Cosmo, is it uncomfortable for you to be pushed over uneven or bumpy sidewalks? Is it less so after several drinks? 
Originally posted by TheLoadedDog:
Oh, do I! I’ve been going into NYC from Long Island by train on a probably bi-monthly basis for seven years now. Penn Station is not a place to go if you’re an uninitiated wheechair user. I can, however, dodge morons who’re paying no attention to where they’re walking, stop on a dime, and weave like there’s no tomorrow. If I’m on a crowded sidewalk, I can usually eyeball a space between people and figure out whether it’s wide enough for me to speed through.
Ahhh. Excellent question! Yes, wheelchairs can be and are customized. The chrome can be painted about a bazillion different colors (mine’s dark green), while most upholstery I’ve seen is black. You can get short backs, higher backs, wheelchairs designed for racing, etc. etc.
http://www.quickie-wheelchairs.com/ <---- Quickie’s website. Just to give you an idea of the variety. And yes, Q.N. Jones, they have pediatric wheelchairs.
To branch off from that topic: If you ever happen to hang out with a wheelchair user, do NOT lean on the razzlin’ frazzlin’ handlebars! Able-bodied people don’t realize, I think, that to many wheelchair users, the wheelchair is an extension of themselves, not just a chair they sit in. IMHO, leaning on someone’s handlebar while talking to them is akin to leaning on the shoulder of an able-bodied person (i.e. less than polite). So now you know. 
Originally posted by Tiburon:
I can see what you mean, but here’s my POV:
I’m disabled primarily due to the fact that my legs don’t really work, and most people’s do. I have a birth defect. It’s not, IMHO, like race or maybe even gender: An able bodied black man and an able-bodied white woman can both walk with equal ability. I can’t and might never be able to. In other words, even if it were a perfect world (everything was accessible, I could take any job I wished), most people would still have the fundamental ability to walk, whereas I would not. Hence, I’d still be disabled.
Okay, lemme see if I can explain better…
My bladder works like this; the neck of the bladder opens and closes when it feels like it. If I have to pee, I can’t hold it in - I don’t have the muscular ability. Hence, I gotta use a catheter (hollow, vinyl - I think, tubes.). One end of the catheter is inserted so that the neck of the bladder is held open - hence, the urine can drain freely, without the neck of the bladder randomly contracting.
The other bodily function is easier to deal with - I can push, and things…happen. chuckle Never thought I’d be discussing my bowel movements with this many people.
Oh, Billdo, you’re so effing funny, Billdo!
Ya see, folks, Billdo is referring to Thursday night, when we, along with several other Dopers, went out to a few bars check out possibilities for the upcoming NYC Dopefest. We walked to these several possibilities, then down to hail me a cab back to Penn Station.
Well, I hadn’t eaten much that day and I had about three heavily vodka-dominated drinks in maybe 2 hours, so I got pretty well plastered and probably made somewhat of a giggly ass of myself in the process. Thanks, Bill! (just kidding, of course. You can get me plastered anytime!
That should, of course, read “TO check out possibilities”. And no, I’m not still drunk - no hangover, even! 
Thanks for the info about catheters and such. I know we sell a ton of incontinence products, but I’ve never been sure exactly what people do with them. (Well, I had a general idea, but…) Diapers, leg bags, catheters, mattress pads, gloves, sterile swabs, lubricants - it seems to be quite the science.
I’m a little curious about how things are paid for in the States. Are you covered by any government programs, or do you need to be covered by private insurance, or, heaven forbid, pay for everything yourself? Here in Alberta, these things are all covered by Alberta Healthcare, which of course means that they set all the rules for everything (how many catheters you’re allowed in a given period, what kind of chair you get, etc.).
I have Medicaid (pays for my hygiene needs and, I think, my wheelchair). I’m also a full-time college student, so I’m covered under my father’s insurance for doctor visits, blood tests (I have a seizure disorder that might be related to the VP shunt I have), etc.
This is a wonderful thread!
I just had to jump in with a comment about the above question. My son is 2 1/2 and was just recently fitted for a wheelchair. He has mild Cerebral Palsy and is not walking yet but his therapists expect him to soon. He will have the wheelchair just in case he needs it when he gets tired from walking long distances.
So, based on my son’s experience, I’m guessing that children are fitted for wheelchairs as soon as possible around the time they would normally learn to walk.
Cosmopolitan, I also have a question for you. What’s the strangest question you’ve ever been asked in public about being in a wheelchair?
My husband, who is a self-employed business owner and fellow person-with-spina-bifida does NOT have his “bathroom supplies” covered by insurance (this, despite the fact I work for an internationally known health insurance company and we have excellent coverage). We pay for it entirely out of pocket. This is what happens when you make to much money to qualify as “disabled” for the government and lose access to Medicaid and/or Medicare.
(For those who don’t know - Medicaid is a state-funded program, Medicare is the Federal program. For those outside the country who don’t know, those of us in the United States live under multiple levels of government. Very confusing, even to us natives sometimes.)
Fortunately, we really can afford to pay for this. And the bright spot (yes, there is a small one) is that he can buy as many or as few items as he wants, and be choosey about what he gets.
Oh, and about women in wheelchairs having children… I found out some interesting stuff along the way when my husband and I first married and I was doing some research on his disability.
While the reason a woman is using a wheelchair might impact whether or not bearing children is a good idea, it seems (from what I read 10+ years ago) that women with spina bifida usually don’t have problems with childbearing - at least from a physical standpoint. Social pressures are a different matter. (And boy do my husband and I have a few stories about that :rolleyes: ) There is the interesting factoid that some of these women are not aware of when labor starts - it all depends on the level of the spinal defect.
Of course, other complicating problems may make childbirth a higher risk - spina bifida can be accompanied by other problems. A lot depends on the women herself. But there is also a very strong sentiment among some doctors to discourage ANYONE with a perceived “defect” from reproducing at all - whether there’s a real physical risk to the person or not.
(And don’t get me started on THAT…)
Cosmopolitan: You mentioned a taxi ride in your story about your night out with Billdo. I drove a cab in a suburb of Boston (Melrose) for a few months, although I never encountered a chair-bound customer.
Do you need a van with a chairlift, or will a sedan like a Caprice or Crown Vic work? If a sedan, does your wheelchair fold to go in the trunk? If so, can strangers (like cab drivers) fold/unfold it without special instructions?
Do you think some taxis refuse to stop for you because they think helping you into/out of the car will take an inordinate amount of time? Does it actually take much extra time? If so, do you tip extra for it?
This is a fascinating thread.
I have a question, though it’s a little different.
What do you think of the Wheelchair Barbie (or Becky, as her name was) that Mattel came out with a few years ago? If you were younger, would you have wanted one?
Originally posted by Greywolf73:
Well, thanks! As for the strangest question… Hm. Well, I’ve been asked the following more than once (at random, from complete strangers, with barely an intro, if any):
“So, what’s wrong with you?”.
Taxi drivers have asked me this, friends of friends have asked me this, strangers in the mall have asked me this. If I’m not irritated by the question (I’ll admit, it depends on my mood), I’ll go into some detail. If I’m annoyed, I’ll leave it at a polite but brief, “My legs don’t work properly”.
Originally posted by Broomstick:
Yes, well… I’m a student without a job, so even though I live at home, my bank account has less in it than the limit I would have to exceed in order to stop receiving Medicaid.
Originally posted by Chris Luongo:
I can transfer from my chair to a cab seat without trouble, provided that I don’t have to take more than a step or two before pivoting my ass onto the seat, so a sedan works. The chair can fold up and fit in the trunk, provided the trunk’s not full of stuff. And yeah, most cab drivers don’t know how to fold it, but it’s simple - the seat is flexible once I remove the cushion: All someone has to do is pull the seat up towards them and the chair folds.
Yeah, I think that’s the case, sometimes. I would say that it takes five minutes at the most to get the chair either into or out of the trunk, but that’s stretching it. And yes, I tip a bit extra.
Just as a side note, there is a cab in Calgary that is wheelchair accessible (drive the chair up the lift in the minivan, anchor the chair, and you’re on your way). They’re going to see how it goes, and possibly invest in a fleet of wheelchair accessible minivan cabs.
Cosmo, this started out in my head as “Why don’t you just lift weights?”
I hit myself repeatedly in the head for you, so there’s no need;)
Do you have any information on the success (or lack thereof) of people who try to “beat” Spina Bifida by some sort of workout regime? Or is that generally regarded as being not the most effective method of treatment? Websites I just visited (to see if I could get a better physiological understanding of the limitations Spina Bifida places upon the/a human body didn’t offer much that translated to me either as saying “weightlifting is not an option” or “weightlifting wouldn’t do much because [reason(s)]”.
Thanks:)
Does the fact that you use a wheelchair affect which intoxicating substances you might choose to consume, or the quantity consumed?
Originally posted by iampunha:
Well, the thing about Spina Bifida is that it’s what’s called a neural tube defect. A lot of the problem lies in the neurology, rather than in the musculature. In other words, finding a cure is, I’m pretty sure, mostly about trying to find ways to generate nerve cells where there are none, or repair damaged nerves.
The workout plan comes in here: You want to build up as much strength as you can, keep your body in good shape; you have to haul your ass around using the power of your arms all day - that can be tiring. You do it for health reasons, obviously, and preparing for an orthopedic surgery you might have by building your strength and stamina is a good idea, IMO.
The leg work comes in here: Even if you’re pushing a manual wheelchair, you’re not walking, so you’re not exercising your lower extremities. You’d probably rather they didn’t atrophy, so you work them.
I got physical therapy once a week for an hour all through my compulsory education (the school district paid), and it helped me to maintain my fitness level more than it would’ve been otherwise.
…And you’re welcome.
Originally posted by shaolin:
Lemme see if I understand the question. Are you asking me whether my tolerance for alcohol is affected by my disability and, depending on that answer, do I tailor my drink preferences to my tolerance level?
Or are you just screwing with me? 
Great thread, most of my questions were already answered!
Keep up the great work and attitude.
My friend’s sister has SB but she has no control of her bowels at all if I remember correctly.
Highjack/
We live in the same town Chris Luongo!!
Highjack/
1st, sorry for resurrecting the thread! But cosmo, how independent are you in your ADL’s (Activities of Daily Life)? What’s a avg. day for you (school/lounging)?
Great bit of fighting ignorance, Cosmo. Thanks.
This is more TMI, feel free to ignore it but - if you use a catheter do you get on the toliet, or just wheel up to it?
If you’re chatting to someone is there a polite way to ask about the wheelchair? Obviously when someone has anything distinctive about them it becomes a conversation opener, and they learn a two sentance explanation to move the conversation onto/off it, but most people have a choice and you don’t. But I know I’d be Austin Powers talking to No. 3 in Goldmember - “uh, uh”/“Just say it! Get it out of your system!”/“DO YOU KNOW YOU HAVE A GIGANTIC MOLE?”/“Yes. Yes I do. And I am aware of the irony of my being a mole in Dr Evil’s organisation.”/“Thank you”
:smack: I hadn’t noticed this thread is a resurectee. Sorry, never mind.