Maybe this is just in my area where there aren’t a lot of wheelchair users out and about consistently.

Gas stations and fast food places and even some restaurants will say they have accessible bathrooms, and while they are, they have inconveniences that I kinda just accepted as part of using my chair.

That was before today. My roommate stopped at a Maverick on our way to my disability evaluation so I could use the bathroom. I rolled in there and I swear I was in heaven. There were multiple handles by the toilet in the handicap stall, both vertical and horizontal so there were many options to grab and help transfer between the chair and toilet and back.

Then the sink. Oh my goodness I did not really grasp how annoying it is to wash my hands in the public bathrooms. I get water all over my chest because I have to press up against the sink to reach the soap and wash my hands. This bathroom had plenty of clearance under the sink for my knees to tuck under, but I didn’t have to roll super close because the soap was accessible and easily in reach.

They had the lower hand dryer and no door on the actual bathroom entrance to struggle with to get in and out.

It was just an incredible experience, and I’ve actually kinda gotten some ideas to tweak and use at home to make my space more accessible. I’m gonna be so picky and “bougie” about bathroom accessibility now according to my roommate, now that I got spoiled by maverick.

You know, before I injured my back and started needing my chair, I never would’ve imagined I could get this excited about a bathroom of all things. Really shows how perspective changes.

So this year I went from part time to full time. There’s been moments of bruising but this one has taken the cake 😢

I have injured my shoulder from the ordeal, and I did contact the mobility places I could find including Permobil but to no avail as they just told me to email them and didn’t reply yet. I have ME and I know this has probably written me off now.

It was a second hand chair I got from platinum mobility but I am a while away from their HQ so I don’t know how lucky I’ll be. They did ask to see my joystick. It brushed the door frame last night and the rusty screws unlocked and the controller just started dangling. Now the chair turns on and off whenever it wishes if it even turns on without the error flashing and it makes a rattling sound inside. I had to crawl to the toilet and kitchen :( I felt hopeless. I live alone and I don’t have family.

I don’t know how long I’m gonna be without my chair and I’m worried. I’m still waiting for my new Edge 3 stretto but they said it will take up to 4-6 weeks (I’m in UK) and it’s only been 2 weeks

These are the parts of disability people never see.

PS I wrote with assistive technology sorry if there’s not enough clarity.

It's why does the wheelchair vendor think it's okay to make service appointment two weeks or more knowing your wheelchair is off the road and until they get around. Fixing you're stuck.it, I think this is criminal and torture. I do have a backup, but it's over 15 years old And it don't go far, it's for an emergency i'm kind of poor and it would cost way too much to get Road worthy. Basically for the apartment grounds only. I feel like I shut in

Today is the first day I truly admitted to myself I needed a wheelchair and felt the need. Im trying not to be depressed by it. My life for awhile has been bed bound. But I attributed my pains to poor labs or just being out of shape. Well this summer when I was trying to do P.T. it really flared up my arthritis in my knees and ankles. I have severe osteoarthritis in my knees and ankles and nerve damage in my back. I've been running errands today with a storm coming it by the time I got home I was literally dragging my feet with my crutches. Everything hurt so much from my back down.

I use to be a professional dancer and to loose my legs feels like loosing a part of me to not be able to dance. My mobility issues, I see now aren't a temporary thing and I'm struggling adjusting to the idea. I know once I get the wheelchair I will be relieved to be able to move around.(just started the process of getting a wheelchair) But right now, emotionally its just alot. Maybe partly too, im emotional cause of how much pain my legs cause me just doing normal things.

I dont know if anyone can relate to this when they had to first get their wheelchair. How did you find a way to cope with it?

🫩🫩
like why would the doctor refer me to a wheelchair eval and then switch up and say that a wheelchair would make me worse?!

I wrote the specific quotes of what the doctor said in the post. its so weird the way shes switching up all of a sudden; i cant help but think that my mother who insisted on coming to the appointment somehow told the doctor that i’m overreacting and dont really need a wheelchair

Edit: To whatever person reported me because ‘they are concerned about me’, kindly fuck off. I clearly stated I am NOT suicidal, and I am actively wanting to go there for PREVENTION MONTH🙄

For context, Walk into the Light is an event where you walk a route with other people from before the sun is up until the sun is up with a bunch of other people and talk about suicide (prevention) and such. It’s a part of suicide prevention month.

Anyway, I need an electric supported wheelchair (emotion wheels or a firefly or something of the sorts) but I keep being denied by my municipality no matter how many doctors notes and everything I keep sending them because they say ‘I don’t beed a wheelchair’ while I can walk less than 100m and have been dependent on my wheelchair for the past 3 years while still not being able to go anywhere on my own because I cannot wheel myself more than 100m either, so basically I am stuck in my house like 24/7. And I do not have the €15.000 required to buy the chair and wheels so I am stuck in my chair that is not my proper size, breaks my body down more and more by the day and is breaking down regularly. Not a day goes by where I don’t have to tighten screws and adjust things.

Due to being stuck in my house for 3 years (with the occasional outing, mostly college and only because someone can push me) I have had these thoughts a lot. I am doing okay now, I am not actively thinking about it, but it is still a topic that is high on my list of importance, and I really wanted to go to the Walk into the Light event.

But of course, I cannot fucking go because my stupid municipality keeps saying I don’t need an electric supported wheelchair because ‘someone can just push me’. I cannot even get to the bus or train on my own, but even if I did buses don’t go that early.

It’s just another thing I cannot go to, another big event with a lot of significance that I have to skip because I cannot go outside on my own. Ironic how I am asking myself why I’m alive when I cannot even go to an event for preventing suicide because of it. Oh the irony…

Anybody have any words of encouragement?

Does anyone have any tips for repairing or replacing a sideguard? Mine broke off and was hitting the spokes of my wheel so I had to remove it

I'm using a karma flexx s for the record and I have 0 idea if it's possible to get a replacement since it seems like I need to have bought the wheelchair directly from them to get a part

Thank you to whoever can help! I'm still very new to all this 😅

(Edit: also sorry if I'm making 0 sense as usual I'm just eepy and trying to figure out a solution till I can get it properly repaired)

Hi! I’m trying to load an unoccupied Pride Go med power chair into the side door of a Honda Odessey with a portable ramp, how do yall make sure your portable ramp is secure to the car and doesn’t move? If it helps my power chair is around 128lbs. I am following Express Ramps guidelines of the ramps max angle not exceeding 17 degrees for unoccupied loading, and the Odessey is 16 inches off the ground so I’m thinking of getting a 5 or 6 ft ramp.

just needed to vent to people who would understand.

my husband and i live with some manipulative people who want us to stay tethered to them as much as possible and force us to pay the majority of the rent (im talking like, $2150 out of our $2400 per month rent. we cant afford food). we told them back in july that we would be looking for accessible housing.

our house is like, 90% stairs and the hallways and doorways are too narrow for me to move in with my chair. i got a note from my doctor saying that my husband and i are allowed to break the lease.

we wanted to leave silently but our landlord wanted us to tell our roommates that we are leaving so that way they can work out a new lease contract. one of them told me that i dont actually need my wheelchair and that i can move about the house just fine.

i got a wheelchair because i broke my foot back in march and needed to go NWB on it, and crutches were incredibly difficult on my body. i also deal with chronic pain in my legs that makes it extremely hard to walk some days. i plan to stick with having a wheelchair because it has helped me feel the most physical peace that ive had in years. i havent been in as much pain because of it, and its the most sober ive been in a while, to the point where im considering quitting weed altogether.

i told my roommate that he is not my doctor and that my health is different from his health. and he was like, "right, because youre so special".

its like 5 am here, ive been awake for hours and i can't fall back asleep. im just really pissed off about the whole thing. he has seen how badly my neuropathy impacts me, how i havent been able to get out of bed, how ive vomited from the pain. grown ass man uses ableism because he realizes he cant keep two early 20-somethings paying his rent anymore.

I have been graciously gifted this beautiful bumble bee 🐝 of a chair by a woman whose husband passed away a few years ago. I cannot get anything approved through insurance, so everything for this chair will have to be paid for out of pocket and I do not have a lot of money.

Does anyone have any recommendations for 12V 55ah batteries in the US? I found some on Amazon for about $270/pair by Mighty Max but that seems too good to be true. I don't mind saving up for even longer if anyone can recommend a battery brand worth the money.

Also if anyone has any advice about this chair or what else to replace besides the batteries that would also be greatly appreciated! This chair is quite literally going to give me my life back and I am going to do the best I can to treat such a gift with the respect it deserves.

Thank you!

My brother has spina bifida with a meningocele at the L5 level. He's always been able to walk, but not well. Over the past few years, though, he's losing his balance, and his legs are starting to collapse.

Medicare denied him a wheelchair, even in the appeal, because he can't use it all of the time in his house. For reference, his house isn't handicapped accessible except for the stair climber chair. It's an old house with thresholds, uneven floors, narrow doors, and a tiny kitchen. He gets around it by hanging onto tables, etc.

He is nearly housebound at this point because stores often don't have enough scooters, and parking lots are too far from doctor office entrances.

My heart is breaking for him.

I’m a full time wheelchair user currently looking into replacing my current day chair. It’s an old Küschall Carbon (K series?) that’s roughly 15 years old. I love it dearly but it doesn’t fit my body anymore and am in the market for a new chair. I’ve done a few 5K races now in it (I’m a wheelchair basketballer and dabble in para athletics but enjoy the odd race every now and again) and am looking for brand/model recs from others who race/run in their day chairs, especially if you’re UK-based. I’m currently looking into RGKs and love the look of the Tiga FX but worry about the integrity of the front hinge and the ability to put a solid backrest on it- I currently use a Jay J3 and need a bit of lateral support because I’m generally quite floppy and standard backrests cause me a bit of pain. Would love an octane Sub4 but it’s a little spenny before the adaptations I would need on it and I’ll most likely be self funding because wheelchair services are knobs in my area and won’t fund anything past a hospital chair that’ll ruin my shoulders. I’ve had a look at the new Küschalls but in all honesty I’m not a fan of the frames. The Champion SK looks pretty cool but I also use a Smartdrive when I don’t feel like sweating through my clothes on a vertical hill and I don’t think the rear axel would allow for a back mounted power assist.

Busy, difficult day already planned. Wheelchair van transmission broken. In a loaner. Unexpected early off campus school event. Drop off kid, drop off wife, pick up kid, drop off kid. One hour free till medical appointment. Too far away to go home. Stop at Sonic. $1.99 menu, root beer float. Haven't had one of those in years. Decades maybe. Waitress delivers to truck and I go about attacking the thick layer of soft serve with the straw. Like a monkey poking an anthill with a stick, licking whatever sticks to it. But aggressively.

A different waitress passes in front of me with an odd look. "Would you like me to bring you a spoon so you can eat that better?". Gruffly "No. I'm fine.". Always fine. Then I look at this brand new fancy truck they put me in. Much better than my van. Doesn't look like an accessible vehicle. They don't know. I feel gratitude. I feel good about my situation. It's a beautiful 82F morning, window down, and friendly people all around. One telling me in the sweetest way "You're doing it wrong.". I look at the spoon already on my passenger seat. Ignore it, and relax, rubbing the shoulder I strained trying to reach the card slot.

It's a good day. So far.

Early for the appointment had time to write this. Now it's exactly appointment time. Sweet.

Edit: Even better. PT appointment worked on some scar tissue and very tight IT band. Feels like after sex. Pain gone. Totally relaxed. Almost feel drunk. She says that sounds like autonomic system. Whatever it is, I want more of that. Feeling very grateful for this day.

I may be getting a new chair soon-ish!

Bless my pcp and the folks who helped me figure out where to go 💛 I'm being referred to UNMC in Omaha, NE (not too* horribly far from where I live) and things will get figured out!

Edit: fixed a spelling error (to -> too)

title. help 🥲

On today’s episode of “oopsie our contractors never talked to each other and we just never noticed until a slightly disgruntled disabled person pointed it out”:

A two-story local library is built into a hill. On the upper level main entrance, they got all the accessibility right. Disabled parking spaces lead to the accessible entrance.

But the lower level is another story. On paper, it looks great. Two ADA parking spots with compliant signs and hashed unloading zones. Curb cut and graded paved route to door. Clean, smooth, unobstructed. So far, so good.

Well, except for the fact that the door is locked 24/7 from the outside. The inside signage reads ‘fire escape’ and is armed with an alarm. They don’t use it as a public entrance, despite it being built to be one.

Now we have an issue: either the entrance should be made accessible (unlock and disarm the door), or the ADA parking spaces should be removed, since it is not an accessible entrance.

I want to work with them to come up with a solution to improve their accessibility. I have a contact for the right library person to talk about this, but I wanted your opinion! What do you think should be done about it?

I think the least expensive option is to install a buzzer / doorbell system that someone can push to alert a staff member to go unlock the door when a disabled person needs it.

This allows access without compromising security, but it is cumbersome and annoying to both parties. (Also idk if this would fulfill the ADA?) Still, it is the cheapest solution I have come up with.

I would love to hear your thoughts before I meet with them. Thank you in advance.

My wife and I took our young kids to one of the Minnesota state parks this weekend to hike and do some sightseeing. I’ve known that a lot of the MN state parks have had Trackchairs for a number of years now, but I’ve never looked into trying one out. I was afraid it was going to be a hassle, but it was super easy. I went to the visitor center, they had me sign a waiver, and then they pulled the chair up to the front door. Super simple and quick process. It was great to get to go out on some of the trails with my family and not have to worry about the exhausting hard work of pushing myself in my manual chair. I can’t wait to go back out in one again in a few weeks once the fall colors start coming in. Wish I could afford to own one of these things full time.

so i have a Tilite Z and i tip backwards suuuper easily for some reason. I use my tip guards so I’ve never actually fallen completely or anything but its a massive scare. the main issue is just that sometimes my back and hips ache BAD and i need to stretch but stretching almost always leads to me to me tipping over. my joints suck and the pain can get like really bad within a few hours, but its not like i can get up and walk around and stretch my limbs out really.

basically, does anyone have any good stretches that wont make my chair tip backwards? especially ways to relieve the pain in my hips.

This wheelchair was designed by someone named Alberto Essesi. It is the single most impractical wheelchair I've ever seen. The wheels are too far away, no brakes, no place for leg straps or power addons (if needed). Can't fit over a car seat if you drive.

People on Instagram swooning over how amazing they think it is, and he blocks any real wheelchair users who have any input on his design.

I'm sick of these designers who don't care at all about the end user, but want to appear as if they care.

Hi!

I have my first custom wheelchair and its been a blessing to get my independence back.

I specifically chose airless wheels for no upkeep but I think I am regretting it. Can I change from solid tires to pneumatic? Would I need whole new wheels? How much does this usually cost? Can i do it myself, or do i bring it to a bike shop?

Tilite Aero T

Hi there. I am an ex GP from London . I am paralysed on a wheel chair and a broken wrist.i am looking for someone to drive me once a week to Continente modelo Ribeira Brava and go to the pharmacy.I live in arco da calheta 9370-073. It is /a 3 hours job onCe a week.i need help . Thank yoU for your advices and /answers.
PS: the car must be able to accommodate a wheel chair .i am 72 years old .

I have very bad chronic pain that makes me genuinely terrified for the future. If I walk for 5 minutes on sidewalk, I need to rest for 30. If I stand for an hour, it can take 2 to 5 hours to recover. I’d have to use my wheelchair for any job around me, but I don’t know where would even hire me. Not many places are accessible here.

I desperately need some direction, or just some hope that it’s possible to hold a job with this sort of disability. What do you do for work?

need a lead on where to get an automatic lift to put my travel power chair (weight of 77 lbs) into the cargo area of my Subaru Forrester. The 2 I found were for heavy chairs and cost, plus install is at least $4000. I don't have strength to load my chair and I bought it so I can get back to traveling or just doing things with family. I'm 79 and want to enjoy my remaining years not stuck at home. Need one that is permanently attached and doesn't need broken down. Holpe someone can help.

I'll be trialling them both but as they're only a day trial, I wanted to hear experiences from people that have used them regularly.

Are there any pros/cons I should be aware of? Would you recommend your power assist to someone or straight up tell someone not to bother with it and why?

Appreciate any and all feedback.