Nothing gets on me more than businesses who have accessible checkouts and counters because the ADA requires it, but that don't keep them open or staffed with someone without you having to go through hassles of getting them to come and help you there.
With the bank, you also have to just deal with them taking your Debit/ Credit cards, ID and whatever else they need to serve you to another station out of your sight, because they won't log in to the accessible station. Its wrong and makes it so easy for one of us to become victims of fraud. It probably won't happen at the bank, but why should we have to put up with that, when able bodied people don't.
They are also one of the hardest places for me to access. The doors are heavier than need be IMO and getting help usually requires people to first see us struggling to huge lengths only to offer their help at a point in this struggle when their help becomes more of a hindrance than a help- ie we are already set in the right mode for entering independently and I lose my one thing that can directionally align me- that of holding onto the door because lets face it, without automatic doors, I can't enter a place with Thane in harness.
The bank is possibly the most toxic place I have to enter as well. I am ALWAYS sick after going to the bank. I MUST go to the bank because I am incapable of using the checkout debit card machines and I can not update my ID card for the state due to the horrendous effects it will have upon both my health and my vision. The primary store that I shop for Thane at does not take credit cards and I do not get enough in food stamps to cover both of our needs. As a result every month I have to expose myself to the toxicity of the bank to collect cash for Thane's food needs and my non-food stamp items. I then put the toxic cash on a Winco gift card so I do not have to handle it every time we need something.
With MCS, I really need to be able to get in and out of businesses as quickly as possible. When businesses such as the bank do not staff their accessibility window, it tells me two things. 1) They think just the presence of the window makes them compliant and 2) They don't value me as a customer very much.
Today I was at the bank and had to deal with this rude scenario for the umpteenth time. I will admit, I lost my cool and made a big scene yelling *Hello, can I get service some time?* That was met with them considering me to be impatient but since they had served not one, not two, not three, but four people who came into the bank line AFTER I had- they deserved it.
I needed some additional help and the way the supervisor was just made me want to scream. Making a comment to the teller that since I had waited to go ahead and do that now- as if I should have waited additional time to have the assistance to activate my new debit card when they don't provide TTY phone numbers for this and there is as of yet no such thing as a deafblind accessible ATM and even the ones accessible to the blind are not accessible to those with MCS.
Now if this was a one time occurrence or happened on occasion that would be one thing, but EVERY month I go through this same ordeal. My folks could probably quite easily cash the check for me and prevent both the MCS exposure and this ordeal but that is not the point- the point is if the accessible counter or checkout is not staffed, they ARE NOT complying with the ADA or treating us like all other customers. Believe me I have tried to use the inaccessible counters but with the barrier created by those line flow obstacles that are used, there is no way I can. If I make it to the teller, I can't get back out until everyone else has completed at their teller and even then there is not enough room for Thane to guide me through the path.
Its not just banks that do this. Most stores in my area are pretty good and most, if not all, of the checkouts are accessible. Some of the smaller stores though still have the one or two checkouts only that a wheelchair can get through. Its these same stores that do not keep the accessible ones staffed. Its like they still live back in the 70's and 80's. I do have one of these stores trained. Of course I got them trained with a lecture that ended with, *I wonder what the ADA hotline would have to say about whether or not you really are accessible or not* Ever since then, they keep their eyes on us as we are nearing the checkout and jump on over to the accessible one. Too bad the bank has not done that. Now that I would consider good service. Of course keeping it open all the time would be ideal since non-disabled people could easily use the disabled counter but not the other way around. You have it, use it, is my philosophy!
Showing posts with label ADA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ADA. Show all posts
03 June 2011
01 June 2011
The Collision of Veterinary Care with MCS for Service Dog Handlers
Those of us with MCS with service dogs, know all too well that when we go out in the community shopping, to the bank, to the Drs, or to the Vets that they may very well become as toxic as our bodies, our clothing and our wheelchairs do.
In many aspects I am very lucky with Thane that way, but with Met it was a real chore to keep him detoxed. Most people finally get my *hands off* rule so its rare anyone pets Thane, but when they do, its into the bath he goes.
Living in the pacific northwest can have its advantages. Three quarters of the year, Thane is swathed in a coat that covers his entire back and chest. This has become a remarkable tool in limiting toxicity on him and thus saving his skin from excessive bathing needs.
When it comes to vets though, this is an area where MCS and care collide. I don't know what it is about veterinary clinics and hospitals. I don't understand why everything they use from cleaning floors, to laundry, to their hands and clothing must smell like a chemical bath. I don't understand how they can *first do no harm* using so much toxicity when they deal with epileptics triggered by chemicals and those with allergies whose conditions have stability only through great attention by their owners to avoidance of chemicals, cleaners, and the like. This attends to the dog side of the equation but what about the human side?
Individuals with severe MCS can often benefit from service animals to help them avoid exposures or function with the limitations these exposures place upon them, but with this partnership also comes the responsibility to assure the dog is in good health or to get it care when injured or sick. The last thing we as the handler should have to consider is how this care will affect us, but when dealing with MCS it often is the first thing we have to consider.
My previous vet was fairly non-toxic as long as clients did not bathe in perfume or cologne. When it came to the exam rooms, I never had issues with him nor did Met have to be bathed the instant we got home. His surgical setup was definitely toxic though which I learned the hard way resulting in both Met and I paying the consequences from his scented detergent, fabric softener use, and overall chemical laden area. Though surgery is not often required, this vet was also one of those that over vaccinates inducing disease and then follows that up by over treating. After losing my first service dog, I wised up and knew we needed better. I wanted Thane to have a better chance for a stronger immune system and healthier working career than his predecessor Met had.
I do have a much better vet for Thane because I listened to my heart, to a recommendation, and was willing to take a chance with the unknown. At least in realms of Thane's care, she takes the *do as little as required* principle as opposed to drugging him for every little thing. She is open-minded to other gentler approaches when they can be just as effective. She also charges about half what the previous vet did with gains of knowledge and understanding of what is going on that far exceed what I would get from the previous vet. I love this practice where it comes to the actual care Thane receives.
On the other hand, in the three years I have used this clinic there has only been one time when we left that I did not have to bathe Thane and wash all of his gear. It was a fluke but it proved that there is definitely something in use there for hand washing that is at the route of it all. I deal with this because it easily washes out and generally I can plan our visits when I can easily come home and bathe Thane before he contaminates anything- especially our bed. I deal with it mostly because of her care and commitment to Thane and I as well as that she has the understanding that care she may need to implement could impact my life dramatically. She is the most awesome vet for an assistance dog partnership to use. I love her and frankly the biggest hold for me in not returning to California is that we have such an awesome vet looking out for Thane and our partnership.
Not all preventative care for Thane can be achieved through use of his regular vet here in town. Its unfortunate, but its reality. Last month I took Thane for a check with the ophthamologist. This is a crucial part of life with a guide dog. I need to know that his eyes are functioning properly and won't impact our safety. Its also so important when dealing with eye diseases to get treatment sooner rather than later. I knew from my previous visit to the clinic that their idea of accessibility for getting inside the adapted entry/ converted house was not ADA compliant. I did not think much about it when making the appointment. I had forgotten how hard it had been the first time and most especially did not take into consideration the fact that I had lost a substantial amount of vision since our previous visit. Even if I was happy with the care he received, that entrance is not going to happen again. I am not going to be the one who gets injured or killed because they were too thoughtless to gate off the stair entrance for safety of those in wheelchairs when they get to the top of the ramp onto the narrow porch.
This vet definitely did not have Thane's best interest at heart. She knew he was an allergy and giardia dog. She knew that he reacts to synthetic supplements negatively. She knew there were some things going on that may or may not be visually related. Not only did she not dilate his eyes in declaring that he has no signs of a retinal disease, instead opting to say his symptoms may be indicative of early retinal change, but she put him on a supplement that was SYNTHETIC assuring me that there was nothing that could be problematic with it. She nearly gave him double the dose she did. Lets just say its a GOOD thing I talked her out of that! The supplement turned out to have a known side effect of releasing histamine! If all this nonsense was not bad enough, she left him so toxic for me that a bath was not enough. It took a few days for him to fully detox. It was rough on me. It isn't like taking a pet to the vet (though I appreciate how difficult that is for those with MCS). I had need for help from Thane but had to balance between his help he would provide me with and reacting further from close contact with him. I also had to deal with his discomfort from the histamine release that left him in a profound allergy attack as well as GI upheaval that had not been a part of our life for over a year.
I have chosen to share this side of MCS because its something most people do not even realize when they hear about a person having MCS. MCS is multi-faceted. It is a disability that under the ADA requires businesses to make reasonable accomodations. With my present vet, I'd only request this if it were to become a bigger problem. With the Ophthamologist my choice is to find someone else. If I were happy with the care and she took me seriously, I could simply go to her primary office (unless it too is modified in such haste with no regard to safety). There is too much that is not OK though with the care provided. There is no way to provide the type of care required with an exam outdoors and the level of toxicity (mom says they also use air fresheners right where they directed me to sit) coupled with their non-compliance of ADA guidelines in the ramp design is just not OK for me. I am not going to take that chance again. I was in bed for days and low functioning for two weeks. In this situation the risks were not worth the benefits.
Its a game of the scales- balancing MCS exposure and reactions on one side and the care of your assistance dog on the other. In a perfect world the issues with MCS exposure and reaction would not happen, but we don't live in a perfect world. The best we can do is find the best most understanding practice in our vicinity to work with and to hopefully keep our dogs immune system strong through species appropriate diet and minimal chemicals so that visits to the vet become strictly for health checkups as opposed to the frequency they can be when vaccinosis or other diseases set in.
In many aspects I am very lucky with Thane that way, but with Met it was a real chore to keep him detoxed. Most people finally get my *hands off* rule so its rare anyone pets Thane, but when they do, its into the bath he goes.
Living in the pacific northwest can have its advantages. Three quarters of the year, Thane is swathed in a coat that covers his entire back and chest. This has become a remarkable tool in limiting toxicity on him and thus saving his skin from excessive bathing needs.
When it comes to vets though, this is an area where MCS and care collide. I don't know what it is about veterinary clinics and hospitals. I don't understand why everything they use from cleaning floors, to laundry, to their hands and clothing must smell like a chemical bath. I don't understand how they can *first do no harm* using so much toxicity when they deal with epileptics triggered by chemicals and those with allergies whose conditions have stability only through great attention by their owners to avoidance of chemicals, cleaners, and the like. This attends to the dog side of the equation but what about the human side?
Individuals with severe MCS can often benefit from service animals to help them avoid exposures or function with the limitations these exposures place upon them, but with this partnership also comes the responsibility to assure the dog is in good health or to get it care when injured or sick. The last thing we as the handler should have to consider is how this care will affect us, but when dealing with MCS it often is the first thing we have to consider.
My previous vet was fairly non-toxic as long as clients did not bathe in perfume or cologne. When it came to the exam rooms, I never had issues with him nor did Met have to be bathed the instant we got home. His surgical setup was definitely toxic though which I learned the hard way resulting in both Met and I paying the consequences from his scented detergent, fabric softener use, and overall chemical laden area. Though surgery is not often required, this vet was also one of those that over vaccinates inducing disease and then follows that up by over treating. After losing my first service dog, I wised up and knew we needed better. I wanted Thane to have a better chance for a stronger immune system and healthier working career than his predecessor Met had.
I do have a much better vet for Thane because I listened to my heart, to a recommendation, and was willing to take a chance with the unknown. At least in realms of Thane's care, she takes the *do as little as required* principle as opposed to drugging him for every little thing. She is open-minded to other gentler approaches when they can be just as effective. She also charges about half what the previous vet did with gains of knowledge and understanding of what is going on that far exceed what I would get from the previous vet. I love this practice where it comes to the actual care Thane receives.
On the other hand, in the three years I have used this clinic there has only been one time when we left that I did not have to bathe Thane and wash all of his gear. It was a fluke but it proved that there is definitely something in use there for hand washing that is at the route of it all. I deal with this because it easily washes out and generally I can plan our visits when I can easily come home and bathe Thane before he contaminates anything- especially our bed. I deal with it mostly because of her care and commitment to Thane and I as well as that she has the understanding that care she may need to implement could impact my life dramatically. She is the most awesome vet for an assistance dog partnership to use. I love her and frankly the biggest hold for me in not returning to California is that we have such an awesome vet looking out for Thane and our partnership.
Not all preventative care for Thane can be achieved through use of his regular vet here in town. Its unfortunate, but its reality. Last month I took Thane for a check with the ophthamologist. This is a crucial part of life with a guide dog. I need to know that his eyes are functioning properly and won't impact our safety. Its also so important when dealing with eye diseases to get treatment sooner rather than later. I knew from my previous visit to the clinic that their idea of accessibility for getting inside the adapted entry/ converted house was not ADA compliant. I did not think much about it when making the appointment. I had forgotten how hard it had been the first time and most especially did not take into consideration the fact that I had lost a substantial amount of vision since our previous visit. Even if I was happy with the care he received, that entrance is not going to happen again. I am not going to be the one who gets injured or killed because they were too thoughtless to gate off the stair entrance for safety of those in wheelchairs when they get to the top of the ramp onto the narrow porch.
This vet definitely did not have Thane's best interest at heart. She knew he was an allergy and giardia dog. She knew that he reacts to synthetic supplements negatively. She knew there were some things going on that may or may not be visually related. Not only did she not dilate his eyes in declaring that he has no signs of a retinal disease, instead opting to say his symptoms may be indicative of early retinal change, but she put him on a supplement that was SYNTHETIC assuring me that there was nothing that could be problematic with it. She nearly gave him double the dose she did. Lets just say its a GOOD thing I talked her out of that! The supplement turned out to have a known side effect of releasing histamine! If all this nonsense was not bad enough, she left him so toxic for me that a bath was not enough. It took a few days for him to fully detox. It was rough on me. It isn't like taking a pet to the vet (though I appreciate how difficult that is for those with MCS). I had need for help from Thane but had to balance between his help he would provide me with and reacting further from close contact with him. I also had to deal with his discomfort from the histamine release that left him in a profound allergy attack as well as GI upheaval that had not been a part of our life for over a year.
I have chosen to share this side of MCS because its something most people do not even realize when they hear about a person having MCS. MCS is multi-faceted. It is a disability that under the ADA requires businesses to make reasonable accomodations. With my present vet, I'd only request this if it were to become a bigger problem. With the Ophthamologist my choice is to find someone else. If I were happy with the care and she took me seriously, I could simply go to her primary office (unless it too is modified in such haste with no regard to safety). There is too much that is not OK though with the care provided. There is no way to provide the type of care required with an exam outdoors and the level of toxicity (mom says they also use air fresheners right where they directed me to sit) coupled with their non-compliance of ADA guidelines in the ramp design is just not OK for me. I am not going to take that chance again. I was in bed for days and low functioning for two weeks. In this situation the risks were not worth the benefits.
Its a game of the scales- balancing MCS exposure and reactions on one side and the care of your assistance dog on the other. In a perfect world the issues with MCS exposure and reaction would not happen, but we don't live in a perfect world. The best we can do is find the best most understanding practice in our vicinity to work with and to hopefully keep our dogs immune system strong through species appropriate diet and minimal chemicals so that visits to the vet become strictly for health checkups as opposed to the frequency they can be when vaccinosis or other diseases set in.
07 May 2011
More on Thane's Eyes
I have made the decision to get a second opinion on Thane's eyes- probably during the summer when the weather is more predictable for longer trips.
I'm just not comfortable with an eye specialist who does not even dilate eyes to evaluate the retina for genetic diseases like PRA and existing symptoms that could point to some form of retina involvement.
I know from friends experiences with their service and guide dogs, as well as my own eye health, that early diagnosis can be the difference between saving eyesight and thus a partnership and retirement.
After further research on Niacinamide, following return of allergy and gut issues, and some severely cautious, resistant and stubborn effects in work from Thane that something more than a heavy workload for the week was at play. I did not get full disclosure of any side effects to look for, nor ingredients in the tablets they wanted him having at the minimum for three months and at the outset were wanting him taking them for life.
What I discovered (thank you Medline) was that this supplement increases the release of histamine and can be problematic for some with gastrointestinal issues. There were other things as well that just told me that this is not the answer for him. I had already decided that I was not going to pursue this further until I spoke with his regular veterinarian who is much better about thinking about his special needs.
There are other supplements that are beneficial for eye health including the reduction of cataracts and nourishment to retinal health. One of them- Taurine, I am quite familiar with, after having used it with my previous service dog in part of his regimen for seizure control. Perhaps that's why he never got cataracts that we so commonly see in our senior dogs.
Even if I were comfortable with this eye specialists care for Thane, their obvious structural ADA violation on wheelchair access is not something I am comfortable with continuing to pursue. It was difficult last year when I had a lot more vision than I now have, but even with them opening the door for us, that open edge on the porch being so close to our position for wheeling just is not worth chances. Yes, they should be made to rectify this under the ADA, but I personally do not have what it takes to work with them and the ADA to make this happen.
In the meantime, I will watch for any worsening of the symptoms I have been noting over the last 4-6 months with Thane. I will invest in a pair of doggles and train him to accept them as well. This way when his eyes are dilated, a long trip home will not be problematic for us.
One of the biggest things though that I plan on doing is to appreciate Thane more for what he does for me, realizing there may be a day when his eyes just can no longer be my eyes to the world.
I'm just not comfortable with an eye specialist who does not even dilate eyes to evaluate the retina for genetic diseases like PRA and existing symptoms that could point to some form of retina involvement.
I know from friends experiences with their service and guide dogs, as well as my own eye health, that early diagnosis can be the difference between saving eyesight and thus a partnership and retirement.
After further research on Niacinamide, following return of allergy and gut issues, and some severely cautious, resistant and stubborn effects in work from Thane that something more than a heavy workload for the week was at play. I did not get full disclosure of any side effects to look for, nor ingredients in the tablets they wanted him having at the minimum for three months and at the outset were wanting him taking them for life.
What I discovered (thank you Medline) was that this supplement increases the release of histamine and can be problematic for some with gastrointestinal issues. There were other things as well that just told me that this is not the answer for him. I had already decided that I was not going to pursue this further until I spoke with his regular veterinarian who is much better about thinking about his special needs.
There are other supplements that are beneficial for eye health including the reduction of cataracts and nourishment to retinal health. One of them- Taurine, I am quite familiar with, after having used it with my previous service dog in part of his regimen for seizure control. Perhaps that's why he never got cataracts that we so commonly see in our senior dogs.
Even if I were comfortable with this eye specialists care for Thane, their obvious structural ADA violation on wheelchair access is not something I am comfortable with continuing to pursue. It was difficult last year when I had a lot more vision than I now have, but even with them opening the door for us, that open edge on the porch being so close to our position for wheeling just is not worth chances. Yes, they should be made to rectify this under the ADA, but I personally do not have what it takes to work with them and the ADA to make this happen.
In the meantime, I will watch for any worsening of the symptoms I have been noting over the last 4-6 months with Thane. I will invest in a pair of doggles and train him to accept them as well. This way when his eyes are dilated, a long trip home will not be problematic for us.
One of the biggest things though that I plan on doing is to appreciate Thane more for what he does for me, realizing there may be a day when his eyes just can no longer be my eyes to the world.
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