I think 2020 is going to be a good year. Now that I have my new Edge 3 electric wheelchair with iLevel®, I have a lot of things I want to accomplish!
I’m ready to go down to the graffiti wall that is super famous in St. Louis, the Kosciusko graffiti wall. This wall of graffiti is along the St. Louis riverfront, right below the interstate overpass. It is one of the longest walls to be done by graffiti writers and artists all over the world. It is decorated every year at Paint Louis. The road along the wall hasn’t been repaved for a long time. Only a quarter of it remains paved. Up until now, I wasn’t able to go beyond the paved section of the wall. Now that I have SRS (Smooth Ride Suspension) on my Edge 3 wheelchair, I can drive past the paved section and see the art that is further down. I am able to drive through rocks and dirt without hesitation, because I know the SRS keeps me comfortable when I go over bumps in my chair. I am super excited to explore the wall further, just waiting for the weather to warm up.
Now that I have my new Edge 3, I’m excited to drive faster when I am elevated. My electric wheelchair can drive up to 4.5 mph while elevated, so it’ll be cool to try to drive at the same pace of scooters and bicycles. Living in St. Louis where everything is walkable, we all try to move at the same pace to get where we need to go.
To help become stronger, I’ve started working out and I hope to stick with it the whole year. I want to start jogging with my friends and be able to move at the same pace as them with the 4.5 mph speed. It’ll be great to be elevated while driving alongside them.
Hopefully this year, I will be able to do an art show. With iLevel on my wheelchair, I will be able to speak to everyone as a group and hopefully hold their attention, since I will be elevated. It’s always fun to meet new people and catch up with others at these art events. Being at iLevel usually generates conversation about wheelchairs and technology and what we are able to do now that we weren’t able to do before.
About Jesse Cuellar: Jesse is an artist and a brand ambassador for Quantum Rehab®. An accident left him paralyzed from the neck down, so he uses his mouth to paint and expresses himself through his art. Jesse lives in St. Louis, Missouri, and enjoys painting and hanging out with his friends. Click here to learn more about Jesse.