Salty Zebra

  Sometimes life isn't ideal. Let's face it, most of the time it isn't! So, we do what we need to, to make things work. In my "Making It Work" posts, I share life hacks and ideas that have helped me so that, maybe, they can help someone else too. I hope you enjoy!  Today's culture would like to have you believe that there are supports and accessibility options aplenty all around us. Many people I've spoken with have the impression that if you're in a wheelchair you get to skip the line wherever you go - especially in Disney parks. People have seen allergy information on menus, so most think that allergy friendly food is offered at most restaurants. The bad news is that just isn't reality. Yes, there may be options available, but it isn't likely that anyone will offer them to you. Yes, you sometimes get to skip the line, but that's only if you know to ask. And no, most restaurants are not  allergy friendly, and those that are usually only ha...

Image Credit: ChatGPT  Today we continue with Disability Pride Month  posts. A couple of weeks back, my super awesome cousin sent me a video on Instagram that made me choke up. It said some things I needed to hear, and maybe you do too, so I'm going to share them with you today. People who struggle with disability often tell themselves lies. I've found, as the speaker in this video did, that the best way to combat a lie is with the truth! Everything in quotes below is taken directly from the video and all credit for it goes to Moonlit_Kit .  #1 Lie: Maybe I'm just lazy Truth: "Lazy people don't struggle to do the things they enjoy."  I can't tell you how often this lie pops into my head. As I'm sitting, resting on the couch, reflecting on how little I've accomplished in this day, I hear it echo in the back of my mind. "Maybe I don't really need to rest like this, maybe I'm just lazy." Kit's truth really hit home for me. There...

Yet another post told in memes, not because it's funny, but because if I don't laugh, I'll cry... On a recent trip to Texas, I experienced several of the more "tropish" interactions of being an ambulatory wheelchair user and I thought I'd take the opportunity to share so that you can avoid making someone feel like I did. Ableism, it's a thing. It's real. People don't realize they have it. Educate yourself! "You're walking! It's a miracle!"   So, I'm sitting on the shuttle to the airport and my husband loads my wheelchair on. The driver looks around with a confused expression and asks, "Whose wheelchair is that?" I awkwardly raise my hand and he throws his hands up in the air and says, "It's a miracle!" I think he thought he was being funny. He wasn't. The reality is, if I couldn't get out of my wheelchair we couldn't use their service because IT IS NOT ACCESSIBLE. Shame on them, not on me fo...

 We smirk at the toddler stomping in the kitchen saying she can do it, "By Myself!" We shake our head at the senior citizen driving by braille down the road. But we each have a bit of an independent streak in us. We'd like to think that we can handle things on our own, that we don't need help. And when it gets suggested that maybe we shouldn't be doing something, watch out!  I've always been pretty fiercely independent. Yes, I'll ask for help to get something down up high, if someone's handy or I might get caught climbing on the counter 😏. When I was recovering from brain surgery , I was willing to let my husband carry out the grocery shopping, mainly because I literally wasn't physically capable of it. And yes, if there is ANYONE else in the house, I will holler for them to come take care of a spider. But do not tell me what to do, or worse, what I can't do.  My husband has learned this the hard way over the years. He's developed a carefu...

    You may have read previously about the disappointing experiences we've had over the last year flying with my wheelchair. After our last flight, in February, my husband was motivated to write a letter to Alaska Listens . We waited to hear back, not sure what to expect.   Two weeks later, we received a phone call from the disability advocate from Alaska.  He was very friendly and kind on the phone, apologizing profusely for the experiences we'd had, and making sure to get all the details straight on our most recent incident. We spoke for more than 20 minutes and ended the conversation feeling heard and encouraged. He promised to email us with more details in the next week or so, and he followed through.   A few of the things that were most meaningful in his email were: "I am truly sorry to hear about the challenges you have faced with the storage of your wife's wheelchair during your travels with us. It is disheartening to learn that you have e...

 As unbelievable as it is, it turns out that not everyone loves cruising as much as I do! My husband is one of those "not everyone"s. He's a great sport and more than willing to come along with me on my adventures, but it's not really his thing. What does he like to do? Head to a city and just go out exploring. I so appreciate him joining me on cruises lately and I wanted to meet him where he's at. So I set about finding a city we could get to that I could get around in my wheelchair well. This matters a lot because I can't get more than a few blocks without the chair these days. I have two permanently sprained ankles and walking is more than a little difficult.   Until you have to be aware, most people don't recognize what it's like to try to get around a place in a wheelchair. Are there good sidewalks? In New Orleans we encountered some terrible  ones that had my husband pushing me down the middle of the road! In Antigua, Guatemala the sidewalks wer...