Members
Age: 31
Location: United States, Michigan, Farmington
Connection: No connection
Member since: 07/21/2007
Profile last updated: 07/21/2007
Current Status: Offline
Network: 10 Friends
My Favorite Sports: Billiards/Pool
Top 5 movies: Princess Bride, Ever After, 10 Things I Hate About You, Mulan, Spaceballs
Top 5 bands, composers, or musical artists: Metallica, Weird All Yankovich, Megadeth, Linkin Park, Evanescence
Top 5 books: The Madness Season by C.S. Friedman
Disability Type: Neurological, Sensory - Visual, Systemic, Other
Disability Name: Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis
Disability Description: I have multiple disabilities: Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis, Food Allergies, and Sensory Integration Dysfunction.
Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis - muscles paralyze if my Potassium levels drop in my body and unparalyze if my Potassium levels rise.
Food Allergies - Inhallant food allergy to Popcorn (severe). 17+ ingestion based food allergies. Unable to eat out at most restaurants and restricted meals.
Sensory Integration Dysfunction - Over-respond to sensory information. Usually triggers Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis attack.
Assistive Technology: Scooter, Cane
Medications: Urocit-K, Acetazolamide, K-Dur
How has your disability changed your life...for better or worse?: My disabilities have challenged me to relearn information quickly and how to teach others complicate terminology/concepts. Every day I must relearn how to walk or use my muscles. I have learned to apply these training skills to Engineering, so I am capable of explaining complex techniques to others in terms they can understand. Additionally, since I do a lot of coding at a low level of microprocessors and my body exhibits systematic failures similar to Electrical equipment failures, I am able to use the diagnostic skills I have learned in managing my condition to make me a better designer and validator.
How have you overcome obstacles?:
I over come obstacles, by learning everything there is to know about the new problem, talk to others with identical or similar problems, read up on the latest research related to this and similar problems, break down the problem to its smallest parts, and then devise plans to deal with section of the problem.
I do this whether the obstacle is Engineering or Disability based. In many cases it is both. Lifting 10lbs of equipment is not a "simple" task and is something I break down and figure out safe ways to do it. I have to develop risk and contingincy plans for this type of action. This has helped me professionally in explaining problems to my Management.
What is your most embarrassing moment?:
Playing with a young child I didn't know well, her waving her hand in my face, I paralyzed, fell to the floor, couldn't move or respond, and then hear a sad voice, "Is she DEAD?" Aparently one of her carers had died on her prior to that point so she had seen death before.
Having that happen once is bad enough. Having it happen several times is traumatic.
What is your most triumphant moment?: Graduating with my Masters in Computer Engineering after working Full Time and going to school Part Time.
What are your dreams...for yourself and your peers?:
My dream is to create inventions that help other people, especially people with disabilties or those with even temporary trouble moving.
I additionally dream of the day when Disabled workers do not have to fight tooth and nail to get access to their work place. After 5 years, I am still waiting for Handicap Accessible doors (multiple active accomodation requests). It is humiliating to constantly beg others to let you through a door and not slam it in your face.
I'm looking for: Friends, Business Partners
Height: 5'3" - 5'4" (159 cm - 163 cm)
Weight: 161 lbs - 170 lbs ( 74 Kg - 77 Kg)
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Hazel
Religous Background: Jewish
Languages: English
Educational Level: Graduate Degree
Job Title: Engineer
Company: Hitachi Automotive Products
Previous Companies: Bosch, Visteon, Rockwell Software
Areas of Expertise: Embedded Software Design and Validation
Current Status: Employed, full-time
