I am never getting a handicap van

I am never getting a handicap van

So I had to take my mom and my stepdad to the airport yesterday. We were driving my black Honda Civic two door. His name is Bob. I name all my cars.  Everybody was trying to tell me you should not get a two door car, you have too many devices that need to go in the car for your MS. They were all right. I really should not of gotten a two door car. However he’s so beautiful and sexy, I’m glad I did.

When I got to the house, of course I have to use the bathroom before we made this trip. So I hobble into the house with the help of my daughter on one side step dad on the other.  We took out my walker from the car because we had to make room for the suitcases. As I’m walking out of the house my mother is staring at me.  She’s looking at me from top to bottom, my first thought is “do I look fat?” She doesn’t say anything and I decided not to ask any questions.  I get in the backseat of the car, my car and I’m in the back seat.  I don’t drive that far, so my stepdad drives to the airport, and I’m really just there so when my daughter drives out of the airport she doesn’t get lost.

I should do a quick back step here to a conversation I had that morning with my mom. We were discussing my car and how long I had until the lease was up. The reason we were discussing it is because my mother was asking about putting the wheelchair in the car.  Again as I stated I have a Honda two door Civic. My travel wheelchair, that comes apart,  barely fits in the civic.  You can’t attach anything on the back to transport the larger, heavier, assembled wheelchairs, the car is too small and light. She asked me if I could put the travel wheelchair in the car and use that on a daily basis. The problem at this point, it is too heavy for me. I can’t get in and out of the car without help.

Fast forward to car ride to the airport, my step dad says, out of nowhere, “Jamie your next car is going to be a van with a ramp for the wheelchair.”  Obviously there was a conversation between the hours of  11 AM and 4 PM between the two of them. As they watched me hobbling at their house,  they obviously made a decision.  I certainly didn’t help out the situation, when we got to the airport and I had to get out of the backseat of my little two door Civic. I just couldn’t get out of the car. They were trying to pull me out, push me from behind, it was a whole ordeal. Finally I said just leave me alone for one second and I got out my way and told them what to do. I don’t think I ever got the kind of goodbye hug and kiss I got yesterday in all the years I’ve dropped them off at the airport. They may have been slightly traumatized.

On my way home with my daughter I turned around and said, “I am never getting a van.”

7 thoughts on “I am never getting a handicap van

    1. You know I should have asked your opinion too. I’m not up to the wheelchair to drive part but I need to be able to transport the wheelchair without having to put it together. I need a car I can put the lift on the back, that’s all I need.

  1. I understand your resistance to getting a van. I was forced with the same challenge several years ago and I came up with a what I think is a clever and classy solution. After all, relinquishing our independence is one thing, but for women of a certain age, “relinquishing our “sexy” is something else. I purchased a medium sized SUV that has the appropriate opening width to allow for a motorized lift installation. I also purchased a small three-wheeled lightweight electrical scooter. The compartment size in the back of the SUV is just large enough to contain the scooter – discreetly and safely. When I reach my destination, I “hobble” to the back compartment. The door lifts automatically, from my key ring or inside the car. I use the controls for the motorized arm and lower the scooter to the ground. Next, I attach the seat (options exist where one can store the seat on the scooter) and I am on my way! I prefer the discreet storage of the scooter inside of the SUV, rather than the install a contraption on the rear bumper solution (that solution was as revolting to me as a van). Hope this helps expand your imagination to look into other solutions for “transporting” mobility devices. P.S. many auto manufacturers sponsor programs addressing this solution. Check the websites for the SUV you may be interested in.

    1. Thank you. You addressed my issues with a van. They aren’t sexy and I’m 5’2. Please….I was never settling for my parents solution.

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