Re: Suitable housing/dealing with back and leg pain

[Guest guest]

Dear Jeannette:

 

I know just what you mean.  We owned a home in WA state from 1993 until 2007

that was 2 story.  It was during that time that I became disabled.  We had two

bedrooms up and two down there so I was able to manage pretty well.  When we

moved to NY state in 2007, one of our criteria for a new place was one story,

but alas, we couldn't find a single one and ended up in a split entry.  There

were stairs involved in every entrance there, too. 

 

When we moved here last April, again we looked all over for a place that was one

level, but just couldn't find one.  We were looking at apartments and

townhomes.  The irony is that when we did find a one level apartment, you had to

go up 24 stairs to get to it from the entrance.  We turned that one down and

ended up here.  At least the entrance is easy.  Once out lease is up here, we'll

decide whether or not to look further.  I don't know what it is about this part

of the country (east coast).  I grew up and lived most of my life in the western

US where ranch homes are very common.  Here everything is two story.  The city

of Lancaster is extremely wheelchair unfriendly, too.  We took a trip to Boston

and Salem last year and found the same thing.  Very little wheelchair access. 

 

I've complained about it here, but have been told that if a building is

considered 'historic' they don't have to change it to make it wheelchair

accessible.  I was stunned by that.  Actually, since I've been in a wheelchair I

have found that many, many places are not wheelchair accessible.  Even when they

say they are, they aren't really.  Going to the mall, I end up having to sit

someplace while my husband goes down aisles that will not accomodate my chair. 

It can be disheartening.

 

I also have slept downstairs in my chair on nights where I just couldn't lay

(lie?) down.  I had a horrible night last night.  I've got a cold, and that

combined with my sleep apnea and not being able to use the Cpap (with the cold),

I was up all night and most of the morning.  I finally fell asleep after 10 AM,

but still only catnapped until about 2 PM.  It was miserable.  No healing sleep,

and I've been miserable all day.  I'm going to try laying down again tonight,

but if it looks like it's not going to work again, I'll come back down here and

try sleeping in the chair.  Anything to get even 2 hours sleep in a row! 

 

- PA

Honestly, I sleep on the couch now because the bed makes my shoulders and hips

hurt too much. I'm looking for a nice daybed for my front front room. It has

the wood burner and the other front room has the tv.