u/MaximumAd692

Hi all. I am planning to travel for vacation in a month. It will be the first time flying after my injury. I am quite nervous and have read a lot on reddit and other sites on others' experiences. Mostly I am worried about the airline damaging my chair and leaving me stranded and not being able to enjoy vacation. I am travelling with rigid manual chair.

I have requested aisle chair, window seat. I understand I should take down all removable parts including wheels and cushion and side guards and flip down the backrest. My questions are:

1. how should i store wheels? is it necessary to buy a bicycle wheel bag?
2. should I do anything extra to protect the frame/casters, like bubble wrap or pool noodles?
3. regarding TSA, i understand they will want a pat down if I cannot stand. I can stand with a walker and if someone stabilizes me a bit from behind. I am not bringing a walker. I can substitute a desk/table/counter of appropriate height for the walker for the purposes of standing, with help. Is it worth trying to stand for TSA? I am assuming no.

Would appreciate any tips/advice or your past experience. Thanks in advance.

This was so out of the left field I didn’t know if I should laugh or feel indignant.

Went to zoo w bf ytd. First real outing after accident (spinal cord, paralyzed chest down).
Zoo has these lil tram things that help you go around. Normally have to pay but is free for disabled.
By afternoon we were deep in the zoo, tired, hot, arms sore ish. Pass by a tram station, bf asked if I want to take it. Sure, why not. Long line, we went to back but got ushered to front/side line by zoo worker because disabled.
As we went by the line some random middle aged lady (hereto referred as Karen) gave me the look up and down. Kinda taken aback, not really used to it, but whatever. We went past her, then I heard voice from back, something along the lines of how young people don’t respect rules anymore, liberals are snowflakes/weak (we are gay), elderly people need it more etc. whatever. I don’t even look back.

Then, Karen had audacity to call back the zoo worker and say (loud enough for everyone in line to hear) “he’s faking it, look at his shoes, they are dirty. That means he can walk.”

At this point I was like ???? Shocked and speechless. I didn’t even remember what shoes I was wearing. I looked and it was just a random pair of loose black sneakers - I had it before injury, it’s got dried mud/dirt marks on it. Besides, even after injury, I am incomplete and could stand. This had got to be some Karen detective show?

She went on to say some more shit like how she saw my legs move etc before being told to shut up by another person in line. Bf and I both kinda wanted to fight her but did not. Zoo person apologized when we got on tram. Then we went home.

🤷‍♂️

How odd. Never even thought about shoes.

Hey all. We currently live in a 2 storey house. Do people usually use chair lifts and transfer and carry wheelchair upstairs? Or should we look for bungalow?

Edited to add more context:
Just came home yesterday from rehab. Thought we were so smart and prepared that everything has been modified/checked to be accessible and then… real life hits lol

We live in 2 storey home we rent from my partners parents below market rent, while we save up to buy a house. We have bedroom, bathroom, and office upstairs and just a lil bathroom with toilet and sink on first floor. All the rooms are pretty spacious in this old house and didn’t have trouble with doorway clearance. The first floor bathroom door was a bit tight but the bathroom itself is tight and we figured I’d just use bathroom upstairs. We mainly just took out some carpets, and put in some bars and bench in the bathroom. Did not have to do a big reno. We got stairlift installed.

Then came home and realized 1) not smart to only have accessible bathroom upstairs 2) takes eons each way to go up and down on the stairlift due to transfer, and needs partner to bring wheelchair along.

I am incomplete and can stand and maybe take small steps, but not yet reliable. Maybe one day can walk upstairs.