#mobility device

[heart-buzz]

something i think a lot of able-bodied people (or really, ANYONE who doesn't use an electric mobility device) fail to realize is that while having a power chair can certainly open up your ability to go places, many places are not power chair/scooter friendly. even curbs aren't power chair friendly, (frankly im ignoring the width of sidewalks for this post... 😒) the first time i left my home with my chair, i had an emotional breakdown upon coming home, because my own driveway isn't power chair friendly. the curb has a two inch rise, which simply can't be rolled over. we'd already had to buy an expensive ramp to get OUT of the house, and i had to get out of my chair (ow) so that my fiance could lift the chair over the curb. if he wasn't there with me, i would've been out of luck. not only would i have had to leave my $5000 chair outside on the street, i would've had to walk myself back inside, which is one of the main contributions of my back pain. btw, insurance doesn't cover anything towards non-permanent chair ramps. as a disabled person, you are expected to cover those expenses yourself, and they are not cheap.

i also realized that not every road has an ADA-compliant curb to roll onto. do you know what that means? that means i have to drive my chair in the street, with actual cars. do you know the top speed of my chair? it's 5.1 miles per hour. im not sure if it's illegal to pass someone in a mobility scooter, but no one wanted to drive around me when this happened so i held up the traffic on a somewhat busy road. it was embarrassing and somewhat frightening.

i guess all im saying is, please think about power chair and scooter users when you think about wheelchair accessibility. please consider what our heavier, battery-operated chairs can and can't do when it comes to curbs and ramps.

[thedisablednaturalist]

I saw a post saying along the lines that pointing out inaccessibility behind walkable cities is a psy op and I'm going to start biting

I DONT LIKE CARS AS MUCH AS THE NEXT GUY. I AM AN ENVIRONMENTALIST.

I literally study sustainability and in my classes I constantly have to ask my fellow classmates and professors "and what is your plan for people who can't ride bikes?" "How will this affect public transportation?" "Will every person with mobility issues just be given a $50,000 powered wheelchair so they can go up hills unassisted?" Like I am an environmentalist. I'm not a fucking oil simp trying to be a wet blanket on your uwu solarpunk future. I'm making sure disabled people like me aren't fucked over cause you forgot about us or made assumptions. Don't give me that "I didn't mean walkable like that" shit. Then call it cities with sustainable mobility or something. Just giving us ramps and elevators doesn't automatically make a city accessible (and most places even the most eco friendly don't do even that correctly). Please talk to disabled people. Include our criticisms and voices in your designs. I hate six lane traffic too! But unless you volunteer to carry me and every other mobility impared person everywhere (without complaining), places need to be accessible and eco-friendly

Just cause someone points out an issue doesn't mean they are a psy op I am taking that word away from you until you can use it correctly

[image ID: mother putting box of toys onto high wall shelf while young child crosses arms and pouts. End ID]

[spooniestrong]

📷: (source unknown)

[seventyone-71]

I bought a cane the other week - which is the first time I've owned one - I never realized how much I was suffering without one, turns out I was spending so many spoons just moving around and I had no idea. I have so much more energy now it's crazy. Best 30 dollars I've spent in my life.

[bonefall]

just read that briarlight from your rewrite doesn't only have her thing with Millie and her inappropriate behaviour (at least from what I got) BUT also has strained relationship with graystripe,which I think is interesting concept 👀 could we get more detail on that ?

Sure thing! I don't plan to completely eliminate Millie's inappropriate behavior, but her abelism is treated as abelism by the narrative.

Graystripe is not allowed to get off blameless here; he should have protected his daughter. But he didn't. Briarlight has complicated feelings towards the fact that her dad didn't help her when she really needed him.

I actually really like Graystripe as a character so this matters a lot to me; the narrative treats him like he's a perfect being when he's an extremely complex guy. Graystripe does what he wants to do, and is a passionate and loyal person, but how would he decide between telling his mate to back off, and protecting his daughter?

I don't think he can decide. Siding with one could mean losing the other, and after what he's lost, he can't do that. So instead he does nothing, trying to play 'Both Sides', and just ends up alienating both.

Briarlight

Around the time of Bramblestar's Storm, ThunderClan is working on a better mobility device for her that will allow her to get out of camp, on more types of uneven terrain. I plan for Jessie to actually be the one who finally figures this out, a proper kitty cat genius of engineering, using that blanket they salvaged to help prevent chafing.

Here is a mouse drawing in paint lmao, it is a modified version of @cryptidclaw's Briarlight design, which I asked for their permission to use!

[ID: A drawing of a paraplegic cat, Briarlight, from Warrior Cats. She has a furry 'mullet' mane and a mobility device in three colors. There are green rings around the neck, hips, tail and back legs labelled 1, a blue blanket stretched over the belly labelled 2, and a red bark sled under the immobile legs marked 3]

The rings are made of twine of some sort, with the blanket sewn into the ones on the neck and legs, with the ones on the hips looping around the sides of the bark sled

The blanket prevents thorns and rocks from scratching her body; very important because if they were caught under her legs, she would not feel the pain to know it needs to be removed else cause infection

The bark sled is the only part that touches the ground, to prevent wear to the blanket and prevent it from getting ripped up too quickly. (oops I drew it too short lmao it should reach as far back as the paw)

This version is an improved model of the one that Wildfur used and made the entire TNP journey with; his would look very similar to Cryptidclaw's initial design (For the record it is the best mobility device for a paraplegic warrior I'd ever seen and they deserve a ton of credit here, I just improved some technical aspects of their design!)

ANYWAY back to discussion of abelism

So around this time, Briarlight finally sets a hard boundary with Millie. Her mom can't respect her, makes her feel horrible about herself, can't appreciate this incredible new mobility device, so finally Briar says, "Do not talk to me until you understand that my life isn't a tragedy!"

I think this actually does make Millie reconsider what she's been saying and doing to her kids, but fixing the relationship from this point is slow and gradual. Graystripe also gets caught in this; I'm thinking it was a sort of, "honey please speak to your mother," "Dad if you keep that up you're getting cut off too" situation.

Thankfully there's going to be plenty of time to do it since I'm not letting Briarlight die in AVoS. She survives AT LEAST until TBC, where her outspokenness against Bramblefake is going to put her in danger.

[beesandboswells]

@kazureiweek Kazurei week day 2 (cooking)

<- Previous Day HERE

[disabilityhealth]

PSA: when out in public, do not talk to a disabled stranger about their disability.

I don’t care if you’re curious. Die curious.

[frozenoj]

Using a cane sucks because how am I supposed to carry my food and my drink? Taking two trips is more time on my flaring knee. Every disabled person should be entitled to a free butler. Or a free robot that can fetch them things. My dog said he was willing to fetch me my food but I don't really trust him...

[hannahhbic]

every time a character is drawn using a mobility device an angel gains its wings. more of this please I am begging y’all

[sweetfirebird]

Tempted to name this Bethany, mostly to amuse myself. Also to put stickers on it, but wooo that would start to annoy me quickly.

I don't think I will need her every day, but when I do need her, I will be glad she's here.

Hmm I keep switching pronouns for the cane.

[mutualaidforalll]

Mobility Poll!

Only answer if you want obviously- as far as I know the answers are anonymous!

I'm sorry if I missed a few, I have mainly walking/mobility aids in my mind as of the time making the post due to my own pain with walking.

[Poll duration: 1 week]

Mod Vash

[thedisablednaturalist]

LET. PEOPLE. WITH. MOBILITY. DEVICES. ESP. WHEELCHAIRS. ON/OFF. THE BUS. FIRST.

[spooniestrong]

📷: functionallyjess

[seventyone-71]

POV: you're at college while theres campus tours and you have a mobility aid

[manriah]

Happy Disability Pride month!!! This month is important to me for multiple reasons!

As a cane user this month is important to me bc I'm proud of the safety/security my cane gives me! I have nerve damage from a spine issue(protruding disc)that impacts my right leg and makes me a fall risk! Since my spine surgery(2019)/multiple falls after, I've used a cane everywhere and havent fallen while using it!

Disability pride is also important to me as someone who is chronically ill/mentally ill and has to focus a lot on my health as a full time job (and an artist as my other part-time job!) For me pride about my chronic illness looks like giving myself extra time to complete projects/shipping with no pressure, being aware of my spoons/following spoon theory, resting every day when I feel I need to, and asking without any shame for accommodations (bathroom accessibility, a comfortable place to throw up in a vom bag, space/time off when I need it)

Being sick every single day is exhausting and for me disability pride is not about being happy about where my health is all the time, but being kind to my body and patient with myself, getting to know and love my body outside of the medical glare, and being proud of my ability to advocate for myself and live authentically with my health and comfort in mind!!

To anyone struggling with using a mobility aid, feeling embarrassed, or undeserving of using mobility aids; you go ahead and rock that shit, try not to let ppl's shitty questions/comments/lack of boundaries make you scared to use something that will make you more safe or comfortable!!!

To anyone reading this who is chronically ill, disabled, or struggling with claiming either; you are valid!!!