Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - Hier 13:35

The perils of moving around in a wheelchair

A recent injury to my foot limited my movement during the Christmas holidays, and several thoughts came to mind. How would it feel to be a wheelchair user, should life take an unfortunate turn? With a couple of calls and a Facebook post, I found a few people who either wanted to give away one that a deceased relative had used, or were willing to lend me one. Thanks to all of you who offered. Ackiel, a young man from my neighbourhood, was hired. His job entailed ensuring that I got out of the car safely and helping move the wheelchair whenever there was difficulty. We parked on Morton Street, and it took at least five minutes to get out of the car and into the wheelchair. The options were either getting into the chair on the roadside, or possibly bending a wheel trying to manoeuvre the chair in the limited space between the drain and the road. [caption id="attachment_1132459" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Angelo Marcelle uses the roadway as the sidewalks were not accessible by wheelchair at several locations in Tunapuna. - Photo by Angelo Marcelle[/caption] On getting into the chair, it was impossible to wheel it onto a pavement – because there was none. I had to pass close to cars parked on either side of the street until I reached the Eastern Main Road (EMR). I'm guessing the signs stating which side to park didn't matter that day. The aim was to access the Tunapuna Magistrates Court on the opposite side of the road. It didn't take long for a vehicle to allow me to use the zebra crossing, but on reaching the other side, getting onto the sidewalk was impossible. There wasn't a ramp bridging the road and the pavement. This is where Ackiel came into play. He was also taking the images of the journey. Without going into the compound of the courthouse, I could see that it was easy to get to the offices on the ground floor. However, if you had to get to the first floor, you'd have to use the elevator. There were no ramps. What was a person in a wheelchair to do if an emergency broke out while he or she was on the first floor, and the elevators couldn't be used? Afterwards, I discovered avoiding the sidewalk, with its sunken manhole covers and damaged sections, would force you to use a very busy EMR. That and businesses that encroach on the sidewalk with permanent structures. Using the sidewalk, even with an aide, was an impossible task and had to be abandoned. [caption id="attachment_1132458" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Members of the Spiritual Baptist faith say a prayer for Angelo Marcelle at the entrance of the Tunapuna Market. - Photo by Angelo Marcelle[/caption] Both the Tunapuna Fire Station and the Tunapuna Police Station were accessible, with the latter having a ramp. As I arrived at the intersection of the EMR and Pasea Road, waiting for the traffic lights to change, because there wasn't the option of a pedestrian-crossing light, a man made a joke: "Not because yuh on wheels yuh have to wait on the green light." I found it somewhat humorous – but someone who has to use a wheelchair permanently might have viewed his remark differently. By this time I had already got at least one blister on my left thumb, and I'd only used the chair for 30 minutes. I decided to get some cash from the closest ATM – was another struggle in waiting. There was a metal grid over a drain that made it easier for vehicles to roll over, but would be hazardous for a wheelchair and its occupant: the spaces in the grid were too wide. Since it was a Saturday, the alternative route via the back wasn't an option to access the building. That would have meant rolling back to Pasea Road and going behind the old Palladium Cinema. Entering the Tunapuna market was easy, and going through most of the aisles was smooth. Although the market was packed, shoppers moved aside to make my journey comfortable. I asked one vendor whether people in wheelchairs were frequently seen using the market. She said, "No. They may pass through like, twice every three months." [caption id="attachment_1132457" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Angelo Marcelle says entering the Tunapuna market was easy, and going through most of the aisles was smooth. -- Photo by Angelo Marcelle[/caption] As I left the market's eastern entrance, three women of the Spiritual Baptist faith, dressed in bright yellow, asked if they could offer prayer for me. I answered in the affirmative, but before they began, they deserved some context. "Before you start, I am a journalist who just wants to know what it's like to be in a wheelchair. I don't want the wrong blessings," I explained. One laughed and said, "I know, Angelo. You made me laugh. Do you have a pocket?" "Yes, I do." "Put this in your pocket." Red beans, lentil peas, corn and broken pieces of camphor were placed in my outstretched hand, and I put them into my pocket as previously instructed. A prayer was then offered and we left. "Ackiel! How did she know my name?" We both shrugged our shoulders. The return journey was much the same, but this time, my aide once again came into play. Hopefully, this situation will be resolved quickly, as the differently-abled should be able to enjoy the same comforts as every other citizen. Acting chairman of Disabled People International (DPI) Andre Herbert has lived in Tunapuna for more than 20 years. "Before I got a vehicle, I would travel back and forth to work, and it was very difficult. My disability is club feet, and most of my strength is in my upper body." Clubfoot is also known as talipes equinovarus. "Moving around in Trinidad on the whole is a challenge. I use to live Couva and had to use three vehicles to get to work. "When you're travelling, you have to wait for someone to pick you up. The driver had to place the chair in and out of the trunk, and most taxi drivers don't want to go through that hassle. [caption id="attachment_1132455" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Calypsonian Sheldon Nugget chats Angelo Marcelle before going about his business. - Photo by Angelo Marcelle[/caption] "I then started to use maxis, and they would stop for me because I was able to jump off my chair, put the wheelchair in the vehicle, close it myself and get into a seat. People would be fascinated. I wasn't a hassle. "When I moved to Tunapuna I had to do the same thing. It's very tedious and exceedingly difficult. You hardly have a social life. "Getting home from an outing is just as difficult. I would wheel from home and go to the main area, and then take a taxi on Tunapuna Road back home. Taxis weren't that bad, he said. "Sometimes I would go to the taxi stand on Caura Road." He agreed with me: "Using the pavement in Tunapuna to move around is very difficult. They are not smooth and not wide enough. It has potholes and broken-up manholes. "Most times I have to roll on the road to get around. It's not safe, but it's smooth." Unlike some people, Herbert "wasn't afraid to get bounced. I was pretty good at moving around. I know how to do a wheelie, jump off pavements and jump back on. You learn those tricks pretty quickly." But most of the buildings, he reported, are not accessible. Tunapuna is a nice area, he says, "for people who can walk. But for those who have a disability, it is very difficult."   The post The perils of moving around in a wheelchair appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.