Wheelchair Heaven

Wheelchair heaven

By Rick Garrison

Whether you are in a wheelchair or caring for someone who is in a wheelchair, we all know that one size does not fit all. In fact there are many reasons for different styles, types and fashions of wheelchairs, and people should and need to be able to choose which one is right for their individual needs. Being a care-giver, I know full well what it is like to pick out the wrong type ofwheelchair.

Picture this for a minute you pull into a restaurantready to have a nice dinner with some friends. Your first encounter with the restaurant is that all the handicap places are taken, so now you have to find a place to park that isn’t going to block you from getting in and out of your vehicle. You manage to find a parking space and you make your way to the ramp that leads into the restaurant. As you scan the restaurant upon entering you discover that the isles between the tables barely have enough room for you to fit through. Making your way down the aisle everyone needs to move in some sort of fashion for your wheelchair. You finally get settled in to have that wonderful dinner. Drinking sweet tea, I am from the south; you suddenly realize that you have the urge to go. Knowing that everyone has to move in order for you to get by, contemplating weather or not you can make it home, finally making the decision to go. Wheeling yourself to the bathroom the stall door some genius has installed swings inward toward the toilet, which not only makes it twice as difficult to get in, but takes away any privacy you were hoping for. After screwing with the door, messing with the toilet, are you with me? Getting up plopping back into the chair, you find yourself back out into the aisle situation once again. So, was it really worth it to go out to dinner? I say, yes. I may be only a caregiver to my lovely wife, but it is her right to go out and have a good time, and if this causes a little annoyance to someone because they have to shift or move a little, maybe they need to think how it is for the person who has to fight different situations everyday of their life, because they need to use awheelchair.

This is just one scenario to deal with,  if a wheelchair is the way to get around you know there are plenty more difficulties. Why, then with all of the hassles one has to deal with to live a semi normal life, does thegovernment and the insurance companies have to stick their fingers in what type ofwheelchair we buy? I was reading an article from the United Spinal Association, a group who is fighting for the rights of citizens in wheelchairs and other disabilities, they have chosen to pick up this fight and go after the insurance companies and politicians.

Why should some bean counter have the say on what type of chair is needed for someone else?As the  United Spinal Association stated in their article today; the insurance companies and thegovernment states that "one size fits all", I believe, as does the United Spinal Association that this is unacceptable. And we all know that it is unacceptable to accept the unacceptable.