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Posted 6/17/2008 6:05 PM (GMT 0)
Has anyone had to get handicap parking? Those who live on-campus dorms are not allowed to drive around campus to our classes; and if I want to do so, I need a handicap parking pass. My classes are on the complete opposite side of the campus from my dorms and I really don't have a lot of energy, especially during a flare. I just feel weird getting one b/c, other than my skinniness and dorkiness, I seem normal. 
Posted 6/17/2008 6:16 PM (GMT 0)
I am not sure what your campus is like but most parking lots I see these days there seems to be plenty of handicap parking spots so I doubt you would be putting anyone out by getting one. If you feel you need it (you are discouraged to go to class because you need to walk so far) then I would get it. I can't count how many days I missed work simply because I didn't feel well enough to walk to and from the train. I wouldn't feel weird, especially when you are flaring....
Posted 6/17/2008 6:44 PM (GMT 0)
In my opinion too many poeple have them that shouldn't. If you feel you can't make the trek or you'll have a UC accident then you better try to get one asap. But if it's just to beat a far walk due to being tired I can't agree with that. Walking is a great exercise that people seem to be forgetting about. I walked from my grandma's to college half the time b/c my car was constantly breaking down. If you do get one I would say to only use it when you are flaring really bad and feel you need it.
Posted 6/17/2008 7:02 PM (GMT 0)
"If you do get one I would say to only use it when you are flaring really bad and feel you need it." I would agree with this, like if you get one and you're having a bad UC day and feel you need to use it then by all means go for it! There have been times when I wished I had one, like if I was going out shopping to Wal-Mart or something and on the way there I got the urge to go to the bathroom, and then I had to park far away and barely made it inside to the bathrooms. Then I decided never to go shopping by myself if I could help it and would just have my boyfriend drop me off at the front door. I had considered applying for a parking pass before but I was always too scared to ask, haha.
Posted 6/17/2008 7:12 PM (GMT 0)
I would have to agree with PP that have said go ahead and get it but only use it when you need it. There's nothing worse than the embarrassment of having an accident because you had to park so far away. I've gone through that once and vowed never again.

I have since gotten a warning ticket because I have no qualms about pulling up to the front of a place, jumping out, locking up my car and running like a mad woman to the bathroom. I've been warned by a couple cops not to do it again but this one particular wrote the ticket so I would have to go to court. It got thrown out and the judge gave me a stern warning not to do it again but I had to pay the court fee. I honestly never considered a handicap parking pass. . .maybe that would keep me outta court (o:
Posted 6/17/2008 7:48 PM (GMT 0)
PeanutMom, that's crazy! You'd think they would be more understanding of your situation. I always wondered if I would get a ticket for speeding if I told them I REALLY REALLY had to go to the bathroom, haha. "Okay fine you write the ticket, I'll leave my car here with you while I run inside this store to use the toilet!!" :)
But seriously, I think if it's to the point where you have to park up front where you're "not supposed to" and you've had to go to court and everything, I would definitely see if you could get one... You'd have good enough reason!!
Posted 6/17/2008 8:19 PM (GMT 0)
Unfortunately people lie to police officers, so I can understand that one. Plus people with handicap passes are given more leway about that issue, because you have to have proof in order to get one (doctor's letter). I do the use it when I need it stuff.

I have a handicap parking pass because there are days I cannot walk 50 feet because I am crohns flaring and have such swollen joints fast movement is impossible.
Posted 6/17/2008 8:27 PM (GMT 0)
There are many times when I wish I would have a HC pass! I'm sure that 99% of the time I wouldn't need it, but having it for that ONE time would really easy anxiety. One grocery store has "parent with child" parking. I've used these spots a few times so I could make it in to the toilet - or when I'm absolutely beat and need to run into the pharmacy to pick up meds. (I park on the side of the store that isn't used as much.)

Definitely talk to the school about it. The worst they can say is "no" and you're not out anything - only angry that they didn't understand.
Posted 6/17/2008 8:47 PM (GMT 0)
I have one, not because of my UC but my orthopedic issues. Like others, I only use it when I'm really in pain while walking.
Posted 6/17/2008 8:51 PM (GMT 0)

dakotagirl said...
There are many times when I wish I would have a HC pass! I'm sure that 99% of the time I wouldn't need it, but having it for that ONE time would really easy anxiety. One grocery store has "parent with child" parking. I've used these spots a few times so I could make it in to the toilet - or when I'm absolutely beat and need to run into the pharmacy to pick up meds. (I park on the side of the store that isn't used as much.)

Definitely talk to the school about it. The worst they can say is "no" and you're not out anything - only angry that they didn't understand.

The mall in town here has parking for expectant mothers right up in the front with the handicapped parking. Granted I've never been pregnant but this seemed a little silly... While I know some might need it for medical reasons (but then they really shouldn't be going to the mall probably), you would think walking would actually be GOOD for you if you're pregnant!! You know, walking to keep off extra weight and keep in shape for when you do have the baby!
Posted 6/17/2008 8:59 PM (GMT 0)
We have the parking for 'moms and moms to be' as well at the grocery store. Being 5 months pregnant myself and having a flare up for the past 3 months....I have used that spot on more than one occasion to use the bathroom. I can't imagine what it will be like once I have the baby in tow!
Posted 6/17/2008 9:31 PM (GMT 0)
I'm in the minority here, but I can't really consider UC a handicap. Pooping your pants is an embarassment, not a handicap- believe me, I know- I've done it far too many times! Being extremely fatigued is a major drag, not a handicap. The poster who said walking helps with that is right. I don't know about the ppl. who suffer joint pains due to Crohn's- I can't comment on that. I know I myself have suffered horrendous joint pains from pred use, & when it was really bad I just didn't go shopping. Nothing you need from Wal-Mart is that pressing! Grocery shopping can be a pain, but the store I go to has large bathrooms with numerous stalls- sometimes I'm running to the toilets, pushing the cart, my daughter in tow...it's a joke, not a handicap! Plus, I know for a state issued handicap placard, you have to jump thru hoops to prove a true handicap- I doubt UC is considered one. Or I'd be surprised if it is. If you're missing tons of school because you can't deal with the walk, then it's time to re-think your med regime, or look into other options. What about a moped, or scooter?

Posted 6/18/2008 2:15 AM (GMT 0)
Because I don't look "sick" I could only imagine the glares that I'd get if I had one and believe me, more often than not I would have needed one....the only time I look like there's something wrong with me is when I'm running down the mall with a panic-stricken look on my face because I'm about to crap my pants, but for the general public out there they have no clue and probably think I'm a shoplifter running with "goods"..how stupid that would be since I'd obviously be getting cornered in the public toilets cuz that's where I'm heading LOL!

:)
Posted 6/18/2008 4:04 AM (GMT 0)
I think maybe I'll get one just in case--I don't know. Do they cost extra money? I was worried about the walking part b/c right now I'm out of breath even when I walk up the stairs.
Posted 6/18/2008 4:08 AM (GMT 0)
In Canada from what I know you have to get your doc to fill out the form(s) and pay him for that, then I believe there might also be a cost for the actual tag...I don't know if it's a one time fee or a yrly thing.

:)
Posted 6/18/2008 4:27 AM (GMT 0)
Excuse me for barging in here.  This is a good thread.  If you are in the US, you just contact your local DMV for the form.  Below is a link for the form.  You can just print this and take it to your doctor.  I think # 3 would be the one that makes you eligible.  Of course that is determined by your doctor.  I have a placard and I use it as needed.  Good luck with college. 

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/forms/reg/reg195.pdf

Posted 6/18/2008 4:27 AM (GMT 0)
I have a handicap placard because I have (had) a form of vasculitis 6 years ago. It literally ripped my skin open on my feet. It was my doctor that suggested it. The form (here on Long Island) had to be filled out by the doctor and it offered either 6 month or permanent. I assumed it would be 6 month. However my doctor explained that it would take up to 2 years for my feet to heal. I remember getting the card and crying hysterically that it was permanent. The expiration date at the time (5 years) was past my older son's graduation date from high school! I used it often in the beginning. My husband was embarrassed to park in a handicap spot. He would tell me to "limp alittle". Like I needed to fake it with my illness! Over the years I have not used it as often. Most days I don't need it. I have been in remission for a long time. But there are days when it is much harder for me to walk. It is nice it is available. I did also use it when Bratcat was flaring. Maybe it isn't the "right" thing to do but it was the right Mommy thing to do!

Posted 6/18/2008 4:58 AM (GMT 0)
Ugh, this is the worst! My campus is a closed campus (meaning all the buildings are connected by sidewalks only) and I even have problems with that!! My dorm freshman year was on the complete opposite side of all the buildings I needed to be in! It wouldn't hurt to ask I don't think. I'd talk to DMV and the school. Usually schools do everything they can to accommodate you- Mine gave me a room across from a toilet :)
Good luck!!
Posted 6/18/2008 4:43 PM (GMT 0)
ComedyDork,
When I was really ill once, I couldn't even stand up in the shower or else I'd get dizzy to the point of almost passing out or throwing up and I would lose my breath just standing in one spot. So I know how you feel and even though exercise is good for us, obviously you can't exercise if you can barely breathe. What's the point of walking across campus and getting exhausted to the point where, if you even make it there, you can't even get anything out of your class because you're too tired? Even though some people are able to do so in a flare, good for them, not everyone physically can, I don't blame you for wanting a parking placard and you should definitely apply for one.
Posted 6/20/2008 12:55 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah, I get dizzy after showers and during if I take too long.

Does anyone know how long the process for a handicap placard takes? I think I might wait and see how the Remicade works before applying for one, but that will only give me a few weeks before school starts.
Posted 6/21/2008 10:35 AM (GMT 0)
good thread as i was just thinking to myself the other day if i should get one for those times when i cannot possibly park super far away.
i luv walking. i usually go on 2 hour beach walks every weekend and at least a half hour every day. but since this flare, as soon as i get to the driveway i find myself running back in the house to go to the can.
a few times the last 2 weeks alone, i have gone out and on the way back to my car, i have had to run back in to a toilet and didnt make it. crappy to say the least. i find it hard to walk as i am hunched over in pain.
i think i might apply for one over here in oz for emergencies or if the only parking is super duper too far away for me to cope.

and eva lou, i do think you are in the minority cuz i have definitely been handicapped by this disease. as i am sure others have too. and im not talking about crapping our pants. im talking about the debilitating aspects of it that make it hard to move, walk, function etc... or even live without major hard painkillers. i have been in situations where i had to be helped by 2 people to get where i was going. thats a handicap imo.
so, you might not be handicapped but some of us may be (even though it might only be temporary)
plus, there are so many people out there with less debilitating problems with handicapped signs, so why not. if you need it use it. thats what its for. and if you dont need it, then dont use it.
Posted 6/21/2008 11:15 AM (GMT 0)
I'm talking legally- UC and/or Crohn's is NOT considered a handicap, legally. Yes, I suppose I have been "handicapped" at times by UC, but am I handicapped? No. I can't even believe a GI would assist you in getting a handicap plate/placard! And to me, if you are in that much pain & distress due to an active flare, you do not leave your house, bottom line. There have been times when I only left my bed to go to the toilet, then right back to bed, for weeks at a time. No work, no groceries, no Wal-Mart, no fun stuff. And it sucked. But was I handicapped? Not really. Tell me, when you are in a major flare, where do you REALLY need to go?!?!? Not work, not school, not social outings.... I don't know where you people are going, feeling as horrible as you laim to feel. Maybe your doctors?

Posted 6/21/2008 11:30 AM (GMT 0)
i usually dont leave the house. i actually stayed in bed for 3 months and only got up to go to the toilet (which was a lot). my husband cooked and brought me food in bed.
im just saying that there are intermittent times when you do need to leave, to go to the doctor, to go get meds if no one else can go for you etc.. and some of those times you are 'handicapped' in loose terms.
some people also dont have the pleasure of not being able to stay home from work. in a perfect world maybe. i am lucky that i work from home and my clients are understanding. but not everyone is so lucky.
there are times that are not always the way it 'should' be or by the book. life is unpredictable and if someone with a condition like this who finds themselves in a situation beyond their control that could be made easier by a handicapped parking plaque then so be it. who are we to argue?

im just saying that not everything is black and white in this case or most cases.
Posted 6/21/2008 12:40 PM (GMT 0)
I understand & agree with everything you are saying.... however, legally we are not considered handicapped & therefore do not meet the DMV criteris for obtaining a handicap placard. I looked at my state's RMV website (I live in Massachusetts) out of curiosity, & it's basically a mobiliy issue- check these out:

To obtain Disability Plates, a Placard or a Disability Veteran Plate you must be a Massachusetts resident. In addition, a Massachusetts registered and licensed physician, chiropractor or nurse practitioner must certify that you meet one of the following conditions:

  • Cannot walk 200 feet without stopping to rest.
  • Cannot walk without the assistance of another person, prosthetic aid or other assistive device.
  • Are restricted by lung disease to such a degree that your forced (respiratory) expiratory volume (FEV) in one second, when measured by spirometry, is less than one (1) liter.
  • Use portable oxygen.
  • Have a Class III cardiac condition according to the standards set by the American Heart Association.
  • Have a Class IV cardiac condition according to the standards set by the American Heart Association. A customer in this condition must surrender his or her license.
  • Have Class III or Class IV functional arthritis according to the standards set by the American College of Rheumatology.
  • Have Stage III or Stage IV anatomic arthritis according to the standards set by the American College of Rheumatology.
  • Have been declared legally blind (please attach copy of certification). A customer in this classification must surrender his or her license.
  • Have lost one or more limbs or permanently lost the use of one or more limbs.

To be eligible for a Temporary Placard, the medical professional must certify that the disability is predicted to last at least two (2) months.

Now perhaps a decent GI could argue the need for a temp. plate, but I can't believe one even would.  With that said, my previous suggestion of a moped or scooter is totally reasonable- you don't need to walk, you can use it whenever you feel the need, & after the initial investment I'd imagine they're pretty cheap. Also, the posters on here who do have handicap plates- not a one is because of their digestive disease. Hey, I don't fault anyone for wishing that they could have one from time to time, but in reality I don't think any doctor or DMV would agree to it. The funny thing is, we are eligible for disability benefits- at least in Massachusetts I am. The disability benfits in my state have recently expanded to include IBD. And while I currently don't fit the criteria, I sure as heck have while flaring!

Posted 6/21/2008 1:34 PM (GMT 0)

Regulations will vary by state. Here is the Texas version:

A:  A person's medical condition must meet the legal definition of a disability to qualify. “Disability” means a condition in which a person has:
  • visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with correcting lenses,
  • visual acuity of more than 20/200 but with a limited field of vision in which the widest diameter of the visual field subtends an angle of 20 degrees or less, or
  • mobility problems that substantially impair a person's ability to move around; these problems can be caused by:
    • paralysis,
    • lung disease,
    • cardiac deficiency,
    • wheelchair confinement,
    • arthritis,
    • foot disorder, or
    • other medical condition causing a person to use a brace, cane crutch or other assistive device.

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