Posted: 6/22/2008 at 03:32 PM
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I love summer rainstorms. Last night, while walking to a music-themed party that wasn't very far from my house, the skies opened up suddenly and let loose a certifiable tropical rainstorm. It was fantastic. It didn't even bother me that I had my hair and makeup all done up perfectly, or that my new Batman t-shirt was getting soaked. The rain felt glorious.
Now there's one annoying thing about rain AND using a wheelchair (manual or power, it doesn't matter) that does however need to be said: Holding an umbrella. Has anyone out there figured out a way to hold an umbrella or for that matter, has anyone found an umbrella that's big enough to over your entire body (not just for head and shoulders, leaving your legs hanging out to get soaked)? This has been an on-going dilemma for me now for almost 15 years.
My dad back in the day (he loves to fix things) bought me one of those ginormous golf umbrellas and duck-taped it to one of the sidebars that hold up my push-handles. It worked well enough, but it was totally unrealistic to use on a day-to-day basis independently. I couldn't very well leave it duck-taped to my chair all the time (unopened it looked like a missile waiting to be launched), and I didn't have the dexterity to duck-tape it to my chair alone....and I'm alone most of the day, so I really need an option that doesn't make me dependent on an AB person.
So yeah, anyways...anyone out there with some advice on this predicament?
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If I had a dollar for every time someone asked, "Where's your umbrella?" As if I could hold one AND control my scooter, which takes two hands. I've resorted to a poncho that covers all of me. It may not be stylish, but neither is arriving at your destination looking like a drowned rat.
I got a rain suit. It's a pair of plastic pants and a big rain coat. The pants are hard to put on over your clothes. But this is as close to dry as I can get. I usually just get wet when it rains. I try to get jobs that have indoor parking and I have a car port cover to enable me to get in and out and still stay dry.
It rains a lot in Houston Texas.
Hey Tiff, The whole umbrella thing is a pain in the a**. I finally went to Army surplus store and bought a heavy duty pancho. It folds up about the size of a fanny pack. And I can get it out and on by myself. I think we have about the same dexterity. May be worth a try-isn't cameo in this year?
Stay Strong
ponchos you guys say? i had a feeling you were going to recommend that :) there's no way in hell you'll catch this fashionista in a waterproof poncho!
my grandma thought she'd hit the wheeler jackpot this christmas. She found a hands-free umbrella meant for moms to push a stroller and bestowed it upon me. I felt horrible but failed miserable at getting it to balance on my weird shoulders. It was more of an eye hazard to walkers around me than effective at keeping me dry!
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