[BobbyB]

Life From A Wheelchair
Three Cameras Capture A Different Perspective
By ROGER CATLIN | Courant TV Critic
January 24, 2008


Gretchen Berland, a former producer for the PBS science series "Nova" before she went back to school for her medical degree, was interested in how day-to-day life really is for the 1.6 million Americans in wheelchairs.

So the 2004 MacArthur Foundation "genius grant" recipient, and an assistant professor of medicine at Yale University, affixed cameras to the chairs of three Los Angeles residents.

The more than 200 hours of tape from nearly two years of filming exceeded her goal of making a film to inform caregivers, lawmakers and health-care professionals.




The resulting "Rolling," which debuts tonight on CPTV, was named best documentary at the Independent Film Project conference for works in progress and one of 14 new American films chosen by the IFP for screening at the One World Berlin film festival.

Much of the film's success is due to the three subjects, who were happy to add a camera to the array of electronic gewgaws already on their wheelchairs.

Galen Buckwalter is a clinical psychologist who was paralyzed after a dive into a river at age 17. A "proud gimp," he insists on powering himself with his own arms rather than getting a power chair. As a result, he complains of aching shoulders as he transports himself, practices with his band, Siggy, or goes camping with his wife and friends.

Ernie Wallengren, a TV writer for "The Waltons," "Touched by an Angel" and "Falcon Crest," suffers with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, which gets in the way of his coaching basketball teams for two of his five kids.

Vicki Elman, a former business manager for a department at the UCLA School of Medicine, has multiple sclerosis. Elman in many ways has the hardest go of it as a divorced mother who must find her own way around (a grown daughter is off to medical school).

She finds barriers for her power wheelchair on the streets, where a bus-stop sign in front of a bench effectively blocks a whole stretch of sidewalk, forcing her into the streets.

Worse, problems with her wheelchair mean she's just stuck in many situations. She weeps as she's left outside her house by a van driver who can't help get her stalled chair into the house because of insurance regulations. She can't call anyone because her cellphone can't get service. She waits helplessly as the sun sets behind her.

When her chair is sent in for repair, she's moved to a nursing home, where we see her needs are ignored (before they make her turn off her camera). What should have been a couple of days' stay ends up being four weeks.

Yet, like the other two subjects of "Rolling," she faces these indignities with gumption and humor. Eventually, she's out advocating on behalf of Californians for Disability Rights and a bill called the V. Elman Community Living Act, which would make it easier for people with disabilities to live at home.

For all the blessing in his life, chief of which seems to be a loving and helpful wife, Buckwalter still faces many of the common problems of negligence Berland hoped to capture in her film. One such problem is common to most modern patients: waiting a long time in doctors' offices for a brisk 15-minute visit.

Wallengren's decline over the two-year period because of ALS is the most pronounced. While at first he continues to coach his sons' basketball teams and takes them to tournaments, the ALS begins to affect his voice to the degree that he eventually needs a computer to communicate.

Still, the overriding feeling from "Rolling" is not one of individual medical case studies, but one of reflecting the lives of real people acting courageously in extraordinary situations.

ROLLING has its premiere tonight at 9:30 on CPTV.

Contact Roger Catlin at rcatlin@courant.com.

[BobbyB]

Messages
__________________________________________________ ______________________

1a. "Rolling" the movie of life with ALS
Posted by: "Leon" hightide9103@yahoo.com hightide9103
Date: Sat Jan 26, 2008 8:06 am ((PST))


Gretchen Berland, a former producer for the PBS science series "Nova"
before she went back to school for her medical degree, was interested in
how day-to-day life really is for the 1.6 million Americans in
wheelchairs.

So the 2004 MacArthur Foundation "genius grant" recipient, and an
assistant professor of medicine at Yale University, affixed cameras to
the chairs of three Los Angeles residents.

The more than 200 hours of tape from nearly two years of filming
exceeded her goal of making a film to inform caregivers, lawmakers and
health-care professionals.

The resulting "Rolling," debuted on CPTV, was named best documentary at
the Independent Film Project conference for works in progress and one of
14 new American films chosen by the IFP for screening at the One World
Berlin film festival.

Much of the film's success is due to the three subjects, who were happy
to add a camera to the array of electronic gewgaws already on their
wheelchairs.

One of the three subjects was Ernie Wallengren, a TV writer for "The
Waltons," "Touched by an Angel" and "Falcon Crest," suffers with ALS,
also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, which gets in the way of his
coaching basketball teams for two of his five kids.

Check local listings and keep one eye open for "Rolling" in your area.


Messages in this topic (3)
__________________________________________________ ______________________

1b. Re: "Rolling" the movie of life with ALS
Posted by: "rknt50c" rknt50c@yahoo.com rknt50c
Date: Sat Jan 26, 2008 3:12 pm ((PST))


It just ran on PBS in Indianapolis. It's not to be missed. Ernie was
cool... right in the mold of quick-witted PALS who know how to make a
point.

I wish it could be made required viewing for physicians with patients in
wheelchairs!!!




Messages in this topic (3)
__________________________________________________ ______________________

1c. Re: "Rolling" the movie of life with ALS
Posted by: "rknt50c" rknt50c@yahoo.com rknt50c
Date: Sun Jan 27, 2008 3:40 am ((PST))


It just ran on our PBS station. It's not to be missed. Ernie was
cool... right in the mold of quick-witted PALS who know how to make a
point.

I wish it could be made required viewing for physicians with patients in
wheelchairs!!!





Messages in this topic (3)
__________________________________________________ ______________________
__________________________________________________ ______________________





<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/alsadvocacy/

[BobbyB]

sorry about bad link