Due to an unfortunate incident that occurred while celebrating a friends 21st birthday, I now have a broken foot and am confined to a wheelchair for at least the next five weeks.  My first week in the wheelchair was quite an eye-opening experience.

Before rolling onto campus for the first time, I thought I knew what to expect: potholes and cracks to avoid, hills to get up, and tightly packed classrooms to maneuver through.  Well, thats not exactly what happened.  First, I had to register my car with security so I could get a medical pass, which allows parking in any lot.  The public safety office is not handicap accessible so I got my crutches and slowly made my way up those four hey, I didnt realize how steep these are steps to the door.  At that point, I almost fell while trying to get the door open.  After getting my car registered, it was time to get to class.

Beside several of the doors around campus are signs that say handicap access.  This does not mean, however, that the doors are equipped with the hydraulic system that opens the door automatically.  The signs indicate the entrances that are level surfaces and through which a person can navigate, with or without assistance.  They also indicate that there is an elevator available in the area in order to reach the other floors of the building.

With that information in mind, I set out to make my trips to class (and around campus) easier.  One of the things I noticed is that some of the building entrances have a small metal ramp if there is a gap or bump between the sidewalk and door frame.  If you dont know what Im talking about, check out the library entrance by Cappuccino Corner. These ramps are a huge help in trying to get into a building when no one is available to hold the door and I recommend that more are installed around campus.   I have found most of my classrooms are easy to maneuver through, with aisles wide enough for the wheelchair.  In fact, the only two places where I have had any difficulty are in the planetarium and the library computer lab.  The planetarium has tables meant for use with wheelchairs, but these are covered with stuff and are positioned out of the way, and the space for wheelchairs in the back of the room is difficult to get to on one side and has stuff stored there on the other side.  I suppose I could ask people to move these things for me but it really isnt that big of a problem.  The computer lab, however, is a problem as far as Im concerned.  Each time that I have been to the computer lab since being in the wheelchair (about once a day) I have found the entrance blocked by a large, box fan.  The fan is meant to cool down the lab but its totally in my way and I have had to ask people to move it for me each time.  I know its not summer anymore, but are freestanding fans not available in the Soo?  At least put the fan on the desk by the door thats hardly ever used!  Besides being blocked by the fan, the aisles are too narrow to get through unless I ask every single person to scoot their chair in and move the stuff on the floor.  Another problem in the computer lab is that the printer is out of reach and I have to ask someone to get my papers for me.  Despite my annoyance by the computer lab, I have found that getting around campus isnt as difficult as I thought it would be.  I have no reason to go to Admissions, the Administrative building or any of the Row houses but if I did, I can request a meeting with those people in an area that is wheelchair accessible. 

I have had more problems getting around town than I have getting around school.  I wont name the business but I was shocked that the place where I rented my wheelchair is not handicap accessible.  Not even the Secretary of State building has a hydraulic door opener, which I always thought was required by law.  As it turns out, they are not required to have the door opener, but that they do have measures in place in case someone needs help (for example, someone might be in charge of opening the door if a person needs assistance.)  Shopping, which has always been one of my favorite pastimes, has become incredibly difficult.  Most of the larger stores do have automatic doors so its fairly easy to get in.  Once inside, the question becomes how do I wheel and shop at the same time?  The best thing to do is bring a friend who can push the cart, reach things that are up high, load the bags into the car and later bring them into your house.  If you need to go shopping but dont have anyone to go with, the next best thing to do is get a basket, put it on your lap and not buy a lot.  Yes, you will probably look pretty silly but it works.  The thing that struck me the most while shopping was that I was absolutely surrounded by toys, candy, neon colors and other products intended for kids.  It didnt matter what section of the store I was in, there was something at childrens eye-level, whether it was in the aisle, on an endcap or at a special display.   I went into the store needing only a compass, a set of dishtowels and milk and I left with those things plus a giant sucker, a coloring book and some Dr. Pepper flavored lipgloss.  

Overall, my time in a wheelchair hasnt been as bad as I thought it would be and its made me appreciate being able to walk.  I have a few complaints about peoples reactions to the wheelchair and I would like to address those:
1.  Stop asking me if my foot is cold.  What do you think? Its 30something degrees out; wouldnt your foot be cold if it were uncovered?!  And, no, Im not going to put some ugly slipper or sock over the cast, so please dont suggest it.  
2. If you make eye contact with me as we are both approaching a door, please hold the door open for me.  I cannot begin to say how rude it is to let the door slam in my face or, even worse, on my broken foot.  
3.  If I am trying to get past you and say Excuse me, please do not glare at me or make huffing noises.  You have two feet and can move much more easily than I can and, as in the case at the GLSW club fair, you may be blocking the only wheelchair accessible door or ramp.   On the flip side, I would like to say thank you to those people who have pushed me to class, held doors open for me or asked me if I needed help with anything.  I am not offended by the offer in the least; I am not handi-capable, I really do appreciate all the help.
