Chronic Resilience

Strength is not always what people see on the outside. Sometimes it is the courage to believe in yourself, dream beyond limits, and keep smiling through challenges. Confidence begins when you see your own possibilities and never let others define your worth.

No nurse who ever sat in an infusion chair or laid in a hospital bed would choose to put an IV in the bend of your arm.

It makes it impossible to hold a book, use your phone, iPad etc with out causing issues for the infusion site.

Life is tough enough for chronic illness people… let’s not make it harder.

Everyone speaks like they are experts; as if their answer is the only possible answer for others with the same diagnosis.

Truthfully most medical professionals fall into the same trap of suggesting what they. Are comfortable with, even if it’s not the best fit for you.

Remember you are the expert on how your diagnosis impacts your body, what treatments help or hurt.

I honestly try to educate people… but sometimes you just can’t fix stupid.

Handicap accessibility should mean full access. Instead it’s most often ‘meet the basic requirements to get permits needed for my business and not get fined’.

If everything were required to be built fully accessible it would benefit almost everyone at some point. Not just wheelchair users, but walkers, knee scooters for those with foot / ankle injury, parents with strollers, a person on crutches or using a cane.

Remember any one, including you, can become handicap overnight. It might be temporary or permanent.

I certainly did not plan for it.
Nor did my daughter who was college age when it hit her. Not my husband with his knee replacement, torn Achilles, back surgery….

Go outside your business.
Stand on one foot imagining being on crutches you don’t want to drop….and try to open the door.
Was it easy? Impossible?

Go down the steps to your car on one leg.how was that?

Is the sidewalk wide enough for wheelchairs / strollers etc to pass each other or is someone forced off the sidewalk to let another pass? Can they even get back on the sidewalk?

Are there tables in the lunch place that a wheel chair can roll under? A desk in the office? Space for the chair to get move through the office?

Next time you go shopping look at how crowded the aisles of the stores are. Is the cash register/ card swipe within reach of a wheelchair?

A couple of weeks ago, we had an unfortunate situation.

A small family owned business we have frequented almost weekly for over a year tried to refuse access to our family and service dog. There was a moment of confusion for both sides, as we had the service dog with us on an previous visit many months earlier.

Upon later reflection, we realized the successful visit with the SD occurred when the owners were not present, but an older woman working the desk had no issue with it.

The owners were acting in what they believe was the best interest for all their clients stating a concern for those with allergies to dogs.

Unfortunately, they were not well-versed in the ADA laws that say a service dog can go anywhere with its human.

We commonly use the phrase, medical equipment, or wheelchair as an example of how to think of a service dog.
Ex. You can not deny someone their medical equipment or wheelchair if needed.
The need is determined by the patient’s doctor not by a random business owner.

As a Service Dog family, we try to educate rather than litigate when rights are violated. But the human cost of these situations Is high.

Under the ADA, service animals are dogs (or rarely, miniature horses) individually trained to perform tasks for people with disabilities. They are permitted in all public areas, including hospitsls, restaurants and hotels, even if "no pet" policies exist. Service dogs must be leashed/harnessed unless it interferes with their work and cannot be excluded based on breed.

ADA Service Dog Rules
Definition: A service animal is trained to do work or tasks related to a person’s disability (e.g., guiding, alerting, calming PTSD).

Public Access:
Businesses, nonprofits, and state/local governments must allow service dogs to accompany handlers anywhere the public is allowed.

Types of Animals: Only dogs are recognized under the main ADA definition, though trained miniature horses are permitted as a reasonable modification.

Training & ID:
Service dogs do not need to be professionally trained, certified, or wear special vests.

Allowed Inquiries:
Staff may only ask:
1) Is the dog a service animal required for a disability?
2) What task has it been trained to perform?.

They cannot ask about the disability or require documentation.

Control Requirement:
The dog must be under the handler's control (leashed, harnessed, or tethered) unless that inhibits the dog's work.

Exclusions:
A dog can be excluded if it is not housebroken, is out of control, or poses a direct threat to safety.
Fees: Businesses cannot charge special fees for service dogs.

What is NOT a Service Dog under ADA

Emotional Support Animals (ESAs):
Pets that provide comfort do not qualify because they are not trained to perform specific tasks.
Pets: Only animals trained for tasks are protected.

Service Animals Overview of the ADA’s explanation of what businesses and governments must do to make sure that they do not discriminate against people who use service animals.

Chronic illness, and your resilience to it are a constant roller coaster of pain, fatigue, dis’s appointment and hope.

While you ride this coaster daily… the ignorant public throws sarcasm, disapproval and judgement at you.

Choose where you want to spend your precious energy

# chronicpain

One of the greatest problems in medical care is the one size fits all theory.

We have all seen the pain scale of smiley to frowning faces. But that is so interpretive.

Something as simple as stumping your toe can put one person on the ground while another shakes it off and keeps going.

Here is a sampling of pain scales. If one makes more sense to you, take a screen shot and keep it where you can find and use it as needed to explain your pain.