Unaccessible Bathrooms

You know what I hate? Unaccessible bathrooms!!! It's so ridiculous! It's like ok, people, we want to be just as independent as everybody else so what help is it if the bathroom stall is accesssible if you can't even open the door to get in!!! So frustrating. We go to places by ourself sometimes, ya know. And then when you are at the hospital, and you can't get in the bathroom or the doctor office. It's like please! I don't like to AlWAyS ask for help. And then when you do go in the bathroom and the stall isn't accessible! I HATE that. That happens too much! I so what to find out what the regulations are so I can turn people in. It's so stupid. Thankfully, I've had some very very kind people stand in front of the stall for me. Who wants to be in a position like that?! Seriously, who! But when you can't walk into the stall, and the chair won't fit in what's a girl to do? Sigh.

Oh, yeah and why why why do people put trash cans in ridiculous places. It just makes it difficult for handicappers to manuever. Sometimes people have to move it for me. And get this. The soap is always so far away! Imagine being in a chair where you are shorter and trying to reach reach rEaCh over. There you got it! But you hurt your arm in the process. So many people have had to help me get soap or the towels. Most people are considerate, but there are a lot of people who just don't even seem to notice that you are in distress. My poor husband has to open the door for me to go in, and then I call him and let him know that I'm ready to come out. He's too good to be true, huh?

I have always been shy, but now I'm not so much anymore. lol Another good thing about being handicapped - it gets you out of your shell. At least I can start conversations now and feel comfortable talking to people. Well, unless they just seem to not care that you need help and kind of ignore you. Then I don't bother asking them for help because they just give the impression that it would be way way too much trouble for them.

So the good thing about all this is not being shy anymore. Who would have thunk. I enjoy getting to know new people. There is always something good from something you consider the end of the world. You just need to be open to it. :-)

Oh, I have to put a word in for all the people who push wheelchairs for others. Such a hard job because it's so hard to gauge how close you are to something. And manuevering a manual wheelchair is way harder in a not so accessible bathroom.

A Little Bio

Hey everyody! I have been in a power chair for three years so I know the struggle to get around and still do things. But I am also a writer and artist. With every bad thing that happens in life, good things come, too. So the adage is true. You know, the one about when a door shuts the window opens. Or whatever it is. lol

My blog is going to focus on things you can do! I will mention the things that I can't do also because that is a part of life, too. As much as we don't want to admit it. :-) We just have to learn how to handle it with the grace of God.

The last five years of my life have been extremely difficult especially since I got gastroparesis. Talk about a life changer. Gastroparesis is an incurable disease. It just means that my stomach is partially paralyzed leaving me incredibly nauseated, full, and hurting. Also, I can't eat much. The only thing I can is rice bread, rice chex, and sometimes wheat free waffles. So I have a j-tube to give me all the calories I need. There are like two meds for it. (Well, there a couple that you get only if you qualify because they have been taken off of the market. I don't qualify because of other health problems.) But I can't take any of them!!! I get really bad side effects. Sigh. Thankfully, I can take nausea meds which I do quite frequently. lol The only way to get through the day. Seriously.

I had to have TPN for two years, but I got free from it last November!!! Great news. It's because I had just gotten the j-tube, and it was actually working this time. My first one didn't cooperate at all. It was horrible....

In case you were wondering, a j-tube is a tube that feeds you through your small intestine. Mine is technically a g-j mickey because it goes into my stomach, but the j-tube goes all the way down to my small intestine. The mickey part just means that it's low profile. I don't have a tube hanging out of me all the time like I used to. I hook up a tube to me when I feed. Awesome, huh? I don't mind having it because I'm alive! A couple years ago I was 89 pounds and horribly sick and now I feel alive. So who cares, right? :-)

Because I wasn't getting any nutrition I was really weak and had to be in a power chair. I have Charcot-Marie-Tooth. Anyway, I've been doing therapy, and everybody knows I will be walking again! I just feel so much better and am way stronger than I used to be. So thank you, God!!! What a miracle.

My husband and I just got a dog from the Golden Retriever Rescue last March. She is the sweetest thing! I love her to death. She is def my dog. Her name is Kaylee, and she only has three legs. She doesn't know it! She's a super fast runner.

Ok, now you know the basics. I enjoy writing and painting. I'm hoping to make money selling children's story. If I sell a story you guys will be one of the first to know! I love to cook and bake even though I can't eat it. Hey, I can smell it! That's how I make up recipes for my husband, Ben. I go by smell. He said he likes the recipes I make up more than the ones I use a recipe for! So hey! Not eating food doesn't have to be a drawback for cooking. :-)

My husband is in the army. He will be home in just a couple of days from training. Yay! I've been missing him like crazy, but I did paint a lot. I'll have to post them next time. They aren't on the wall yet. lol I'll have to ask my friend to or wait till Ben comes. I did paint some Valentine things, though. Did I tell you I LoVe to paint? ;-)

Ok, guys leave me a comment. Let me know somebody out there wants to read my post. lol