In this time of year all the news organizations are recapping the top 10 stories of 2016. I like to take this opportunity to recap the top 10 stories of my life. In any other year items like getting sued in federal district court for copyright infringement would be the number one item but not in this very busy and eventful year. It comes in further down the list. Actually in any other year any of the top four or even five of these stories could have been number one .

So here are the top 10 news stories in my life counting down from 10 to number one.

10. Major new connections on Facebook

From time to time I do Google searches or Facebook searches for long lost friends. 2016 yielded three major finds that I had been seeking for a long time. My old college buddy Frank Williams who is still playing keyboards in bars and nightclubs just like he was when I knew him 40 years ago at IUPUI. We haven’t gotten together in person yet but we’ve exchanged emails and follow each other on Facebook. Ellie Vinci also from my college days was the first girl who wasn’t in a wheelchair that I ever took on a date. Among other things we did back in the day was see Jaws, and go to a hockey game. She taught me an appreciation for violence on ice. My friendship with taught me the value of a strong nonromantic friendship with a female and became the foundation for many other similar relationships throughout my life. And finally Cheryl Fayette, my date for the senior prom and the first girl I ever kissed. Sadly my reconnection with her on Facebook was postmortem.

RIP: My First Kiss

 

9. Release My First Non-CGI Christmas Card

After making Ray Traced CGI Christmas cards using POV-Ray every year since 1995, this year I created a Christmas card that was a photograph of 3D printed statues re-creating a look of my 1995 CGI rendered card. This was a major accomplishment to get the POV-Ray models converted to something that could be 3D printed. It was the culmination of 18 months of work since I first got my 3D printer in the summer of 2015.

My 2016 Christmas Card: Reimagining a CGI image by photographing 3D printed models

 

8. Released IRLib2 Software Library

Several years ago I developed a library of software for Arduino based microcontrollers that sends, receives, and decodes infrared signals such as those used in TV remotes. In 2016 I did a major rewrite to version 2 that took me many months to complete. The new software is much more flexible, expandable, and includes a new 117 page user’s manual. Released as open source for the world to use 100% free. I cannot begin to count the hours I spent on this project in 2015 and 2016.

Announcing the Release of IRLib2

 

7. Built The Ultimate Remote

Somewhat related to item 9 but actually a separate development project I built a new ultimate remote control that not only controls every TV and cable box in the house but uses Bluetooth connection to my new iPhone 6 that allows me to use iOS accessibility switch control features to have full control of the iPhone without using the touchscreen. Both the IR portion and the Bluetooth switch control of the iPhone by using three micro switches that I hold in my right hand. This is the latest in a long series of adaptive technologies I built using Arduino based microcontrollers and represents the most powerful device I’ve ever built in this category. This device was an essential part of my ability to communicate with doctors and nurses during my December 2016 hospital stay.

The Ultimate Remote Control and Why I Built It

 

6. Revolving Door of Home Health Aides

After my friend Rick Ruiz had to quit as my home health aide in November 2015 I’ve spent more than half of the time since then without a home health aide and when I did have them they did not last very long. We’ve had approximately 15 different people. Our longtime agency Acme Home Care could no longer supply a person and we moved to a new agency First Horizon where we are getting much better service. This is been a real strain on dad having to spend so much time taking care of me. However we have recently expanded from six days per week to a full 7 days per week.

 

5. Returned to Teaching RCIA

After teaching RCIA for more than 30 years I had retired because the program had been taken over by St. Michael’s parish. However when the RCIA program returned to St. Gabriel I decided to come out of retirement and teach again. I taught three lessons at the beginning of the year and it was wonderful to return to my most treasured ministry. I’m not sure if I will teach next year but it was good to be back one more time.

 

4. Sued for Copyright Infringement in Federal Court

Was threatened with a lawsuit for the use of a photo of the Indianapolis skyline as the background of my 2013 Christmas Card. Retained a lawyer but negotiations failed and the suit was ultimately filed in June of this year. After spending thousands of dollars in lawyers fees it was finally settled out of court. The details of the case yet to be blogged.

 

3.Stopped Eating and got a G-tube Placed

As my spinal muscular atrophy has progressed my ability to swallow has been severely compromised. I made the decision to stop eating altogether because it was becoming way too difficult. I had a surgical G-tube inserted in my stomach in May of this year. The procedure was supposed to be done outpatient however I was hospitalized for a UTI few days prior to the scheduled procedure so we did it while I was still an inpatient. I still eat occasional soft foods such as ice cream and cake for birthday parties and pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. I continued to drink Coke and take most of my medications orally although that may be changing soon.

Tough to Swallow

 

2. New Wheelchair Finally Arrives

This April my new reclining power wheelchair with a mouth control joystick finally arrived after a nearly year-long process of evaluating equipment, going through paperwork, having an evaluation from a physical therapist and doctors. Even after the chair arrived we had much difficulty getting me able to operate it and had to build a new joystick mount using my 3D printer. Software glitches and mechanical problems also delayed my initial use of the wheelchair but since then it has operated well and I regained much of the independence I lost in late 2015 when I could no longer drive my old wheelchair.

My New Wheelchair Finally Arrives

 

1. While Hospitalized for Most of December with Tracheostomy Learned of New Treatment for SMA approved by FDA

A simple viral head cold led to a call to 911, an ambulance trip to St. Vincent ER, a tracheostomy and a lengthy wait in Seton Specialty Hospital to get a new in-home ventilator approved. This is the longest continuous hospitalization of my life. The adventure of not being able to communicate while intubated or on the ventilator led to a emotional roller coaster experience that has inspired me to write what may become my next published work after beginning with an extensive blog version. While recuperating in the hospital and waiting on the vent approval learned that the FDA has approved the new drug treatment for Spinal Muscular Atrophy. While primarily aimed at infant Type I patients it has also been approved for use by my Type II children and adults. Although I will not likely benefit from the treatment it is an encouraging sign that others may not have to endure much of what I have lived through for 61 years. The entire hospital experience also illustrated the depth of support and friendship that I have in the maker community which has gone way beyond what I ever expected. This entire month of December could easily be described as the top story of the past decade of my life. The full ramifications of which are not yet known. Extensive blog coverage of these events is still being written.

Pray That They Listen to the Man with No Voice

 

Well that’s it folks. The top 10 news items in the life of Chris Young for 2016. Let’s hope 2017 is a little more calm but just as interesting 🙂