So Jon Devised a Safety Climbing Method in Case He Falls
Parkinson's Disease Causes Poor Balance, Making Ladders a Danger
Jonathan has devised a method to climb a ladder safely, even
though he has Parkinson’s disease. His balance is affected by PD, so I was
worried that he might fall off the ladder. But he is determined to repair the
motorhome roof himself—he’s the best repairman! April is Parkinson's Awareness Month, so this story is fitting.
Jon
ordered mountain-climbing gear from Amazon. No, he’s not a mountain climber. But
with special gear—a harness, two different ropes, carabiners,
and a ladder, Jon was determined that he could motorhome-climb to replace the leaky skylight. He spent hours watching
YouTube videos and practicing the technique to tie the necessary unique knots. He
won’t hit the ground if he falls off the roof or the ladder.
Jon Attaches the Main Rope to the RV Axle
So He Can Sling the Rope Over the RV Roof
On the Opposite Side Where He will be Working
Using A Heavy-Duty Mountain-Climbing Carabiner
Jon Pulls On The Harness and Adjusts for Fit
While Sophie Keeps An Eye on That Scary Ladder
Jon Tested His Mountain-Climbing Knot
To Make Sure it Won't Slip If He Falls
With The Rope Attached to His Harness, Jon Starts
Climbing the Ladder, Sliding the Special Knot Up
The Main (Red) Rope Every Two Steps
The Hardest Lesson to Learn was that He had to Remove
His Hand From the Special Knot as He Descended or Climbed--
It's a Slip-Knot That Won't Stop a Fall if His Hand is On It!
Jon Scrapes off the Old Caulking Around the Cracked Skylight
The Cracked Shower Skylight Has Been Removed--
No Wonder There Was a Water Leak into the Shower Ceiling!
Jon is Ready to Install the New Skylight
He Sets the New Skylight into Place--Perfect Fit!
The Skylight has been Caulked with Self-Leveling Sealant
Now Jon is Scraping and Cleaning the Roof Gutters, A Big Job
My job is now to bleach the water stain on the shower ceiling. That's another story. It's a good thing Jon caught and replaced the cracked skylight early.
Jon's rope system and harness work so well that I don't feel
like I have to be there while he works. If he loses his balance and slips off the ladder, he won't hit the ground.
He's a Parkinson's Warrior!
Read more about life with Parkinson's disease in my book Pickle Jar Test: A Novel, available in all Amazon markets. FREE with KindleUnlimited.
What a great idea - Jon is inspirational in his determination to continue staying active and doing projects even with his PD. Bravo!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great comment, Emily! Jon is a Parkinson's Warrior❤ And the more he works and walks, the better he slows the progression of PD.
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