Snowfall Changes Plans

I let the dogs out around five o’clock this morning and was caught off-guard by the snow that had fallen overnight. I guess I became accustom to the weather forecasters not getting it right, but not this time. So, Ryan and I will change our morning plan and instead try going into the office this afternoon.

A late season snowfall causes us to change our day’s plans.

Hey, I love a fresh snowfall as much as the next guy… except when it happens anytime after February. To me, snow is only enjoyable between Thanksgiving and March 1st. Being perfectly truthful, any after Christmas is annoying to me.

Even the dogs seemed a bit irritated.

Accumulating snow now adds stress to our lives. We worry about accessibility to and from the house in the event of an emergency. It’s downright scary. There’s just nothing easy about navigating a wheelchair, but when snow is added it can become dangerous. All it takes is a coating to make it a challenge too.

Before Ryan’s attack I was like most people. I never thought about the obstacles that the disabled face. It’s daunting to go out into the world and cope with the an infrastructure set-up for the able-bodied. These are things a simple as navigating a wheelchair through a set of doors.

Or finding a parking spot that accommodates getting a wheelchair in and out. Don’t let those handicap spots fool you either. They might work well for people on crutches, but when someone parks right next to me I simply can’t put the ramp down to get Ryan in. I must find a safe place for him as I move the van to an open area. The fact is, the width of two parking spaces in truly what is minimally required. I actually try to park in the space right next to the handicapped one because there is a better chance of the handicapped spot not being occupied (and allowing access).

Public restrooms? I would never even try to have Ryan use one.

You know what else amazes me? Medical offices, like the doctor’s, that don’t have even a single exam room large enough to bring a person in on a stretcher. I can’t tell you how many times Ryan was treated or evaluated in a supply or break room. I’m serious!

The good news is I think things will get easier. It’s just going to take time as older buildings come down and are replaced by modern ones that consider the disabled. Not only this, but the aging population is becoming more needy so they will make demands that will no longer go unnoticed.

I get it. It costs a lot to modify or retrofit for the disabled. Perhaps the answer is to make the changes over time.