Frustration mounts as I battle a kitchen that’s no longer accessible
I could still walk when we bought our home, but now we need a new kitchen
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Today I went into my kitchen to make a chicken sandwich with cheese, which sounded like the perfect idea for lunch. Fresh bread, some lettuce, a little mayo, salt and pepper — all these ingredients would make my sandwich sing.
First, I pulled the ingredients out of the fridge. My fridge is in a corner, so one door doesn’t open all the way. This, combined with the wheelchair I use due to Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), sometimes makes it really hard for me to reach things. Luckily, the mayo was on the door and easy to reach.
However, the bread, chicken, cheese, and lettuce were inside the fridge, and I couldn’t reach them when facing the fridge. The footrest of my power wheelchair creates about a 6-inch barrier between me and the groceries I need to get.
I also need to use my dominant and more coordinated right hand, so I had to back into the fridge. With my back against the door, and while holding the milk, butter, and more, I placed my right shoulder as close as I could to the inside. In this position, I could reach the front items on the three lower shelves and everything in the drawers.
Using my dominant hand is important because my FA symptoms have left me very uncoordinated. I’ve dropped more than my fair share of items. Pieces of chicken breast are the last thing I want on my floor. Not only is it a waste of food, but it’s also hard to pick up while in a wheelchair.
My service dog, Wendy, is good at picking up things, but if it’s food, she’ll eat it. She’s well trained, though, and will stay away from dropped food, so she can’t help me when I drop it.
One by one, I put the ingredients for my sandwich on the kitchen table, ensuring that I didn’t drop anything. Then I maneuvered around the kitchen to get a knife, plate, and spoon to make the sandwich. As I did this, I banged into cabinets that aren’t designed for people in wheelchairs because the toe kicks are too low. The drawers are also hard to pull open and push back in. I can’t reach the countertop, so I had to make my sandwich on the table.
The dishwasher, oven, and stove are equally hard to operate, and frankly, it’s not safe for me to use the stove or the oven. I burned myself several times before I finally stopped using them. Additionally, the upper cabinets are useless because they’re too high for me.
I began to eat the sandwich half an hour after I started making it. It was as delicious as I’d hoped, but I did have some kitchen frustrations to manage. Listening to good music while I ate helped to cheer me up. This is just one small snapshot of how difficult it is to navigate my kitchen.
In fairness to my husband and me, when we bought the house, I was using a rollator and could stand independently, so the kitchen was usable back then. We’ve since been budgeting and planning for a new kitchen.
We’re close to signing a contract with a company that hopefully will build a new kitchen that meets Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines. While it’ll be expensive, it’s exciting to imagine how much easier it’ll be for me to use the kitchen again.
I know I’ll never be able to cook quickly, but we can still do a lot to ease my frustrations and make the kitchen a happier, more accommodating place. I can still play the music I like, but maybe I won’t have to worry so much about dealing with the frustration.
Note: Friedreich’s Ataxia News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Friedreich’s Ataxia News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Friedreich’s ataxia.
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