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Online Allis61

  • Name: Alice
Total Posts Last Post Last Seen Joined
7002 08/07/08 16:53:05 08/07/08 16:53:05 01/11/06
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04/26/07
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Me and my city



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I'm Alice. 47 yrs old. I'm the mother of to wonderful young men, 25 and 28 yrs old. They have both left the nest, but are not living very far from me. My little Pomeranian - Ayla - keeps me company when my husband is at sea.


My problematic back keeps me from being as active as I would like, so the computer is my window to the world.

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I also like to read and watch movies.


I am one of the moderators at the board - Friends International A support group for people with health problems. You are welcome to visit us.


I love:

Positive people, late night hours and sweet strawberries


I'm not so fond of:

Early mornings and celeriac


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I live on a large island just outside the city of Bergen, Norway. Guess I'm not unbiased, but I think this is the most beautiful city in the world. I've grown up here. I met my husband and gave birth to my two beautiful boys here. My mother and four siblings with families also live in Bergen. We often say for fun: " Eg e'kje fra Norge, eg e' fra Bergen" - "I'm not from Norway, I'm from Bergen" - in our own dialect with a distinct R.


It's a costal city in the west of Norway with long seafaring and trading traditions. Bergen is the second largest city in Norway and surrounded by seven mountains. The mountains also make it to the city in Western-Europe with most rain.


The old wooden houses at Bryggen from Hansa times is protected as a World Cultural Heritage


In the summer Bergen is a popular tourist destination. A starting point for cruise ships from around the world before they set sails for the fjords.

We also have a famous fish-market - Fisketorget, funicular - Fløibanen - which takes you up to a breathtaking view over the city (when the weather allows it) and the cable car - Ulriken - it takes you even higher.


You will find a fabulous Aquarium that we're very proud of.


The composer Edward Grieg was born and died here. His home Troldhaugen is now a museum.


Well I could go on forever telling you about this beautiful city. If you want to learn more about this small city in a small country, you'll find links under My favourites.




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My little furry friend


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Spring to summer in Norway

The first big holiday we're looking forward to in spring is Easter. Some prolong the winter by skiing in the mountains

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Others are jump-starting the summer season at their cabin by the sea

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May 17.th is our Constitution Day. Norwegians are celebrating their freedom with enthusiasm. Dressing up in national costumes (bunad) and participating in parades all over the country

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Many young boys (and some girls) in Bergen are members of Buekorps (archery brigades) They train in marching and drumming and wear charachteristic uniforms. On Constitution day they proudly show off their skills. (My oldest boy is the tiny toddler at the right)

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In the evening of June 23. we celebrate the summer solstice and the beginning of the summer season with big bonfires, games and fun

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Where do you live





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Come visit me






What is sitting disability


I am suffering from sitting disability, which means that I spend most of my days lying down. Because of my back problems, sitting increases my pain, and I have to avoid to sit whenever I can. Most countries have directives making public facilities available for disabled people, whether they have reduced mobility and visual or auditory impairments. Sitting disability is yet to be recognized,; therefore the availability of benches or other devices where one may lie down are often non-existing.

Transportation is another area we are experiencing discrimination. To fly you have to be able to sit 45 min. at both take off and landing. No airlines have yet shown any willingness to make it possible for people with sitting disability to travel by airplane. People with sitting disability are also excluded from travelling by bus or train, because they can't lie down during the transportation.

So you can say; people with sitting disability are excluded from a part of life "normal" people don't even give a second thought.

You can read more about Sitting Disability HERE

This letter was sent to The European Comission Last year: SITTING DISABILITY


Our objective is that all countries, governments will, in their legislations, incorporate directives for adaptions for sitting disabled persons - the same way they already have done for other disabilities.

Here are some great topics about sitting disability at the Friends International Support board:



For Norwegians and others with scandianavian as their first language:

Er du norsk/skandinavisk og ønsker å lese/skrive på ditt morsmål har vi også på det norske forumet en tråd om sittehemning. Ønsker du å være med i vår email ring for sittehemmede kan du sende meg en melding her med din email adresse. Les mer om rygg og ryggproblemer på Forum For Kroniske Smerter



Tråd for Sitteproblemer - Sittehemning


Se også Mosken Bergh's gjesteblogg om Universell utforming og sittehemning på DOK - Nasjonalt dokumentasjonssenter for personer med nedsatt funksjonsevne. Delta gjerne i debatten!


Visit our board and join the email ring for people with sitting disability Send me a message with your email addy.




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Friends International Support Group


View from my window


I never get tired of this view. Nature and its shifting moods makes it new and different every day



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And the colors.......

January sunrise, 10am

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The first sunset of the year, over the cove - April
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Fog in June
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After a long and slategrey day, the sun rewarded me a few brief moments with an amazing sky with clouds like giant, pinkpurplish marshmallows.

July sunset - 11pm 070708
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And last night, a couple of hours befor the rain set in, fireworks!!

July sunset 11pm 100708
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This isn't excactly a view from my window, but I found this little bugger working hard right outside. Can't resist sharing him with you. Why I know its a him?? I dont!!! I just like to give the impression I have male visitors when hubby's at sea. image

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Western Norway My corner of the world


This has been a winter filled with rain for us in Bergen. But who's says a rainy day can't be beautiful??

Morning fog over Bryggen

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Lille Lungegaardsvann
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The everfalling rain and humidity gives our vegetation an almost surreal shade of green


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In May/June the blooming of the fruit trees in nearby Hardanger is a must see . A spectacular result of the cold winters and lots of rain

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The mountains in June - Haukelifjell
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Låtefossen - waterfalls
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Hvem er jeg

Jeg er født i værens tegn i 1961, gift og har to voksne barn + en liten hund.

Ha vært uføretrygdet med dårlig rygg siden 1989.

For å fordrive tiden liker jeg å lese, se film (er altetende) og holde på med data. Er en av moderatorene på Forum for kroniske smerter - Friends International. Stikk gjerne innom å se hvordan vi har det.

Ellers er telefonen en fin oppfinnelse. Den brukes flittig til å holde kontakten med familie og venner.

Jeg elsker:

Positive mennesker, sene nattetimer og søte jordbær

Er mindre glad i:

Tidlige morgenstunder og sellerirot

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Please say hello

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Leave a comment

  1. avatar

    BlueBoy

    User Infostatus offline104 Kudos

    08/05/08

    Hei Alice og takker for varm velkomst!
    Ja under andre omstendigheter skulle man gjerne ha ønsket å kunne stifte nye bekjentskaper, men som ganske ofte så har man liten mulighet til å kontrollere uten å heller bare kunne gjøre det beste av den gitte situasjon. Gleder meg stort over å kunne få høre litt fra andre mennesker i samme situasjon og kanskje få en liten følelse av å ikke være helt alene, noe jeg nå ser at jeg ikke er.

    Så kommer nok til å bruke en del tid her inne for å lese en masse om det ikke blir for å skrive.
    Alt godt fra meg
    Christian

    Original comment »
  2. avatar

    cclc1234

    User Infostatus offline103 Kudos

    08/04/08

    Hi I know about a sitting disability my buttocks are constantly numb and painful my pm doc says i have si joint problems and just had a mri done 3 back surgeries 2 bulging discs 1 herniated nerve impingements facet arthrisis and so on ouch have to get up for a while my butt is killing me

    08/04/08

    Reply from Allis61:

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    I can totally empathise with you. When you first got a chronic bad back, it seems like there's no end to all the different possible causes for your pain - or the opposite; they don't find any specific cause, and maybe that's even worse.

    But regardless the disability is the same for us all. I didn't even manage to use a computer as long as we only had a stationary with a chair in front. But when hubby one day came and suggested we connect it to the TV-monitor my life changed dramatically. Our TV-monitor is hanging on the wall, and I can lie on the couch with a cordless keyboard and mouse and work as much as I like - without having to deal with increased pain levels. By this and using the phone/Skype I finally feel connected to the world again. I was pretty isolated since I can't leave the house much and was getting really bored of watching TV and read books. Now I have problems finding time for that. ;-D

    A lap-top can also give you possibilities to lie reclined or flat while you use the computer. I hope you may find a way that works for you too. But first of all I wish you soon will get better pain management. I don't think you can hope to be totally pain free, but just to have a little less makes a world of difference.

    **Alice** image



  3. avatar

    SissEM

    User Infostatus offline40 Kudos

    08/03/08

    imageØnsker deg en fin søndag :)
    Synes du har en flott hjemmeside, skal jobbe videre med min.
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    08/03/08

    Reply from Allis61:

    Takk skal du ha og en fin søndag ønskes deg også.

    Du har jo allerede kommet godt i gang med din profil også. Det ser veldig bra ut! Bare spør om det skulle være noe du ikke får til. Om jeg ikke akkurat er ekspert, så har jeg jo lært en del underveis.

    **Alice**
  4. avatar

    topcat

    User Infostatus offline165 Kudos

    07/27/08

    Thanks for the kudo. I appreciate it very much.

    I do hope you get some rest as I know how tiring life can get as well as how rewarding it can be as well. You sound like a wonderful person; and it will do neither you or those you help for you to get to exhausted.

    Take care of yourself, Tc
    Original comment »
  5. avatar

    Frogfur43

    User Infostatus online46 Kudos

    07/27/08

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    Your pictures make it even more necessary that I one day get to your beautiful country! I can't pass up seeing such a great looking place. I don't know how I managed to miss it on the first go round. I've been everywhere else in the world except Scandinavia! Somehow never got there. I will make up for it!

    Friday I saw a Doctor who has diagnosed a problem in my back that may have something to do with your "Sitting Disability." I too can't sit for very long. Of course I can't stand still for very long, either. The only thing I can do for any length of time is lay down and I pay for that. I can walk a pretty good ways but then I pay for that in my knees and hips. That's all the price you pay for having a lot of fun in life and jumping out of airplanes.

    Anyway about the Doctor. Down in the lumbar area of your spine there is a small tunnel where the spinal cord passes thru. Mine is growing closed. If I sit down for very long it pinches the cord and hurts like Mickey Mantle is swinging his bat to drive me out of the Ballpark. If I stand up for very long it pinches in a different spot and Babe Ruth gets his turn at bat. He's a left hand hitter. When I lay down is where the Sumo wrestlers or the Zebra come from depending on which side I lay on. If I walk a lot Fred and Ginger show up, too.

    The Doctor said the surgery to fix it takes about an hour. He can't understand why no one has seen this problem before. He found it on a CT scan. Took him about two minutes to see it. I'll spend the night in the hospital after the surgery and go home the next day. He said I will have to take it easy for 2-3 weeks. I am having it done on the 26th of August and I will have a Class to teach (I volunteer teach Computer Basics and Microsoft Office at a Handicapped Center) on the 2nd of September and I should be okay by then according to him.

    Could something like this be part of your problem? I had never heard of this till now and have never heard of your problem described the way you have till now, either. I have met a couple of people with Sitting Disorders but hadn't realized it was that widespread.


    07/27/08

    Reply from Allis61:

    Thank you for stopping by, Duke.

    My work for the sitting disabled is very rewarding. Just to get the word out to be recognised by "the world" is a very important first step.

    There are many degrees of sitting disability. I can sit, but not for very long. Sitting always causes me excessive pain, so I have to consider how much pain I'm willing to accept and that I have time to recover afterwords. Standing is a big problem for me, and I can only walk for short distances. But I'm doing fine. After 20 yrs with back problems I have accepted how this is and we have made the necessary accommodations I need in my surroundings. I've had 6 surgeries and no improvement so I don't expect a cure anymore but hope for satisfying pain relief.

    I believe your problem is called "spinal stenosis" It's not my problem, but my mom recently had surgery for that. She also had a fixation done, so it was more extensive surgery. She's still recovering. Her back problems has been very serious for many years so the best she can hope for is lesser pain. She never expects to be totally pain free again. (this is her third surgery)

    I'm glad you'll get yours done so soon. To be able to teach a class September 2. may be a bit optimistic, but you'll never know. Hopefully it'll be as easy recovery as your doc says and you get rid of your pain. Sounds like you have a busy "population" living back there. LOL

    You can find more information about Spinal stenosis here

    spinalstenosis.org >>>

    and an interactive video HERE >>>

    This is a fairly common condition. It's estimated that 1 out of 5 Americans over 50 yrs are having symptoms of this. But far from all ao serious that they will need surgery.

    emedicine.com >>>

    Ok - the "lecture" is over. image It's closer to 1.30am so I should find my bed and try to get some sleep. image Scandinavia is a beautiful part of the world, and I'm sure you'll love it if you get to travel here.

    **Alice**
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Bits and bobs about This and that

  1. Join me in my trip to Denmark

    06/21/08 14:52:14 | 8 What do you think?

    June 18.


    Ok - I'm not in Denmark yet, but we are "crashing" at a hotel in Kristiansand in south of Norway. The ferry to Denmark is only a couple of minutes away and leaves 8 am tomorrow morning.

    Thank you for all your well wishes. I'm so touched you all have been thinking of me and want me to have a great holiday. image

    I watched the weather forecast on the TV this morning....
  2. A glimpse of Turkey - my holiday

    04/08/08 07:07:00 | 0 What do you think?



    I've been to Alanya before, a long time ago. I'm not sure when but it has to be around 15 yrs since the last time. A beautiful country, but back then I found the din and noise and some very pestering "Don Juans" a bit too much for to ladies travelling alone - my MIL and I.

    But many people have later told me how much they love Turkey, so I was really curious if I would think any different this time around. I'm not sure if it was because we went a bit...
  3. Travel letter from the island of Crete

    09/16/07 14:25:22 | 1 What do you think?


    Well - actually I'm back on my couch and can deliver my letter by hand. image

    To make the fall feel shorter, we, each year, take a weeks vacation on the lovely island of Crete in the middle of the Mediterranean - the largest and most southern of the Greek islands. A troublesome travel for me, but well worth it when I'm there.

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