Thursday, July 15, 2010

The Wheelchair Experience

In case you haven't heard, 3 months ago I was hit by a speeding motorcycle. The accident results in my left leg and arm broken. Long story short, that kind of injury necessitates a wheelchair for a few months. That's a long time if you don't enjoy what you're doing. Thus it's best for me to find a way to enjoy the experience while it lasts.

And yes, there are some perks associated with wheelchair that I could enjoy. For example, people always give priority in elevators. Also I could wheel through a hall and shout "Out of my way!!", and people will oblige. Well, actually I don't even need to say it (at least not aloud), and they will still give way. Then, when blocked by a door, I could usually say some magic words "Open Sesame", and the door will open magically.

However, there is also some experience that is quite annoying. The regular restrooms in the office don't have booths for people with disabilities. There are, however, several executive toilets big enough for my wheelchair to enter. They are available in 3rd, 4th, & 11th floor. While I myself is seated in 3rd floor. The problem is, the executive toilets in 3rd & 4th floor are allocated for nursing rooms (Squeezing room is probably more accurate). I'm still allowed to use them of course. But more often than not they are all used. And when a lady is inside doing her stuff, she tends to stay long, very long. There's more, sometimes when I wait for my turn, another lady would come and knock the door of the occupied toilet.

Knock-knock. "Can I come in?". The door would open, and in she goes. While I bite my nails and almost pee in my pants.
Sometimes, when I do get the chance to use the toilet, some lady would knock also.
Knock-knock, "Do you mind if I join you?".
Happily I oblige. "Please come in, I'll even help you with that." No, I don't say that, not aloud at least.

The other option is the toilet in the 11th floor. But it's not without a problem. The key for the toilet is held by some building maintenance guy. Usually he's quite easy to find. But of course that guy can't always be around all the time. Sometimes he got some tasks in other floor, sometimes, he's out for a long lunch, and sometimes he's on vacation. If that happens, well I bite my nails again.

Now, if hope doesn't deceive me, I should be able to start learning to walk again soon. When I do walk on my feet again, I'm sure all of this experience will look like fun in retrospect.