Going for a quick weekend trip to visit friends 🤗 Because of the pandemic 😷, it’s been awhile!
Overall, my partner, his brother, and me had a great time 😄 Always fun to revisit our old stomping grounds 😁
Pre-stroke, I already had anxiety around traveling… It’s only gotten more intense 😂 To help my anxiety (especially now) extensive planning and preparation are involved…
1. Packing list – so I don’t forget anything (Google Keeps 🤗) I usually start physically packing 1 week before 😂
Used them also so we wouldn’t forget anything on our way home 🏡!
2. Maximize comfort – ADA hotel rooms reserved
ADA regulations:
https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/2010ADAStandards/2010ADAstandards.htm
I’ve linked the actual PDF file but I will outline too 👇🏽 I, myself, don’t know them too well…
Notes 📝 to come…
These are the regulations as of 2010.
According to our research out room was not ADA compliant… 😡
Don’t normally drop names… But in the event anyone who needed ADA accommodations, bear this in mind…👇🏽
Sonesta Emeryville-Oakland
Pros:
1. Big space
2. Comfy beds
3. Shower chair handy
Cons:
1. Undetachable shower head…
Lack of rail near the room…
Common considerations:
1. Bathrooms – My partner and I make us a M/F bathroom duo… Makes it harder (and more awkward) with typical Male & Female restrooms 🚽…
💡! Bathroom sign on the door for when my partner takes me into the men’s room or my partner comes into the girl’s…
Love ❤️ family bathrooms 🚽!
On the way up used a Starbucks so it was easy!
On the way back, went to Phil’s coffee… That one was harder… The lift was broken… Normally the lift would bring you either up or down to avoid the stairs… I ended up taking the stairs… Luckily, 🤞🏽the bathroom 🚽 was single occupancy!
2. Frequent breaks – Road-trips (especially long drives) mean you’ll be sitting prolonged periods of time…
💡While sitting, you can march to get blood flowing
3. Snacks – For me, this ties in with bathrooms, since I alternate eating and drinking… I need to do that since I partially ingest my food (terminology may be incorrect)… I have residual remnants remaining in my throat after swallowing (saw in a previous swallow study)
5. Getting around a house 🏡
Part of the reason for out trip was to visit friends 🥰 That insinuates going to their house 🏡… I was concerned because my wheelchair has been everywhere with me… We got around that by bringing my indoor walker 💡 That worked great! Left my wheelchair 🦼 outside and used the walker inside! The walker had the added benefit so I could safely stand to get my blood flowing 💡
Using the walker also gave me an opportunity to give friend’s insight on their home (it’s ADA friendliness: doorway depth, space in the bathroom, levelness of the floor 😂)
What I envisioned for this series is showing alternate viewpoints! It is in NO way meant as criticque or anything negative! At the end of the day, I’m just grateful to experience these things! I’m especially grateful to MY loved ones 🥰 Know I’m not easy to deal with but thanks for dealing with me!
I was anxious writing this series… I was afraid it’d be taken the wrong way and alienate folks! That is not what I aimed to do… I thought of it as speaking my truth! 🙏🏾 This post may not deal with delicate topics, but I just wanted to disclaimer the series!
Constant consistent fear 1) another stroke 2) falling 3) peeing involuntarily 😱 These fears are always with me… Especially on trips… These fears are more intense (I’m already intense 😂)
Listen With 🎧 Precious 