To really enjoy hot tubbing as a quad...

...I need to completely submerge myself up to my shoulders. I hate not being able to feel my body neurologically normal anymore. It's especially frustrating when you take a hot bath or go in a hot tub. You really can't get the "full effect" of the warm water unless you go above the line of where you can feel. And for me, as a C6 quad, I literally need to be up to my neck. And add doing that, and not being able to balance yourself that good along with the zero gravity, and, well, you really need someone with you in the water to help. 

Last Saturday night I went into a hot tub. It had been about 10 months for me since my last hot tub excursion, and it felt glorious. A friend of mine "bridal carried" me into the hot tub (it was an indoor one and built into the ground). It's not that incredibly difficult if the person lifting/carrying you is strong and steady, but I wouldn't recommend trying this with a weakling. He just picked me up out of my wheelchair, then walked, with me in his arms, down into the hot tub. Once I was in the water, he just floated me over to one of the benches. And once I'm helped into place, I can usually hold myself in one place ok without any help. I just prop my elbows up on the edge of the hot tub behind me.

I think this particular hot tub that I was in though was over-chlorinated. After getting out and showering, my skin still felt itchy and bit "on fire." Even today I had to slap heavy moisturizer all over my skin to make it feel normal again.

If I had a money tree I'd buy my own hot tub and a lift to go with it, and chlorinate it myself :) Despite the chemical water though, it was still really nice taking a hot tub. I can tell a huge, HUGE, difference in my circulation. It's really great. As long as the water is hot enough, it's a guaranteed good time. w00t!