9 replies to this topic

[Emily C]

Hi, guys!!

I have a condition called POTS which means that my heart rate goes up(tachycardia) when I sit/stand. The sitting has gotten beter, we won't discuss the standing...

Last summer, I didn't leave my house due to the POTS and seizures. I wasn't officialy dx/as para then either. I couldn't lift my feet off of the floor but could 'scootch' across a small tiled bathroom floor w/a walker. Not anymore. According to my new Neurosurgeon, I AM a para now. (12/28/07)

I've decided that I'm going to attempt the beach for the first time in at least a year. If I seize, or my POTS gets worse, I'll have my cousin take me home. I have a live-in. There IS a wheelchair that goes in the sand that I used to use a few years ago. The beach lets me borrow it and it stays by me for the day. Would that be my only problem to contend with? Is that why some don't go to the beach? )lack of that type of chair and someone to push)

Just wondering what your issuses may have been, if any...THANKS!!!

[KarenFerguson]

I've grown up by the beach all my life and never rode in one of those chairs. They look nice, however, what bugs me is that you can't push them yourself. With hubby & me both in chairs we'd be kind of stuck!

When I was little and I'd go to the beach my mom would drag my chair through the sand and when we found a good spot we'd plunk and build a sand castle or just soke up the rays (ah the good old days before tanning was a bad thing!)

As an adult, I mostly admire the beach from the board walk and if necessary crawl a bit through the sand. When hubby & I have kids we me get one of those beach chairs so we can show our kids the beach like when we were younger. One of the funnest things for me at the beach was always swinging on the beach swings - I have such found memories of doing that.

[Emily C]

KarenFerguson, on Mar 3 2008, 12:15 AM, said:

I've grown up by the beach all my life and never rode in one of those chairs. They look nice, however, what bugs me is that you can't push them yourself. With hubby & me both in chairs we'd be kind of stuck!

When I was little and I'd go to the beach my mom would drag my chair through the sand and when we found a good spot we'd plunk and build a sand castle or just soke up the rays (ah the good old days before tanning was a bad thing!)

As an adult, I mostly admire the beach from the board walk and if necessary crawl a bit through the sand. When hubby & I have kids we me get one of those beach chairs so we can show our kids the beach like when we were younger. One of the funnest things for me at the beach was always swinging on the beach swings - I have such found memories of doing that.

I'm glad u have nice memories of the beach! It's nice to do when u have kids, too..
No, u can't push them, unfortunaley. They should come up w/another way! At one point, the lifeguards used to bring us down to "our spot" by the lifeguard stnd with their "buggie". The bad part about the chair is that it itn't very comfy. Using it for long distances isn't something I would recommend!!

[chefzapp]

Check out the Fatso tires by Colours. Extra wide wheels/tires with pushrims that u can put on ur chair to allow for self propulsion. They are expensive but u can be independent on the beach! If you just need a quick fix try large cardboard boxes to make a trail or area to hang out in. Get creative, ud be suprised where ur mind can take u.

[kewlcatkez]

Emily C, on Mar 3 2008, 05:15 AM, said:

. The bad part about the chair is that it itn't very comfy. Using it for long distances isn't something I would recommend!!

Also, for those of us with altered/no sensation the worry would be that the sand coupled with the poor seating ( and I would think no existent pressure relieving 'cushion') could/would lead to skin breakdown and at least reduction of the skin's integrity..

I take it that you have seen these: http://www.beachwhee...ecification.htm and these:http://www.hotshotproducts.org/ (motorised) and http://www.landeez.com/

also have you checked out the reviews on the chairs etc at http://www.usatechguide.org/ ?

As for other issues, as my profile pic shows, I have had windy days at the beach (here its windy a lot!) and I was in my everyday chair. there was a bit of a slope to the beach area we were at so I let go and went down and then my Father-in-law dragged me out afterwards!

Due to the POTS etc, I wouldn't recommend the just letting go method, as I nearly got projected out and due to my POTS I got tachycardic, although it was probably more b/c I almost crapped myself when I hit the sand at the bottom! LOL...(also I have blood pressure drops/peaks due the the Autonomic dysfunction ( like AD) too so probably wasn't a good idea. I tend to forget about mine b/c I have always been 'dizzy' just worse now.. )

With regards to your Seizures, do you have warning signs (ie auras?) perhaps speak with any life guard and give them an action plan so that if your friends/aide need assistance the life guards will be able to know what to do..Also plenty of fluids and avoiding direct sun by sitting under a parasol ( I know, but safety first! lol) and high SPF (most sun lotion is high-ish now, but check the SPF as opposed to the bold print!).

I found it frustrating that I couldn't get too close to the sea with the kids, because of how soggy and 'quicksand-ish' it would have been to my tyres, but I lived! I do have to say that its not the best place to be for me, but when you have kids you have to do stuff you probably wouldn't usually (due to circumstance) for the reasons which Karen mentioned above..

Hope this helps,

Take care,

K

[kewlcatkez]

chefzapp, on Mar 3 2008, 01:16 PM, said:

Check out the Fatso tires by Colours. Extra wide wheels/tires with pushrims that u can put on ur chair to allow for self propulsion. They are expensive but u can be independent on the beach! If you just need a quick fix try large cardboard boxes to make a trail or area to hang out in. Get creative, ud be suprised where ur mind can take u.

EmilyC,

I know that you don't have the constant multiple dislocations which affect me ( thankfully), but as you have a shoulder problem with subluxation/displacement of it, another thing to consider would be that even with the Fatso tyres, it may not be possible to self propel your/a chair. There is no way I could propel in the sand, and I can;t think that I would even with the Fatso tyres/purpose built chair, as teeny bits of resistance in my everyday chair and I dislocate, hell I dislocate *without* anything making it be! So perhaps looking into one of the powered chairs in the links I posted above.

HOWEVER, most people probably won't be able to afford/justify a dedicated Beach chair, so perhaps trying the Fatso tyres and enlisting the help of friends is the only way ( even if it means you are not as independent..)

HTH

K

[Emily C]

chefzapp, on Mar 3 2008, 09:16 AM, said:

Check out the Fatso tires by Colours. Extra wide wheels/tires with pushrims that u can put on ur chair to allow for self propulsion. They are expensive but u can be independent on the beach! If you just need a quick fix try large cardboard boxes to make a trail or area to hang out in. Get creative, ud be suprised where ur mind can take u.

I appreciate your insight and inventive ideas!! E
It's just the expense is a PROBLEM... Thanks

kewlcatkez, on Mar 3 2008, 10:09 AM, said:

Emily C, on Mar 3 2008, 05:15 AM, said:

. The bad part about the chair is that it itn't very comfy. Using it for long distances isn't something I would recommend!!

Also, for those of us with altered/no sensation the worry would be that the sand coupled with the poor seating ( and I would think no existent pressure relieving 'cushion') could/would lead to skin breakdown and at least reduction of the skin's integrity..

I take it that you have seen these: http://www.beachwhee...ecification.htm and these:http://www.hotshotproducts.org/ (motorised) and http://www.landeez.com/

also have you checked out the reviews on the chairs etc at http://www.usatechguide.org/ ?

As for other issues, as my profile pic shows, I have had windy days at the beach (here its windy a lot!) and I was in my everyday chair. there was a bit of a slope to the beach area we were at so I let go and went down and then my Father-in-law dragged me out afterwards!

Due to the POTS etc, I wouldn't recommend the just letting go method, as I nearly got projected out and due to my POTS I got tachycardic, although it was probably more b/c I almost crapped myself when I hit the sand at the bottom! LOL...(also I have blood pressure drops/peaks due the the Autonomic dysfunction ( like AD) too so probably wasn't a good idea. I tend to forget about mine b/c I have always been 'dizzy' just worse now.. )

With regards to your Seizures, do you have warning signs (ie auras?) perhaps speak with any life guard and give them an action plan so that if your friends/aide need assistance the life guards will be able to know what to do..Also plenty of fluids and avoiding direct sun by sitting under a parasol ( I know, but safety first! lol) and high SPF (most sun lotion is high-ish now, but check the SPF as opposed to the bold print!).

I found it frustrating that I couldn't get too close to the sea with the kids, because of how soggy and 'quicksand-ish' it would have been to my tyres, but I lived! I do have to say that its not the best place to be for me, but when you have kids you have to do stuff you probably wouldn't usually (due to circumstance) for the reasons which Karen mentioned above..

Hope this helps,

Take care,

K

Hi, K
thanks for the advise, yes, good idea about the seizures, yes, I do have auras. The lifeguards are good people, they'll keep an eye out.. It's just that b/c of the POTS,(and seizures) I've been laying down flat for over a year now. (basicaly 24/7) I HAVE to get out of here!!!! My headaches are getting bad again, so I'll have to take it day by day..again...as usual... E

[wheeliebasketball]

Their is a wheelchair tht goes offrd & on sand that does not have to be pushed & it comes apart to be put in a car its called a BOMA made by molten rock www.moltenrock.co.uk

[Emily C]

wheeliebasketball, on Apr 3 2008, 02:54 PM, said:

Their is a wheelchair tht goes offrd & on sand that does not have to be pushed & it comes apart to be put in a car its called a BOMA made by molten rock www.moltenrock.co.uk

THANKS, I'll look into it, it's just the ezpense...

[hanma51]

KarenFerguson, on Mar 3 2008, 04:15 AM, said:

I've grown up by the beach all my life and never rode in one of those chairs. They look nice, however, what bugs me is that you can't push them yourself. With hubby & me both in chairs we'd be kind of stuck!

When I was little and I'd go to the beach my mom would drag my chair through the sand and when we found a good spot we'd plunk and build a sand castle or just soke up the rays (ah the good old days before tanning was a bad thing!)

As an adult, I mostly admire the beach from the board walk and if necessary crawl a bit through the sand. When hubby & I have kids we me get one of those beach chairs so we can show our kids the beach like when we were younger. One of the funnest things for me at the beach was always swinging on the beach swings - I have such found memories of doing that.

Karen,
California State Parks or State Beaches, have motorized and regular beach wheelchairs available free of charge for one hour.

Web site: http://www.coastal.c...heelchairs.html Have fun this summer!!!!

Edited by hanma51, 09 May 2008 - 08:52 AM.