Category: Celebrations

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Celebrations International

UK Travel: Challenge, Church, and Cuisine

Afternoon Tea

Frequent flyer miles and promotion of the first book in my dwarfism memoir trilogy, Dwarfs Don’t Live in Doll Houses, led to free flights and two nights’ accommodation in Worthing, England. It was October 1990 and we were guest speakers at a weekend conference of the Restricted Growth Association, one of the English organization equivalents to Little People of America.

Our ninth wedding anniversary prompted us to extend the stay for another week. We prepaid a rental car to avoid giving advance notice of our stature. This wasn’t deceptive, but rather timing the disclosure to coincide with our arrival at the service desk. As expected, when we presented our prepaid voucher at the rental agency we were asked to explain how we would drive the car.

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Robert showed the manager our pedal extensions and seat cushions. Despite obvious doubts, management reluctantly allowed Robert to install the extensions. Word of our presence spread like wildfire and Robert artfully transformed this curious audience of agency mechanics into a team of helpers. They became just as determined as Robert to attach the pedal extensions safely. He probably met every mechanic on the lot before the extensions were successfully installed two hours later.

Then it was my turn. The manager insisted on driving around the block with me to be sure we were not an insurance risk. Robert appointed me to drive since I grew up driving on the left side of the road in New Zealand. I was sleep-deprived having traveled through the night and was relieved to gain the manager’s approval to drive off the lot and finally be on our way.

We had an ambitious itinerary that included the conference, Salisbury Cathedral, Stonehenge, Bath, Stratford-on-Avon, the Lake District, and London. Most of our accommodations were in bed-and-breakfast private homes. We felt the access challenges were worth it to soak in more British culture and cuisine. Did it really matter that we had to leave our bedroom door ajar because we couldn’t reach the door handle?

We spent more time at Salisbury Cathedral, built in 1220, than at Stonehenge which is anywhere from 3,500 to 5,000 years old. The rock formations were impressive, but we preferred the cathedral laid out in the shape of a cross, the 404-foot spire designed to lift our thoughts upwards to God, and seeing one of the four surviving original texts of the 1215 Magna Carta preserving the right to a fair trial and free church.

In Bath, we saw the Roman influence in AD 75 England. Here they built baths in the only mineral hot springs in the country. Robert handled the modern-day parking problem in the historic section of town by flagging down an officer who put a sign in our car window: Driver and passenger are both disabled from U.S.A. but do not have disabled badge.

After these and many other experiences, we left England with a strong taste for a return visit one day. But we couldn’t leave the country without sitting down to a traditional English afternoon tea.

This post was adapted from Chapter 10, Season of Travel, in book II of my dwarfism memoir trilogy, PASS ME YOUR SHOES: A Couple with Dwarfism Navigates Life’s Detours with Love and Faith, https://angelamuirvanetten.com/pass-me-your-shoes/.

You may also like prior posts:

“Read And Change Your Life For The Better.” Angela Muir Van Etten blog. September 5, 2022. https://angelamuirvanetten.com/read-and-change-your-life-for-the-better/

“Car Rental and Marriage Mulligans.” Angela Muir Van Etten blog. October 19, 2020. https://angelamuirvanetten.com/car-rental-and-marriage-mulligans/

Categories
Celebrations Transportation

Finding Hugo: Our Wheelchair Accessible Van

Finding Hugo

Eighteen weeks without a vehicle parked in our garage was a constant reminder of our quest for independent transportation. Robert’s struggle to get into a sedan, SUV, and wagon made it clear that our next vehicle would be a Wheelchair Accessible Van (WAV)—one he could enter riding his scooter up a ramp.

Our seven trips to three different WAV dealers took us from 20 miles to 125 miles from home. We considered the Chevrolet Traverse, Chrysler Town & Country, Dodge Grand Caravan, Honda Odyssey, and settled on a 2020 Toyota Sienna. In addition to sales spiels, we paid attention to consumer reports and conferred with little people in the “LP Adaptations” Facebook group. And we prayed for God’s direction.

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Given the technology needed to customize a WAV to our driver and passenger needs, one dealer would only sell to us if a Certified Driving Rehabilitation Specialist (CDRS) gave a thumbs up on the primary safety questions:

  • Pedal extensions or hand controls?
  • Seat cushions, power adjustable height driver seat, or both?
  • Remove and replace the existing steering wheel or add an extension?

But after waiting three weeks for this driver evaluation, the CDRS erected a major road block.

Although I had driven with pedal extensions for 50 years and most little people I consulted use extensions on their WAV, the CDRS recommended hand controls. She rejected a seat back cushion and proposed modifying the driver’s seat depth. Her idea of replacing the steering wheel with a smaller wheel meant relocating the controls on the original wheel. She gave no cost estimate for any of these “safety” changes. But clearly such customizations would add insane expense to an already costly purchase. And when we rejected the CDRS evaluation, the dealer discontinued any effort to sell us a WAV.

As with any road block, God showed us the detour that got us back on the road to WAV ownership. My online query to a dealer in Fort Myers, Florida was answered the same day and was quickly followed with an offer to send a driver to transport us free of charge from Stuart to their location. And in a surprising twist, the dealer representative wore two hats: sales and DRS credentials. Her knowledge of mobility technology squelched any safety concerns about driving with pedal extensions or a back rest seat cushion strapped in place. She retained the existing steering wheel and attached an extension in the front. Thus no modifications to the seat depth or steering wheel controls were needed.  Both CDRSs recommended an adjustable height transfer seat, but only one found a vehicle that fit two scooters.

In a perfect world Hugo would not have cost more than the starter home we bought 35 years ago! Plus we would never have bought a vehicle with a fuel cap above my head. But God gave us a miracle when He steered us to Auto Express South in Fort Myers, https://www.autoexpresssouth.com. Thanks to team Yasmin, Tom, Cris and Eddie. You all are the best!

You may also like prior posts:

For a subscription to my weekly blog on dwarfism and disability issues, go to https://angelamuirvanetten.com/blog/.

Categories
Celebrations

My Path to Citizenship

American Passport

At 4:00 PM on September 17, 1987, the 200th anniversary of the United States Constitution, I joined the Bells Across America tribute. I was the only one at my workplace to ring a bell in remembrance of church bells ringing in Philadelphia calling people to hear the first public reading of the newly signed Constitution. This was ironic given that as a legal permanent resident alien from New Zealand I was celebrating more than my American-born citizen colleagues.  

Even though I was eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship, I wasn’t ready. Ringing a bell was one thing, but taking the Naturalization Oath of Allegiance to the U.S. required me to “absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity” to New Zealand. But by 1998 my perspective had changed.

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After 17 years as a legal permanent resident alien, I was tired of sitting on election sidelines. I wanted to vote. And on January 17th when news broke of President Clinton’s alleged White House sex scandal with a White House intern, I knew I needed to vote. So on June 26th, I applied for citizenship. And my decision was confirmed in December when President Clinton was impeached for perjury and obstruction of justice.

Approval of my naturalization application involved more than living lawfully in the country as the spouse of an American citizen. An immigration officer would interview me and ask questions about my application and background. In addition, I had to show the officer my ability to read, write, and speak basic English and have a knowledge and understanding of U.S. history and government. Thankfully my dwarfism was not an issue.

For the English test, I had to correctly read out loud and write one out of three sentences. No problem. The civics test was more challenging. I studied a list of 100 questions, but at the immigration interview the officer randomly picked ten questions from the list. A passing score was six out of ten. I questioned the officer when he stopped after six questions and wrote 60% on the test paper. But he saw no reason to continue and left me feeling like I fell short of the 100% mark.

September 25, 1999, the day of my naturalization ceremony in Miami, Florida, was emotional and stressful. There were no tears of joy, but rather sobbing in the car when six lanes of traffic came to a standstill for so long that we arrived late to the venue. Robert dropped me near the entrance, but was denied entry after he parked the car. I made it in by the skin of my teeth, but had to sit in a back row unable to see anything. When it was time to take the citizenship oath, applicants stood when their country’s name was called. I waited expectantly, but New Zealand was never mentioned. Instead, I stood on the last call for anyone whose country had not been named! I took the oath of allegiance, but was in no mood to ring any bells.

For a free subscription to my weekly blog on dwarfism and disability issues, go to https://angelamuirvanetten.com/blog/.

Categories
Celebrations

Two-Year Blog Anniversary Favorites

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Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

A Trendy Olympic Sport—Hotel Bed Climbing? July 26, 2021. https://angelamuirvanetten.com/a-trendy-olympic-sport-hotel-bed-climbing/

Post excerpt: . . . The bed was level with our chest and must have been at least 27 inches tall. At our height of 40 inches, this was an impossible feat. There was no stool in sight and none were available at the front desk. . . So how could this happen in an accessible room? Doesn’t the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) address bed height? . . .    

Pat & Rich comment: With the newer beds being so tall our regular foot stool we carry in our luggage would not accommodate us! This situation has become an issue for traveling.

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DWARFISM TRILOGY COMPLETE: Recurring Pattern of Three Emerges. September 27, 2021. https://angelamuirvanetten.com/dwarfism-trilogy-complete-recurring-pattern-of-three-emerges/

Post excerpt: After 33 years, my dwarfism trilogy is complete. Three books in a little more than three decades about God’s three gifts of grace in my life—faith, hope, and love. As it happens, the word “three” has emerged as a thread in this cradle to retirement memoir series.

Making the Impossible Happen. October 4, 2021. https://angelamuirvanetten.com/making-the-impossible-happen/

Post excerpt: Characterized as the biggest state and local building code change in 20 years, October 8, 1997 is a date few know to commemorate. This is when. . . the six-inch reach barrier was [broken making] ATMs, gas pumps, elevators accessible to people with dwarfism and half a million others whose disability involved a reach limitation.

Be Thankful in All Circumstances. December 27, 2021. https://angelamuirvanetten.com/be-thankful-in-all-circumstances/

Post excerpt: I’m thankful that God protected us from being exposed to COVID-19 and that our double vaccination came without side effects. One way of staying safe at home was to order home delivered groceries. Our neighbors even benefited when my order for nine individual bananas was misinterpreted as an order for nine pounds of bananas!

Take Action Against ADA Access Violations. January 24, 2022. https://angelamuirvanetten.com/take-action-against-ada-access-violations/

Post excerpt: Thirty years after the effective date of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on January 26, 1992, I didn’t expect to read about an accessibility nightmare. But that’s exactly what a Little Person wrote about her recent experience trying to order fast food from a McDonald’s self-serve kiosk.

Honeymoon Romance Takes A Dive. February 14, 2022. https://angelamuirvanetten.com/honeymoon-romance-takes-a-dive/

Kathleen comment: Angela, great story! I can picture the whole scene.

The Gift of Being Distinctive. May 2, 2022. https://angelamuirvanetten.com/the-gift-of-being-distinctive/

Post excerpt: I have come to see my size is a gift that should not be wasted. I can use it to positively influence how people perceive disability, illustrate our abilities, interact with kindness, increase integration into the mainstream, and identify barriers that demand removal. I can impede the impact of negative behaviors by being impervious to the impertinence, isolating offenders, and indicting those who interfere with civil rights and impose both inequality and injustice on people with disabilities.

Juliette comment: The message to embrace who we’re created to be is so timely for us all right now. Love it.

To subscribe to my weekly blog on dwarfism and disability issues, go to https://angelamuirvanetten.com/blog/.

Categories
Celebrations Little People of America

LPA Conference Destinations

Map
Image by alijoy313 from Pixabay

Before Robert and I married, he promised to show me every state in the union. Although not the reason I accepted his marriage proposal, I was ready to see the sights, meet the people, learn the history, understand the nation I was adopting as my home. Today on my 40th July 4th celebration, I can report visiting 37 of 50 states! And more than half of those visits were for national LPA conferences in July.  

            Our reasons for attending 29 conferences in 19 states were diverse—board meetings, leading workshops, Expo coordinator and exhibitor, tourism, and friendships.

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Traveling to and from conferences was part of the adventure. As newlyweds, we arrived at the airport with one bag missing! Each of us assumed the other had loaded the forgotten bag into the cab—the critical bag with all the materials Robert needed for board meetings. Incredibly, he raced home and back to the airport in time to be on the right side of the door when it closed.

Ground transportation was key to navigating destination cities:

  • In California, we hired a car to drive to Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco with friends from Little People of New Zealand. Frustrated by lack of direction from his alien passengers, Robert stopped the car on the highway in the yellow-striped V between two lanes that forked in different directions. A motorcycle cop let him off with a warning.
  • In Texas, we delighted in Dallas Area Rapid Transit accessibility with David and Lisa. But it took time to learn the system. Lisa and I boarded successfully and watched David and Robert standing on the platform as the train pulled out of the station.
  • In California, Robert and I rode accessible public buses to the San Diego zoo when no accessible cabs were available.
  • In Colorado, Robert rode in an ambulance to the hospital in respiratory distress while I battled with cab companies that refused to transport me with my scooter. As a sea level resident of Florida, Robert was adversely affected by the mile high altitude of Denver. Upon discharge, he traveled home with a portable oxygen concentrator.

Mostly our appreciation of area attractions came after completion of LPA commitments:

  • In Nevada, we valued a day trip to Virginia City in Bonanza country and rafting on the Truckee River.
  • In Oregon, we witnessed the aftermath of the Mount St. Helens volcanic eruption.
  • In Michigan, Robert—undeterred by Do Not Enter signs—led a group of little people to Tom Thumb’s pool table in a restricted zone of the Henry Ford Museum.
  • In Utah, we took a boat trip on the Great Salt Lake without a fishing pole—the lake is too salty for fish.

In all 19 states, we connected with our LPA family at restaurants, coffee shops, off-site events, chatting in hallways or a quiet corner. We laughed, and smiled, and supported one another. We didn’t always agree and sometimes we annoyed each another, but this community has greatly enriched our lives.

This post includes references to the second and third books in my dwarfism memoir trilogy, “Pass Me Your Shoes: A Couple with Dwarfism Navigates Life’s Detours with Love and Faith” and “Always An Advocate: Champions of Change for People with Dwarfism and Disabilities.” Read more at https://angelamuirvanetten.com.

Categories
Celebrations Little People of America

Celebrate Authors with Dwarfism on World Book Day

World book day

Reduce stress. Improve memory and brain function. Increase attention span. Discover a link between the past and the future, a bridge between generations, and across cultures. Contribute to social transformation. You can do it all by reading books.

For 25 years, the value of reading books has been celebrated on April 23, the anniversary of the deaths of authors William Shakespeare of England, Miguel de Cervantes of Spain, and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega of Peru. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization inaugurated World Book Day to promote the enjoyment of books and reading.

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In the words of some writers:

“There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.” ~ Joseph Brodsky

“Reading is an exercise in empathy; an exercise in walking in someone else’s shoes for a while.” ~ Malorie Blackman

“Books can be dangerous. The best ones should be labeled ‘This could change your life’.” ~ Helen Exley

“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” ~ Joseph Addison

“Books help us understand who we are and how we are to behave. They show us what community and friendship mean; they show us how to live and die.” ~ Anne Lamott

So are you ready to reduce stress, prevent crime, increase empathy, flirt with danger, exercise your mind, and learn how to live? If yes, I recommend you start by reading recent books authored by people with dwarfism:

“ALWAYS AN ADVOCATE: Champions of Change for People with Dwarfism and Disabilities,” Angela Muir Van Etten, 2021.

“Dwarfs Don’t Live in Doll Houses,” Angela Muir Van Etten, Kindle 2021.

“PASS ME YOUR SHOES: A Couple with Dwarfism Navigates Life’s Detours with Love and Faith,” Angela Muir Van Etten, 2020.

“Dwarfism, Spatiality and Disabling Experiences” (Interdisciplinary Disability Studies), Erin Pritchard, 2020.

“Looking Up: How a Different Perspective Turns Obstacles into Advantages,” Michele L. Sullivan, 2020.

“A Little Me,” Amy Roloff, 2019.

“LITTLE LEGS, BIG HEART: One Girl’s Journey of Acceptance, Perseverance, and Growth,” Kristen DeAndrade, 2019.

“TEN FEET TALL: Step Into Your Truth and Change Your Freaking World,” Brandon Farbstein, 2018.

“Fierce at Four Foot Two,” Terra Jolé, 2017.

“THINK BIG: Overcoming Obstacles with Optimism,” Jennifer Arnold MD and Bill Klein, 2017.

“LIFE IS SHORT (No Pun Intended): Love, Laughter, and Learning to Enjoy Every Moment,” Jennifer Arnold MD and Bill Klein, 2016.

All books are available on Amazon.com and at various other book retailers.

In the tradition of World Book Day, get your free paperback and autographed copy of the out-of-print Dwarfs Don’t Live in Doll Houses from the recently discovered box of books in my sister’s basement in Sydney, Australia. Qualify for the free book and free shipping by completing your dwarfism trilogy paperback set with a 33% discount on Pass Me Your Shoes and/or Always an Advocate at $10 per book. Email angela@angelamuirvanetten.com so we can exchange mailing addresses.

Need specific information on the merits of each book? Go to https://angelamuirvanetten.com/books/.

Categories
Celebrations Education

So Where Do You Wear A White Horse Hair Wig?

New Zealand bar admission with Nana & Dad
Angela stands at elbow height of her father and grandmother standing behind her. All three are formally dressed: Angela in a black robe, white collar, and white horse hair wig; Nana in a pink dress, white cardigan and white necklace; and dad in a blue suit and tie with a camera strap draped over his shoulder.

My presence in a bar has been challenged more than once, but exchange the bouncer for the bailiff and you’ll find me unchallenged at the bar of the local court. Eligibility for this bar is based on a certificate of admission to the High Court of New Zealand not a certificate of birth.

On the first day of February 1977, the order of admission was made by the presiding judge. Indeed, the day actually carried an air of fantasy. It began with a parallel to “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” I felt like big daddy bear robbed of chair, porridge, and bed. When I came to sign the Roll of Barristers and Solicitors, somebody had signed on the line reserved for my name.

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In all the excitement, one of my peers had signed her name in my space. There was nowhere for me to sign.

The story took a different turn when the Deputy Registrar stepped into the picture. As though a fairy godmother waving her wand, she took out an eraser and removed all traces of the error. With it she also wiped out any suggestions of fantasy. In reality, I was standing there at age 23 ready to enter my name on the roll and to begin my career as a Barrister and Solicitor in law.

Note: In 1977 it was customary for New Zealanders to qualify as an attorney at about age 23, as students entered the four-year law degree program at age 18, without being required to complete an undergraduate degree. However, a first year of general studies, known as pre-law, had to be successfully completed before a decision as to law school admission was made. A fifth year of part time study, while working as a clerk in a law office, was spent qualifying for admission to the bar.

I stood with pride alongside my fellow classmates also taking the oath of admission. As predicted, only half of those who began the five-year law program stood with us on this day. We were at the end of a long road and were finally entitled to speak before the court.

The occasion called for traditional dress—a white horse hair wig and an expensively pleated heavy black legal robe. I couldn’t help thinking how much we all looked like over-dressed penguins, but the apparel was a prerequisite to appearance and the right to speak as counsel in court. It was no time to voice objections. Instead we all robed meekly and took the oath put to us. We hoped other people understood that appearances aren’t the most important thing in the world.

That hope was put to a severe test when I discovered that prospective employers were very interested in appearances. This post is excerpted from Chapter 3, At the Bar, in “Dwarfs Don’t Live in Doll Houses,” the first book in my dwarfism memoir trilogy covering my first quarter century. Click on the link to read what others say about the book and find out where to get your copy: https://angelamuirvanetten.com/dwarfs-dont-live-in-doll-houses/.

Categories
Celebrations

Christmas Lights

Christmas

Many have given up listening to the news. They are overwhelmed by the darkness and despair reported about horrific crimes, natural disasters, dismal economic forecasts, and global health crises. But Christmas is a time when people look for a break from the darkness. They pause from their routines and hope for a season of love, peace and joy.

People go to great lengths to decorate, buy the perfect gifts, and be together with family and friends. Robert and I are no exception. We have driven hundreds of miles and flown thousands of miles to be with family at Christmas.

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For Christmas 1983 we treasured the time with Robert’s relatives in Munster, Indiana despite the December 25th headline in the Chicago Tribune: “25 below! It’s misery.” Three years later we loved the time with my family in a summer and sandy Christmas gathering at the beach in Whangamata, New Zealand.

There are many traditions associated with Christmas, but central to the celebration are the lights that sparkle in candles, Christmas trees, and houses lit up with strings of Christmas lights. The lights take away the darkness and brighten our spirits. We sing carols that proclaim the light Jesus birth brought to the world. For example, the third verse of Silent Night describes Jesus as “Son of God, love’s pure light.” Even more precious are Jesus own words:

“I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” John 8:12

Cancel culture has tried to rob us of the true meaning of Christmas. It offers the glitz without being plugged into the source of the light. We need to debunk this lie and freely declare that Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus. Immanuel, God with us, is the greatest gift of all.

“For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:19.

And there’s more good news. The light that Jesus brought to the world is not limited to Christmas day. It shines every day of the year. And those who follow Jesus are appointed to beam as His lights.

“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Matthew 5:14-16.

So as we celebrate Christmas this year, let us bask in Jesus light and share it with all who are willing to listen.

Bible verses are from the New Living Translation.

Visit my website at https://angelamuirvanetten.com to subscribe to my weekly blog and learn about my memoirs published in a dwarfism trilogy.

Categories
Celebrations

DWARFISM TRILOGY COMPLETE: Recurring Pattern of Three Emerges

Trilogy Complete

After 33 years, my dwarfism trilogy is complete. Three books in a little more than three decades about God’s three gifts of grace in my life—faith, hope, and love. As it happens, the word “three” has emerged as a thread in this cradle to retirement memoir series.

ALWAYS AN ADVOCATE: Champions of Change for People with Dwarfism and Disabilities (#3), officially publishes on October 1st. Organized into three parts, Part I is on volunteer leadership challenges; Part II is about dwarf tossing; and Part III deals with equal access.

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Part I discusses the three times Robert or I served as LPA President during the years membership grew from about 3,000 in 1980 to 6,000 in 2006. Part II addresses LPA’s action to halt the dwarf tossing atrocity in three states—Illinois, Florida, and New York. Part III involves equal access to the built environment, education, emergency operations, housing, social security disability benefits, transportation, and voting. It took three years to break the six-inch reach barrier in the built environment standing against three of the most powerful industries in the nation—banking, oil, and retail.

The book will be released in three formats: e-book, paperback, and audio.

PASS ME YOUR SHOES: A Couple with Dwarfism Navigates Life’s Detours with Love and Faith (#2) published in October 2020. An e-book release is planned for our 40th wedding anniversary in November 2021. Robert and I had three marriage ceremonies in 1981. The wedding and anniversary rings on three fingers of my left hand symbolize our commitment.

Though if one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
~ Ecclesiastes 4:12, New International Version

Robert and I met when I came from New Zealand to America for three months on a Winston Churchill Fellowship. I obtained an American law degree after attending law school for three semesters. Despite passing the three day Ohio bar exam, I experienced discrimination in three job interviews.

After a three-hour hip replacement surgery in 1997, Robert tanked up on three pints of blood. When he forgot to bring his electric razor to the hospital, a hand razor was off limits for three weeks because he was on a blood thinner. We couldn’t decide if the resulting beard gave him the distinguished professor or garden gnome look.

Dwarfs Don’t Live in Doll Houses (#1) published in 1988 and will be released as an e-book in December 2021. It took three photo shoots on bitterly cold days to get the right cover photo image.

I’m the eldest of three children and Robert has three younger brothers. Our adult height is the size of a three year old. When I was a bridesmaid for the third time, someone said, “If you’re a bridesmaid three times, you’ll never be married yourself.” Don’t believe everything you hear.

So what do all these threes mean? I’ll give you three guesses. Nothing more than interesting trivia.

More information and updates on my dwarfism trilogy is found at https://angelamuirvanetten.com/books/.

Categories
Accessibility Celebrations

Access Hits and Misses in New York City

Decade Birthday Tradition

On August 30, 2015, Robert and I continued our decade birthday tradition with siblings and spouses.  This was my brother’s 60th so he chose the destination. Our flights from Australia and Florida landed all six of us in New York City for five days and a weekend with Greg’s daughter Holly who flew in from London.

Upon arrival at LaGuardia airport, Robert and I appreciated the help of the airport taxi dispatcher and a driver willing to load two scooters into his vehicle. We assured the driver that family would help him unload at our lodging. This was a better solution than scrambling to find an accessible taxi.

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Greg’s wife, Julie, had asked every conceivable question to ensure that our second floor Airbnb loft had an elevator and no stairs. We planned to come and go independently like the rest of our crew. But the booking agent overlooked the three-inch rise from the sidewalk into the building and the elevator was a far cry from accessible. But we were thankful that one scooter at a time could squeak through the narrow door into the small elevator car.      

We primarily navigated our way around Manhattan riding accessible city buses and the subway to stops with elevators. This eliminated any parking problems, unless you count the perturbed parking attendant who did not appreciate my photo op humor when I backed my scooter into a ground level space underneath a car on a second tier hoist.

Greg’s birthday dinner was fine dining with great décor, toasts, and God’s blessing. And his birthday gift from Deborah proved to be the highlight of the trip—tickets to the opening night matches of the US Open at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, Queens.

The accessible seats in Arthur Ashe Stadium gave us an unobstructed view of the tennis court and were near the section where Serena Williams family and coach were seated. The challenge was getting to our seats. The volunteer elevator usher repeatedly let us out on the wrong level. This was a big deal because of the long wait for an elevator car with room for the scooter. (Yes, only one scooter this time as Robert is not a tennis fan.)

After enjoying two matches of top-tier players, we exited the stadium and moved with the masses to the subway about 1:00 AM. However, we were shocked to exit the train at our stop and find the elevator out of order! Thankfully, Greg and Rob carried my scooter up the stairs and Deborah and Julie helped me. The next day we learned that the UK tourist we met on the train the night before was also confronted by an out-of-order elevator at his station. His power wheelchair was too heavy to lift and he had to board another train, exit at Grand Central Station, and wheel back to his hotel on city sidewalks in the early hours of the morning.

Do you have an access vacation story to share?

This post is based on outtake material removed from “ALWAYS AN ADVOCATE: Champions of Change for People with Dwarfism and Disabilities” releasing on Amazon on October 8, 2021.