.com/http://www.workhardprayhardscottyhard.com/
----- Original Message -----
From: Tom Camuso
To: Leif Arntzen
Sent: Sunday, February 15, 2009 11:44 AM
Subject: 2009 Update from Mike
Dear Friends of Scott,
About a month before Christmas, Scott made the unexpected decision to come to Vancouver for the holiday, after we had realized that there was really no place where the four of us (Scott, Dad, Brian and I) could spend it together in NYC. Very fortunately, Heesok was also visiting so Scott got the same flights and had a much needed travel companion. I had not seen him since August at Mom's funeral and I was looking very much forward to seeing for myself how his life has progressed since leaving Beth Abraham Rehab Centre on September 5th. Since then Scott has been living in his own apartment in Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn in the same building as his good friends Joel and Rachel and not far from Heesok and Carrie.
Being in his own place for the first time since the accident in February was always going to present new and difficult challenges. The change from institutional living would not be easy or simple. Managing dozens of everyday tasks from a wheelchair, with only the use of your body from the mid-chest upwards... During this transitional time, before he can live fully independent, Scott has four full-time, around the clock home health aides (they work in 2 12 hour shifts per day) to help him with household tasks, dressing, showering, turning him over every two hours at night, accompanying him to therapy and doctors appointments and other things.
So after a lot of preplanning with Scott, scouting suitable accommodation, booking and hiring a home-care worker, gathering supplies and other logistical things, Brian and I picked Scott and Heesok up in the middle of Vancouver's worst snowstorm in (30?) years at 1am on Dec.22. For Scott to get around requires more planning and consideration than just, 'We'll pull up'. First you have to find an area that he can even get up to and of course at the airport the snowplows had just pushed massive piles of snow from the road up all over the "Handicapped Loading Area", rendering it utterly useless, which any person with an ounce of brain matter could easily have figured out as they were doing it. So we have to park in a bus zone and get yelled and screamed at by the 'parking diva' until she sees this guy in wheelchair and then shuts up... Find just the right spot and angle, maneuver the chair into position, everything has to be all lined up just so, and then he can do the transfer into the vehicle, fold the chair up into the trunk and then you go. Then of course it all happens in reverse when you get there. My Dad's place would be have been totally inaccessible to Scott but for us serendipitously receiving a motorized stairway-chair from a family friend who passed away. And here too it's an equally involved scene as the one for the car.
Just getting around takes up a huge amount of Scott's time and energy. Going for the 'convenience' of the wheelchair cab isn't always the better alternative either. Vancouver cab drivers couldn't miss an opportunity to shame themselves in this painfully prolonged run-up to our "Great International Showcase". (Hey, I'm sure taxi companies are huge supporters of the Paralympic games). A bunch of us involved in the Hardstock Benefit shows gathered for a great lunch at Hy's downtown, organized by Dennis Mills. Afterwards Scott, Juliana and I tried some Christmas shopping in the snowy, messy downtown. To get home we waited over an hour and a half for a cab that - as far as we know - is still coming. Attempts at flagging just ended in drive-offs (is that a word?). Last option, we took the subway/skytrain (make sure the elevators are working!) and then literally 'plowed' our way through a few blocks of snow to get home. This kind of treatment was a revelation to me (maybe it shouldn't have been), but I guess it's reality when you are disabled; constant reminders that some people want to push you aside and forget about you. Scott has stories of being left at the side of the road, stranded(!), by Access-A-Ride, of their constant lateness or taking the wrong routes to his appointments and ending up in the wrong part of town. The good news is that Scott's gearing up to start taking the bus on his own soon. Small steps towards more independence!
Mobility in his own neighbourhood in Brooklyn is also far from ideal as the sidewalks are in poor condition and the ramps often not usable by wheelchairs, severely limiting his ability to get around. He's hopeful of moving to a new place in downtown Brooklyn where the streets are better maintained and lots of shops and other things are within easy 'wheeling-distance'. This potential new place is somewhat smaller but set up much better for wheelchair accessibility. Affordable, (wheelchair)-accessible places are not easy to come by. But even this, despite gargantuan month-long efforts - thanks to Carrie Goldberg, Lauren Hall and Cate Oberg for steering the application process - is far from certain to happen. For Scott it's just not as simple as: 'Hey, I think I'll move...there!'
All of these obstacles and more Scott is meeting with a kind of equanimity and poise that I could hardly imagine myself summoning were I in his place. Spending time in Scott's orbit you'll come to greatly admire, as have I, the quiet resolve he brings to this day-to-day struggle.
Scott, as ever (he hasn't changed in that way), prefers to dwell on what's positive in his life. So we talked about the new studio and the work that's gone into it (mostly done by the indefatigable Tom) to make it accessible for him; his successes at setting up a small but useful work space in his apartment and the good feeling of being able to do some work again. Of the joys of being able to see his many friends in his own surroundings, to cook dinners, watch TV and just hang out together. A huge and welcome change from previous. About the slow but steady progress he makes in his various rehab programs. He takes occupational therapy and physical therapy three times a week at NYU/RUSK as well as his own 'self-directed' weight-workouts in the gym at Heesok's building multiple times a week. Beginning in a couple of weeks he is starting tai chi classes. All that in addition to irregular doctor and social worker appointments for blood tests, check-ups, etc.
Just because he was in Vancouver, Scott decided that his traditional Boxing Day's Party shouldn't have to be cancelled. (Americans: What is this 'Boxing Day'?). Some used the weather as an excuse to jam out, those who didn't discovered what a a brilliant cook Brian is and a novel and potent concoction called 'Bushnog'. Scott was truly in his element here holding court before many dear and long unseen friends. Ya missed a great one.
For the next few months Scott wants to really concentrate on his health and his re-hab program. With the new studio in Greenpoint nearing completion there will a be chance to ease back into some part-time work, as it goes. Being with and around Scott on a daily basis for a full week really illuminated for me the grinding details of the life that's been cruelly imposed upon a totally innocent person. Living across the continent it can become all too easy to forget that he's now living on such a radically different level than ours. Brian, Dad and I want to acknowledge and thank the people (too many to name all) who have been so central in supporting Scott in the past year, especially: Tom, Leif, Christina, Heesok and Carrie, all of whom I've had the privilege of meeting and spending time with.
It's been almost a year since Scott's accident - but really this is just the beginning. There is still so far to go, so much to do, so many challenges to be met and overcome. I hope that all of you have a chance to be with Scott sometime soon and experience the dignity and courage he exhibits and with which he will ultimately conquer this enormous test. Scott truly values and needs all of our support, in whatever form or amount. Please go to the links if you want to contribute, organize a supper or just drop a line to say hello. Thanks to you all for keeping Scott in your thoughts this past year and I hope you'll continue to do so.
Mike Harding
http://www.scottyhardtrust.com/
http://www.scottyhardsuppers.com/
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