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elizabethmcclung

Listed below are comments made by elizabethmcclung between Monday, 16th June 2008 and Friday, 5th June 2009.

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The Accessible Land of the Rising Sun 06:52am on 05 Jun 2009 I am curious if you went to Japan, or to Tokyo, Japan? I went to Japan for 18 days, and while Tokyo is the most wheelchair friendly city in Japan, if you didn't go to Shinjuko (sic) station, the busiest in the world and 'elevator number 8' doesn't mean anything then I am curious about your experiences (it is the only elevator which goes up to the platforms, the only one out of all 16 platforms, regardless if you need to go down, and must go up and then over). I agree that the 'JR Men' (since there are no JR women who wear the white gloves that I saw and the manga Train Train actually covers this fact), are a great help, and also a great hinderance when for instance they stop you from taking a train because 'the official ramp has not arrived' - your experiences outside of Tokyo would be of great interest, as well as how you managed to get through the hordes of people at the wheelchair exit/enter which also happens to be the 'information counter' and often requires an extended wait. "Chotto Matte" - that is another Japanese experience which cannot be missed.

I did however use; a platform beside the escalator which went up, and open elevator beside the platform which went up, a stair climber (Kyoto), a requirement to come back another day or drag myself with my arms up all the stairs and down the other side (Nikko), Having my wheelchair taken away (Kanaya), being told that I needed a keeper and outside Tokyo it was not believed one has seen a person in a wheelchair without one (Kanaya), spent an hour trying to leave a station without success (Tokyo), receiving help from a stranger (Tokyo and many other places). While there are lines on the ground for the blind, that is because blindness is historically respected in Japan. The same accomodation simply isn't true for wheelchair where a wheelchair accessible room may for example have a step of almost two feet up (Hiroshima), or to find a Onsen which is assessible you may be required to hire a taxi to take you completely out of the town (Beppu - actually wheelchair friendly as it is known for the wheelchair race there annually). Coming out of an elevator to be locked in to a series of posts (Tokyo), with no one coming. Required to wheel a half mile to use the 'alternate entrance' and get a ticket only to be viewed by camera (Kyoto), be assumed that as you are by yourself you have need to be rescued (about 4-5 times a day including when some people tried to put me inside a taxi in a rural northern city while my partner toured a Samurai House). To be required to crawl or drag myself in a Museum because my wheelchair was like shoes, and 'dirty' (Kyoto).

It is possible to go to Japan and with help from the Japanese disability organizations have a great time, but it will come with some times of great frustration (like being asked 5 times a day at least by JR officials 'You walk now?" - no, actually this wheelchair isn't an accessory like the earrings), but also some of great joy. I have also been carried up 150 stairs by 4 individuals, and had strangers from around the world help to take me up the slopes of the Himeji Castle (world heritage site and listed as accessible, but at the enterance the woman said, "You cannot go up with such a small group to push you" - I was to learn what that meant! But then, in a Kyoto castle, not being able to use your wheelchair (becuase it is outside at dirty) but having another wheelchair for your to transfer into just for the trip. Being told that three inches of gravel is 'accessible'. I went to 7 of the 9 world heritage sites and I would go again but Japan is often listed as one of the most unaccessible western countries for a reason (try visiting the different houses in Kobe!), it can be a wonderful experience, with a few months of planning and learning to speak some Japanese ("Kaidan?" which means "many stairs?" is pretty important. Along with saying, "barrier free" - which means 'Wheelchair accessible'. And "eei" which means, "Um no but I am about to jump this gap here whether you get out of my way or not" to "Actually, I am going to keep going until I find stairs and then I am going to get out and drag myself, thanks!") - most shrines have a verticle slope for people who work there to drive up and park - it isn't advertised but for power chairs this is a good option, for manuals, um, if you have arms of steel....

But I do have to visit this amazing place where there wasn't a 8 inch step to get into store and no one stared. Even in Tokyo, and even during Sakura, while many where entirely helpful I was not exactly 'blending in' Nor could I say that "I actually discovered was that Japan is without question one of the most crip-friendly countries that I've ever visited." - when many Japanese wheelchair users leave the country so as to have accessible lives. This is eloquently described in many blogs, and publications. However, if you go only to certain destinations within the larger cities of Tokyo and um.....Kyoto, that can be part of an experience.
The Accessible Land of the Rising Sun 06:40am on 05 Jun 2009 I am curious if you went to Japan, or to Tokyo, Japan? I went to Japan for 18 days, and while Tokyo is the most wheelchair friendly city in Japan, if you didn't go to Shinjuko (sic) station, the busiest in the world and 'elevator number 8' doesn't mean anything then I am curious about your experiences (it is the only elevator which goes up to the platforms, the only one out of all 16 platforms, regardless if you need to go down, and must go up and then over). I agree that the 'JR Men' (since there are no JR women who wear the white gloves that I saw and the manga Train Train actually covers this fact), are a great help, and also a great hinderance when for instance they stop you from taking a train because 'the official ramp has not arrived' - your experiences outside of Tokyo would be of great interest, as well as how you managed to get through the hordes of people at the wheelchair exit/enter which also happens to be the 'information counter' and often requires an extended wait. "Chotto Matte" - that is another Japanese experience which cannot be missed.

I did however use; a platform beside the escalator which went up, and open elevator beside the platform which went up, a stair climber (Kyoto), a requirement to come back another day or drag myself with my arms up all the stairs and down the other side (Nikko), Having my wheelchair taken away (Kanaya), being told that I needed a keeper and outside Tokyo it was not believed one has seen a person in a wheelchair without one (Kanaya), spent an hour trying to leave a station without success (Tokyo), receiving help from a stranger (Tokyo and many other places). While there are lines on the ground for the blind, that is because blindness is historically respected in Japan. The same accomodation simply isn't true for wheelchair where a wheelchair accessible room may for example have a step of almost two feet up (Hiroshima), or to find a Onsen which is assessible you may be required to hire a taxi to take you completely out of the town (Beppu - actually wheelchair friendly as it is known for the wheelchair race there annually). Coming out of an elevator to be locked in to a series of posts (Tokyo), with no one coming. Required to wheel a half mile to use the 'alternate entrance' and get a ticket only to be viewed by camera (Kyoto), be assumed that as you are by yourself you have need to be rescued (about 4-5 times a day including when some people tried to put me inside a taxi in a rural northern city while my partner toured a Samurai House). To be required to crawl or drag myself in a Museum because my wheelchair was like shoes, and 'dirty' (Kyoto).

It is possible to go to Japan and with help from the Japanese disability organizations have a great time, but it will come with some times of great frustration (like being asked 5 times a day at least by JR officials 'You walk now?" - no, actually this wheelchair isn't an accessory like the earrings), but also some of great joy. I have also been carried up 150 stairs by 4 individuals, and had strangers from around the world help to take me up the slopes of the Himeji Castle (world heritage site and listed as accessible, but at the enterance the woman said, "You cannot go up with such a small group to push you" - I was to learn what that meant! But then, in a Kyoto castle, not being able to use your wheelchair (becuase it is outside at dirty) but having another wheelchair for your to transfer into just for the trip. Being told that three inches of gravel is 'accessible'. I went to 7 of the 9 world heritage sites and I would go again but Japan is often listed as one of the most unaccessible western countries for a reason (try visiting the different houses in Kobe!), it can be a wonderful experience, with a few months of planning and learning to speak some Japanese ("Kaidan?" which means "many stairs?" is pretty important. Along with saying, "barrier free" - which means 'Wheelchair accessible'. And "eei" which means, "Um no but I am about to jump this gap here whether you get out of my way or not" to "Actually, I am going to keep going until I find stairs and then I am going to get out and drag myself, thanks!") - most shrines have a verticle slope for people who work there to drive up and park - it isn't advertised but for power chairs this is a good option, for manuals, um, if you have arms of steel....

But I do have to visit this amazing place where there wasn't a 8 inch step to get into store and no one stared. Even in Tokyo, and even during Sakura, while many where entirely helpful I was not exactly 'blending in' Nor could I say that "I actually discovered was that Japan is without question one of the most crip-friendly countries that I've ever visited." - when many Japanese wheelchair users leave the country so as to have accessible lives. This is eloquently described in many blogs, and publications. However, if you go only to certain destinations within the larger cities of Tokyo and um.....Kyoto, that can be part of an experience.
Toilets, farts, hair and what 'must be done' 09:37am on 08 Oct 2008 Lisa: nothing really scares guys away from commenting as going into detail into menses, so I sort of omitted that in this one. But you bring up a good point about use of bio-friendly products.

As for victoria, bathrooms, forget it, as Yanub says, they have usually placed extra equipment on the hallway there, or there is only one table that isn't in the main, two steps down, seating area and they don't take reservations. The ones I can get to, I have entered at times through the garbage bins and then from there through the kitchen.

I have been told that pain also creates pain loss, so my hope is smother the pain, get back the hair. That's what keeps me from hat shopping.

Gentle? I actually tend to use the ferry to replicate the motion of my intestines, yeah, so you can't use that toilet cause I'm in it!

Yanub: My goodness, your workplace sounds like heaven on earth, I don't know if I have ever seen a double railed stall for people with canes and crutches, EVER. I must come visit where you work to take a picture. As you saw, where I LIVE, I get disabled outhouses! I agree with your comments about stacking things there, and changing rooms are also terrible at this in shopping places, which is why I now change in public if they won't clear the room (exhibitionist, me?).

bvfrenchknitter: Yes, I think that is what people find so difficult, the fear of it. There is an article today in the Guardian, I think about how Judges won't admit that hate crimes happen to people with disabilities, that people can't fear us, but they do, oddly. And the more they know, they more they fear, have had careworkers tell me, "God, I hope I don't end up like you one day." (always a cheery start!).

Yeah, the anger, frustration which builds to anger because it isn't fair, and no one is going to fix it.

Hair: what peeves me the most is how ACCEPTED it is when female get sick for something other than chemo treatment to go, "Oh yeah, you'll lose your hair" - well, how odd that billions are spent by men, probably used by the same GP's who callously say, "Yeah, thinning and balding is a common side effect."

If the medical establishment can understand for breast cancer and other types of cancer that hair loss is traumatic for women, why can't the rest of medicine?

Neil: Ah, well, let me introduce you to a concept called, "Waxing" - it doesn't REALLY hurt, honest! Okay it does but takes care of 1/2 that problem!

Yeah on changing tables, exactly. Like when we go to the pool and have to get the life guard to inform the people that blue sign with chair on it doesn't mean "family changing stall"

If you've seen that much you get it a lot more than most and get it enough to realize the extra time and energy expended, in just getting to the darned toilet and back.

Cheers

mykidsmylife: Yeah, I have seen some low ones but not that low, at least not yet, yesh! Well the thing about hair, is that you never knew how much it meant until it starts going away, pretty much the standard for beauty in the west (having SOME hair).

I will love to keep writing them, hopefully with humor on the less pain days, the pain days the sarcasm turns into a bit of a rant. I have to watch that.
Toilets, farts, hair and what 'must be done' 09:28am on 07 Oct 2008 I buy them online, they are on ebay (particularly the neck cooling wrap - you carry it with you in a plastic bag, after soaking it in ice water the night before and the gel soaks it up). Those are often sold for construction workers or people who work in the desert, but the cooling vests, you can just google cooling vests. The most effective and expensive are Arctic Heat - which is used by Olympians but which does work - I've had to sleep in them during heat waves to keep from going into heat stroke. I can't compare to otherproducts, but that one is recommended by the US MS society I think.
The Postcard Project and what do YOU do? 7:08pm on 18 Jul 2008 Ykoriana: My friend does BookCrossing as well, I got her to explain it to me, and it sounds like a good project. However she did say NOT to try and leave one in an international airport as the Security was all over her when she tried to leave it behind.

You are inspiring me to join a book group since I never thought of that but it is a good way to socialize nearby.

Batsgirl: Yes, I am social too which is why I find the summer to be a LOOONNNGG stretch of withdrawl.

Ahha - knit to join a knitting group, I see the method, brilliant!

I am glad your friends and family are learning to accommodate and actually bring you along, did you have to use shock treatment with them as I have yet to train mine?

I don't laugh, I used to play Sims 2 a lot, until I realized that the Sims had WAY better lives than I did. But I am glad you are a kind and friend Sim diety.
PWD's: SHUT UP! You're not inspirational enough! 08:44am on 16 Jun 2008 Thank you for your comment Chris Page, I will forward your issues with PWD to the title making department (they like them pithy!). The word "probably" was used in the sentence regarding another's lifespan becuase in a statistical spectrum everything from paraplegic to bipolar shortens your lifespan; doesn't mean I love it, but not going to ignore it. It seems a shame however that out of 1000 words, your main reading seemed to be centred on the title and the first 24.

In which case, might I recommend a film, I hear The Diving Bell and the Butterfly has won many awards.

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