c/disability-support

My aunt said 'just try harder' about my chronic pain and I almost lost it

I was talking to my aunt last Sunday after dinner about how I've been struggling with fibromyalgia flare ups lately. She looked me straight in the eye and said 'you just need to push through it, mind over matter right?' I sat there for a second trying to figure out how to explain that my nerves literally firing wrong doesn't care about my attitude. It hit me different because shes usually pretty understanding but that comment just showed how little people get invisible disabilities. Has anyone else had a close family member say something that clueless?

Shoutout to the guy at the Denver airport who let me use his wheelchair ramp

I was stuck at gate B17 in Denver last month after my connecting flight got canceled, and my knee was acting up so bad I could barely hobble to the bathroom. Some older fella parked his wheelchair near the snack kiosk and just waved me over, said 'take the shortcut, buddy, I'm not going anywhere for two hours.' It was a simple folding ramp he kept strapped to his chair, but it made me realize how many little barriers exist in airports that most people never think about. Has anyone else ever had a random stranger offer up their adaptive gear when you were struggling?

Was super skeptical about voice-to-text at first, now I use it all day

I thought it would be too slow and mess up everything, but after using it for notes at my doctor's appointment last month, I finally got why people swear by it. It caught every word I said and saved me from typing with my shaky hands. Has anyone else found a tool they thought was gimmicky but actually helps with daily tasks?

Had a perfect Wednesday last month with zero migraines and actually got stuff done

Had a shockingly good day with my chronic pain last Tuesday

Tbh I usually wake up stiff and miserable, but last Tuesday I got out of bed after 8 hours of sleep and felt almost normal. I even walked to the corner store and bought milk without needing to sit down halfway. Ngl, I was waiting for the other shoe to drop all day but it never did. Has anyone else had a random good day that made you question if your disability is real?

Just finished my first solo grocery trip in 3 months

Made it through the whole store with my walker and even carried my own bags to the car last Tuesday. Has anyone else hit a mobility milestone that felt impossible a year ago?

I finally spoke up about needing a stool at work

I overheard my manager gossip about someone who asked for a stool at the front desk... she said it looked lazy. I was quiet for a week after that, but last Friday I just walked up and asked for one myself for my bad knee. She went red in the face but said yes, and now I can actually focus on tickets instead of trying to hide my limp. Has anyone else had to push back against that kind of attitude in a small office?

Best day I've had in months was just sitting in my local library for 3 hours

Replacing a wheelchair ramp took me way longer than I planned

I figured swapping out the old wooden ramp at my place in Portland would be a weekend job. But between finding a contractor who actually understood ADA specs and waiting for permits from the city, it ended up taking almost 4 months from start to finish. The worst part was the first guy ghosted me after I paid $300 for the initial site visit. Has anyone else dealt with surprise delays on home mod projects like this?

Told my physical therapist I didn't need the cane and fell flat on my face at Target

I was at the Target on Miller Lane last Thursday, just grabbing some paper towels and milk. I'd been using a cane for 6 weeks after my hip surgery but felt fine, so I left it in the car. Halfway down aisle 9 my hip gave out completely and I went down hard into a display of laundry detergent. A kid working there had to call for a manager and they brought me a chair from the break room. My wife was pissed when I called her from the store phone because my phone landed in a puddle of soap. The worst part was the cashier asking if I needed a handicap sticker for my car, like I was some old guy who can't admit he needs help. Has anyone else had a moment where you thought you were healed up but your body proved you wrong in a really public way?

Just realized I hit 10,000 hours of using my wheelchair this month

I had a moment last week when I added up the time I spend in my chair each day. It came out to around 11 hours a day, which means I've logged over 10,000 hours since I got my Quickie 2 model in Denver back in 2021. That number caught me off guard because I never thought of it as a milestone, just part of my routine. Has anyone else tracked something like that with their mobility gear or aids?

The bus ramp broke mid-way down and I just sat there frozen

At the transit center downtown last Thursday, the driver tried lowering the ramp and it got stuck halfway, leaving me stranded at the top. Had to wait 20 minutes for another bus while people stared. Has anyone else dealt with equipment failing at the worst moment?

Bought a cheap wheelchair cushion off Amazon and it wrecked my back

Honestly, I thought I was being smart saving money on a cushion. Spent like $30 on some random brand with good reviews. After three weeks, my tailbone hurt way worse than before and I started getting these sharp pains in my lower back. Turns out the foam was way too soft and offered zero proper support. Ended up shelling out $80 for a proper Roho cushion from a medical supply place and it literally saved me. Has anyone else tried to cut costs on seating and just made things worse?

Is working from home actually better for disabled folks or does it just make things harder in new ways?

I've been working from home for about 6 months now since my MS diagnosis last year. Some days it's a lifesaver because I don't have to commute or deal with the office noise that wipes me out. But last week I had a bad flare and couldn't even get to my desk in the other room. My boss kept messaging me asking when a report would be done and I felt like I had to pretend everything was fine. Three years ago I worked in an office in Chicago and at least people could see I was struggling. Now I'm isolated and nobody knows how bad it gets unless I tell them. Which do you think is better for long term health with a condition like this? Does working from home help you save energy or does it make you push yourself too hard?

My standing desk converter slipped during a zoom call and took out my coffee mug

Was adjusting the height on my VariDesk Pro Plus 36 and the gas spring gave out, dumping the whole thing sideways across my desk and shattering my favorite mug. Has anyone else had a converter fail like this or did I just get a lemon?

Warning: Your wheelchair ramp could be a fall risk in rain (I learned the hard way)

I used to think those rubber ramp mats were enough to grip, even in wet weather, until I slipped sideways twice last month on my own front ramp in Portland. Turns out the rubber gets a slick film when it rains heavy and my cane just slid right off it like ice. Has anyone else had trouble with ramp traction and found a mat or surface coating that actually works in the rain?

Six weeks with grab bars in the shower and no falls yet

I finally put grab bars in my shower three months ago after my physical therapist kept pushing it. Before that I was holding onto the shampoo shelf and hoping for the best. Now I can actually wash my hair without worrying about slipping. It cost me about $120 for two solid bars and installation. Has anyone else noticed how much easier showering gets with just a little support?

The grocery cart that flipped me into the produce aisle

I was at the Safeway on 4th Street last Tuesday, leaning on my walker to grab a bag of apples, and somehow my cart rolled backwards and tipped over a display of oranges. I ended up on the floor surrounded by rolling fruit while a store employee asked if I needed a mop or an ambulance. Has anyone else had their mobility aid pull a surprise stunt that left you laughing through the embarrassment?

Wheelchair ramp at the coffee shop near 5th Ave collapsed on me Tuesday

Why does nobody talk about hitting 500 therapy hours in a year?

I just realized I went to 512 physical and occupational therapy sessions last year... that's more than one per day if you count weekends. My insurance actually flagged it and asked if it was a mistake. Has anyone else hit a crazy high number of appointments in a year?

Took me 4 years to get a simple ramp permit approved

Back in 2020 I needed a wheelchair ramp off my back porch. Simple thing, just 8 feet long. The city kept losing my paperwork and asking for new drawings every 3 months. I finally got it approved last week, 4 years later. Has anyone else dealt with a permit office that just keeps kicking stuff down the road?

Anyone use Law Offices of Norman J. Homen for SSDI?

Social Security just denied my disability claim and the paperwork is making my head spin. Has anyone hired the Law Offices of Norman J. Homen to help with an SSDI appeal?