[Blind-rollers] hello all -- update

Tue Oct 23 21:37:23 CDT 2007

Yes I am sorry they feel you will need to go into a hospital or something 
like that.
Well my dear, if your mom can't get around any more, she will have to do the 
same thing.
So you are not alone in this one.
In the handicap places I lived, the door swung out into the hall.
My husband was in a chair, so I remember those times very well.
They decided that all apartments needed the bathroom door to swing into the 
hall.

--Dar
www.mypowermall.com/biz/home/5779
Every Saint has a past
Every Sinner has a future

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "tribble" <lauraeaves at yahoo.com>
To: "Blind wheelchair users list" <blind-rollers at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2007 1:27 PM
Subject: Re: [Blind-rollers] hello all -- update

> Hi -- I know what you mean -- the thing about the builder that I found
> curious was that he thought that building according to "code" would solve
> all my problems.  It wasn't until the walkthrough when I saw me try and
> transfer around in the bathroom, etc, that it dawned on him that there is
> and indeed cannot be a one-size-fits-all set of adaptations for the
> disabled, as there are so many different types of disabilities. 
> Fortunately
> much of the house is what we wanted, but I couldn't think of everything
> shifting mail back and forth with blueprints that I couldn't see.
> Another thing that annoys me, although I love my dear mother and she has
> been a great help to me, she didn't think it important that I be able to 
> get
> to the mailbox.  It's aggravating. It's like she either wants to monitor 
> my
> mail, or else just thinks I'll always be dependent on someone so why sweat
> his one small nit.
> Those little nits add up.  I do understand her concern, and I have the 
> same
> concern, that making so many things accessible will give people the wrong
> impression that I am able to do more for myself than I actually can -- she
> says I will always have to live either with a trusted roommate or in a
> hospital.  But it makes life so nice to be able to do little jobs like 
> check
> my own mail.
> Another thing -- you mentioned your shower: My lovely roll in shower which
> is indeed very nice, has the faucet and hose way across from where the 
> seat
> is, meaning I have to turn on the hose before getting into the shower, or
> else get someone else to turne it on and then hand me the hose.  I should 
> be
> able to take my own showers without assistance.  I can now and think I
> should in our new house, but the whole idea of how the house is to be used
> went completely above the builder's head.
>
> Again, this builder is a close friend and relative by marriage, and a 
> really
> nice guy who wants to help, so I do want to be nice in return.    But I
> think I am either going to have to live with what he has built or spend 
> more
> of my savings on brute force renovations. Oh well.
> Forgive me for one more observation:  I also have been disputing with Mom
> and the builder about the bathroom door.  Now the Minnesota "codes" say 
> that
> the door has to swing into the bathroom, making it necessary for me to go 
> in
> and close the door in order to get to the toilet -- but my mother says it
> should open out into my bedroom, saying she was afraid if I fell in the
> bathroom and broke something, she wanted a way to open the door without 
> the
> wheelchair being on the other side blocking it. I don't want either of
> these -- I would be happy with a panel door or curtain so (1) the door 
> would
> not get in the way in case of accident, and (2) I could shut the door 
> myself
> when going into the bathroom, which is difficult or impossible when the 
> door
> swings out.
> Now this goes against both the builder and my dear mom, but it is what I
> want -- no one listens to me.
> Oh well, enough ranting.
> Good luck to you Jennifer and all!
> --le
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Jennifer Aberdeen" <freespirit328 at gmail.com>
> To: "Blind wheelchair users list" <blind-rollers at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2007 11:39 AM
> Subject: Re: [Blind-rollers] hello all -- update
>
>
> I know all too well what you're talking about. The house I live in right 
> now
> isn't accessible at all. I mean, we have a ramp, but it needs to be 
> re-built
> because I can't get up and down it safely on my own. I have a shower bench
> in the bathroom, but you can't really say the bathroom is totally 
> accessible
> because every time I want to take a shower, I have to ask someone to pull
> the adapter thing from the wall because it's too high for me to reach. 
> Other
> than that, nothing is accessible. The microwave isn't marked so I can use
> it, I can't reach the freezer, I can't wheel myself under the counter-top
> for easier access to the sink or stove etc. I can't reach dishes, glasses,
> sugar etc because those shelves are too high. I don't even have access to
> the mail because the mail goes in a slot that goes into the garage...and I
> can't get in there either. All this inaccessibility, and my parents still
> don't want me to move out. It's really ridiculous!
>
> Of course, right now I'd feel guilty for moving out because we just got a
> new puppy, and I would be abandoning him by leaving. My Mom paid some of 
> the
> cost, I paid some and my Grandmother paid the rest. I wouldn't be able to
> take him with me because I could never afford to take care of him the way 
> he
> needs to be taken care of...shots, food etc. He's better off with my Mom. 
> I
> don't want to leave him though.
>
> Jen
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "tribble" <lauraeaves at yahoo.com>
> To: "Blind wheelchair users list" <blind-rollers at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2007 12:48 AM
> Subject: [Blind-rollers] hello all -- update
>
>
>> Hi all! I haven't seen much of anything on this list for a while.  Hope
>> people are still subscribed!
>> I am in the midst of a move to a new home in a new state -- a month ago I
>> was with my mother looking at our house, which was supposedly built
>> "according to code" for handicapped access, but it amazed me how much is
>> still inaccessible--the builder didn't even think that I might want 
>> access
>> to the circuit breakers in the boiler room, or the mailbox out in front,
>> or
>> have a large accessible counter in the kitchen.  I shouldn't complain
>> really, because he is a friend and put a lot of effort into getting it
>> done
>> right, but as I said, some key details are just not right.  Now it is too
>> late for the circuit breakers and the other things, well, they'll just
>> have
>> to resolve themselves.
>>
>> It never ceases to amaze me how hard it is for people in general to
>> envision
>> what is important for a disabled person.  It would just be a matter of
>> simple logic, and a little trial and error trying to sit in a makeshift
>> wheelchair to see what the challenges might be -- but this is just not 
>> the
>> case.  No matter how well meaning a person is, there is always something
>> he/she misses. After going on the walkthrough before closing on the 
>> house,
>> our friend said it had truely been an education to talk to me about what
>> was
>> needed versus what is "according to code".  No adaptation is right for 
>> all
>> disabilities.  The crazy thing was, we had spent over a year talking to
>> him
>> and exchanging blueprints and talking, and still he was surprised when 
>> the
>> walkthrough wasn't right.
>>
>> Oh well, we are now packing up and getting ready to move to a different
>> state.  My email address for anyone who wants to wite to me privately is
>> lauraeaves at yahoo.com
>>
>> I don't know why I'm writing this except that I haven't seen activity on
>> list lately and just wanted to commiserate about the access issues.
>> Does anyone else have any sage advice or relevant experience building a
>> house?
>>
>> Later.
>> --le
>>
>>
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