Bryn Rodenhizer hasn't added a story.
There are times when my heart condition seems invisible. After all,
I'm a 37 year old mom with a sense of humor, who also goes out to
dinners and posts on Instagram and appears to be perfectly normal, in
all the optics. More often than not, I myself get tricked into that
state of amnesia, where I try to do too much, and am left huffing and
puffing, chest aching, because I simply can not physically accomplish
all that I have planned to do. I'm left feeling gutted, having to tell
my children, yet again, why we can't continue with the day we had
planned- I need to rest.
It was a weekend this summer, where we were planning on picking
out shelves for our kitchen, followed by back to school shopping for
the kids. After five minutes of browsing at our first stop, I was done
for the day- what little reserve I had stored was gone, as I found any
surface to sit upon to try and participate in the picking of the
selves. But onward I pressed, next stop Target, on the hunt for rain
boots. The excursion ended quicker than any of us would have liked,
but that was ok, we were heading home to bake.
As the kids picked out recipes to try, I laid on the sofa,
exhausted from the morning, patience thin with myself and everyone
around me, disappointed that a fun afternoon out lasted roughly two
hours. As eclairs were named the treat of choice to bake, I took a
deep breath, knowing that I was about to disappoint my children again,
and told them it would have to wait until I was feeling better. I had
over done it, walking around the stores, and just needed an hour or so
to regain my energy.
I can handle the fact that I am living with a heart that simply
refuses to do what it is meant to do. I can even handle the symptoms.
But I can not handle disappointing my children, or the feeling that I
am missing some of the most formative times of their lives by resting
on the sofa after a two hour outing zaps me. With an Alinker, there
would be less 'no' and more 'yes'. There would be excursions that
weren't simply errands that we had to do- we could plan on adventures
that we want to do, where before, I simply could not.
It is difficult to explain how hard it is to be physically
unable to do all of the things that you think you should be able to
do. And when you don't "look sick" it is even more
difficult. I want to go for walks, join my family at the beach, check
out the new art installation, and walk around Target. I don't want to
say no, to measure how much reserve of energy I have for the day, and
weigh where I need to, practically, spend that energy. Having an
Alinker won't cure my heart, but it certainly would save it.
Visit my Instagram page here to get to know me a bit more. Warning ::
excessive talk of tacos and pictures of poodles.
The campaigns are about sharing. Most people have no idea what life is like when you live with MS or what happens after you have a stroke. Isolation is often a bigger problem than the symptoms of the disease itself. With the campaigns we can share and educate people, because it can happen to all of us. When we create a movement where people simply show up for each other, it might get a bit ‘safer’ and less ‘scary’ to engage with each other. Some people share their experiences on their campaign, others share their funds to support the campaigns. It is not about asking for money, it is creating an opportunity for people to learn and show up with #generosity. Being generous resonates with who we are as humans. We understand generosity deeply and when you practice it, you feel so much better
PLEASE NOTE
- The campaigns are in Canadian $ (back end requirement on our side), the $2800 CAD includes the Alinker, shipping, process and campaign fees and our support.
- The campaigns are all or nothing, no credit cards are charged unless the campaign reaches its goal.
- As soon as the campaign reaches its goal, we ship an Alinker.
- Campaigners do not handle money. On disability or welfare, you cannot handle money without being penalized, but you can receive an Alinker !
- When the campaign raises more than the goal, the campaigner can chose another campaign where we then make the donation to, paying it forward, or get the balanced paid out, the choice is the campaigner's.
- If you want to start a campaign and are outside Canada or the USA, write an email to molly@thealinker.com. We can get a shipping quote to where you live, and include that in the campaign goal.
Together we build a movement of kindness and generosity, because we all need it
Why do we facilitate crowdfunding on our site?
We believe that the Alinkers should be available for everybody, regardless of income and people who start a crowdfunding campaign here, will have access to a life changing Alinker. Did you see how happy Selma Blair is using her Alinker? Her anxiety dropped from level 10 to 2 after she got back on her new Alinker. She is so happy and so on with this new invention, that she wants to create a fund to get people access to Alinkers. These crowdfunding campaigns are the first step to make Alinkers available for everybody. Selma and BE are now putting their energy together to build a generous community around all the campaigners! The campaigners are people who allow others to show up generously, give them love!
Why an Alinker?
Generally, medical devices are a technical solution for a body with a
problem.
The Alinker is designed for who we are, a whole human
being, who wants to live an active and engaged life. We are a human,
we have a body. Whether we miss a leg of have MS, it does not change
us as a person.
Yet the world we live in, treats us as a body with a problem, which creates a social divide between people based on their body, based on what we have, not on who we are. Isolation and loneliness are more devastating than the disease itself. So we need to show up for each other, acknowledge each other and be present to who we are.
These campaigns are here to bridge the gap between a high quality custom Alinker, and the people who live at the receiving end of a 'sickcare' system that drives people into poverty.
So, show up, be radically generous, it is something we humans really understand.
When you read each story in each campaign, pause and imagine who
that person is, and why they started the campaign, reach out to them,
let them know they are surrounded and seen, heard and not alone. When
we do that, we feel better and create a safer community where we know
we can show up for each other. It connects us with our essence, we are
radically generous creatures, we just got a little lost in systems
that are not designed for our wellness.
Who is the Alinker for?
The Alinker is for people who want to stay active, regardless of mobility challenges.
To operate and use the Alinker you must have the ability to:
- walk to some degree
- flex and extend your legs
- bear weight on one leg briefly while getting on and off the Alinker
- be consciously aware of your surroundings
- be aware of your ability and limitations
What is the Alinker?
The Alinker is an exceptionally cool, three-wheeled walking bike
for humans with mobility constraints. It’s not a medical device,
it’s a lifestyle tool, designed to enable users to lead active and
socially engaged lives — at eye level.
On the Alinker, users sit upright -- at eye level with standing
companions. Weight is supported by the seat with no stress on the
lower body, while handle bars provide additional support. Feet remain
on the ground, keeping users stable and safe.
Together we'll make this work, in kindness and from the heart
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