[Blind-rollers] more brainstorming needed

[Lauren Merryfield]

Hi,

I am sorry I keep bugging you guys about my getting around, but I walked most of my life. Just in the last two years, I’ve needed to change how I get around. 

 

I just moved to this apt complex and the clubhouse, where everything happens, is quite a ways from me. There are cars parked too far over the sidewalk, a couple rosebushes in the middle of the sidewalk, at least overgrown there, and a driveway for me to cross straight. Straight is the operative word; I rarely walk straight. 

 

Today one of the residents showed me a different way by going through tunnels or breezeways and no driveway or parking lot. (I got lost in the parking lot the other night and it spooked staff and residents.) 

 

I am not comfortable walking. I’ve used a blind cane and a support cane, a blind cane and a hemiwalker that is too short, my wheelchair but it was too heavy to rescue easily from going off of curbs etc, and I have a rollator I could try. 

 

I would prefer sitting. I don’t seem to be strong enough to propel my manual chair. I’m very leary of trying to drive my power chair on these narrow sidewalks where that extremely heavy chair could go off the curbs. I’m still not sure how to steer with one hand and use a looooooong cane in the other. If that works, I may need to learn how to do it. I’m not able to pull my manual chair behind me or that’s another preferred way. I would need a bar between the two handles. I can’t steer well with the soft back of the chair. 

 

I heard  today that some residents are taken by golf cart over and back. So why didn’t they offer that to me? 

 

Last Wednesday, the staff called my daughter and a good friend; the two emergency contacts on my lease. 

They said to them:”she needs assisted living and we don’t offer that here. She can’t get around by herself (even though I got to the clubhouse okay). She can’t walk very well. We’re afraid she is going to fall,” and so on. Today the community manager took me into her office and said that people were concerned about my having trouble getting around and some residents had even approached the staff saying I shouldn’t live here. Yikes. I know it is not pretty but I get from Point A to Point B. 

 

I am still working on alternatives to convey myself there and alternative routes. I explained that to this woman who is afraid for my safety, as she put it. Safety issues seem to come up a lot when you are multidisabled blind.

Thanks,

Lauren

Blessings in Jesus’ name!  

Philippians 2:9-11

 <http://bibleapps.com/philippians/2-9.htm> 9Why God also has highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:  <http://bibleapps.com/philippians/2-10.htm> 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;  <http://bibleapps.com/philippians/2-11.htm> 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 

Advice from my cats:"Meow when you feel like it."