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My wife, daughter and I were out at a movie event tonight and my son Kaden was home being watched by my wife’s mother. (We didn’t think Kaden would be able to handle the movie night the way it was setup).
About halfway through the movie, my Apple watch buzzes and I see a pic of my Dad entering our front door (thanks Nest Hello). I then checked the camera out the front of the house and saw my wife’s mom helping Kaden get his wheelchair out the front door while they loaded him up in my dad's car for a ride. Kaden's favorite activity in the world is car rides, it’s the only place he is truly comfortable and satisfied. (he and I go on car rides every night, it's what we do)
I thought, hmmm, that's unexpected. So I looked at our Amazon Echo's account online and saw the command "Call Grandpa" in there. This meant that Kaden had used his speaking device to trigger our Echo Show to call my Dad. Then Kaden used his speaking device to ask to "Go for a ride", and my dad, being the awesome guy he is, brought his new Mustang GT over and rewarded my son for his request. This was actually, to this point, the most independent interaction my son has ever had in his lifetime.
A lot of things had to work right for this to happen. The Internet, for one. Our home wireless, the Amazon Echo Show, Kaden's Dynovox speaking device, and then the Alexa app on my dad's phone, over his wireless and internet. These various technologies worked together seamlessly to allow a little boy, who cannot walk or talk, who is legally blind, who only has partial control of one finger (his pinky on this left hand), to be able to call his Grandfather and request a ride in his car, all while the rest of us were at a movie and couldn’t help him.
Kaden is very lucky to be alive in this time period. I'm very grateful for all of the technology we have today which has such enabling abilities for those who need it. I'm grateful for the Amazon Echo Show, which thank goodness I figured out could be used via voice commands on my son's speaking device to allow him to call others.
My son is unfortunately trapped in a body that doesn't work, it doesn't work hardly at all. But tonight, tonight he knows he earned that ride. He accomplished it all on his own. Just a proud dad here, and thought I would share. It's easy to take stuff for granted in life. It's important to notice the stuff that truly matters.
-JB
p.s. Your reward for reading this is an epically awesome pic of my new Vette parked in front of an abandoned weigh station.
And here is my car along with my Dad's previously mentioned 2018 Mustang GT. Both 460HP.
Nice story it is great that your son is able to be so independent with all of the technology available to him now, even ten years ago he would have been hopelessly trapped waiting for someone to guess what he was thinking. I thought your Vette was Nightrace Blue? did you get a vinyl wrap? The wheels look great as well.
Nice story it is great that your son is able to be so independent with all of the technology available to him now, even ten years ago he would have been hopelessly trapped waiting for someone to guess what he was thinking. I thought your Vette was Nightrace Blue? did you get a vinyl wrap? The wheels look great as well.
look back at my original thread “unexpected new member” for the story on this Vette. Short answer, one month in I’m on my second C7 already.
My wife, daughter and I were out at a movie event tonight and my son Kaden was home being watched by my wife’s mother. (We didn’t think Kaden would be able to handle the movie night the way it was setup).
About halfway through the movie, my Apple watch buzzes and I see a pic of my Dad entering our front door (thanks Nest Hello). I then checked the camera out the front of the house and saw my wife’s mom helping Kaden get his wheelchair out the front door while they loaded him up in my dad's car for a ride. Kaden's favorite activity in the world is car rides, it’s the only place he is truly comfortable and satisfied. (he and I go on car rides every night, it's what we do)
I thought, hmmm, that's unexpected. So I looked at our Amazon Echo's account online and saw the command "Call Grandpa" in there. This meant that Kaden had used his speaking device to trigger our Echo Show to call my Dad. Then Kaden used his speaking device to ask to "Go for a ride", and my dad, being the awesome guy he is, brought his new Mustang GT over and rewarded my son for his request. This was actually, to this point, the most independent interaction my son has ever had in his lifetime.
A lot of things had to work right for this to happen. The Internet, for one. Our home wireless, the Amazon Echo Show, Kaden's Dynovox speaking device, and then the Alexa app on my dad's phone, over his wireless and internet. These various technologies worked together seamlessly to allow a little boy, who cannot walk or talk, who is legally blind, who only has partial control of one finger (his pinky on this left hand), to be able to call his Grandfather and request a ride in his car, all while the rest of us were at a movie and couldn’t help him.
Kaden is very lucky to be alive in this time period. I'm very grateful for all of the technology we have today which has such enabling abilities for those who need it. I'm grateful for the Amazon Echo Show, which thank goodness I figured out could be used via voice commands on my son's speaking device to allow him to call others.
My son is unfortunately trapped in a body that doesn't work, it doesn't work hardly at all. But tonight, tonight he knows he earned that ride. He accomplished it all on his own. Just a proud dad here, and thought I would share. It's easy to take stuff for granted in life. It's important to notice the stuff that truly matters.
-JB
p.s. Your reward for reading this is an epically awesome pic of my new Vette parked in front of an abandoned weigh station.
And here is my car along with my Dad's previously mentioned 2018 Mustang GT. Both 460HP.
And sounds like Kaden has a great dad..thank you for sharing
We live in amazing times when technology can expand the human potential and allow so much more to life and living. 60 minutes ran a piece on the MIT lab that is developing artificial limbs that read nerve impulses and direct motion of the prosthetic.
Wonderful story. You are right to be proud of your son! It is great that technology exists that can allow him to navigate through part of our world and demonstrate his diverse abilities even if he has physical limitations.
04-22-2018, 10:39 PM
Proud Dad tonight!
