The Doctor Appointment
Boston is not handicap accessible. Sure they have those little blue signs with the person in the wheelchair around the city--in parking lots, on subway maps, in buildings and malls. But it's actually not fit for a handicapped person to get around in.
I went to the doctor today. Luckily my neighbor gave me a ride there, and my landlady gave me a ride home so the transportation part was easy. It was the actual appointment that led me to the above conclusion.
Boston being as it is, the doctor's office is a huge old brownstone building that used to be apartments, complete with bay windows that have been turned into office space. Upon entering the office from Beacon Street, I crutched over to the elevator and stood behind a UPS guy and another guy. Soon, a guy with a broken arm and his mother, along with three really old people, were waiting along with us. The elevator, of course, is this tiny thing that could fit comfortably three grown men. Four could squeeze in but it would be kind of gay. The UPS man had a huge dolly full of packages, eliminating an entire body from entering the elevator. I lucked out and got the first ride up, after waiting with a crowd of the handicapped and the elderly for about 10 minutes, balancing on crutches the entire time. I was riding to the fifth floor and of course someone needed to get out at every floor (after we inadvertantly went to the basement first) in between and I was near the elevator door. By the time I got to the fifth floor, I was exhausted, sweaty and tired.
I checked in and immediately had to go back to the elevator to head to the third floor for xrays (after they took my $10 co-pay did they tell me this). After waiting again, and cramming onto yet another stuffed elevator, I arrived at the third floor, got my x-rays by the crazy x-ray lady, and then started back up to the fifth floor, x-rays in hand as I crutch around. Once back on the fifth floor, for the second time in 30 minutes, I smile as I realize that I will only have to get back on that crowded slow elevator one more time today.
It was ridiculous. What, just because you install and elevator in a building then all of the sudden it is handicap accessible? I don't think so. Making old, crutched, wheelchairbound people get on and off a crowded elevator four times going from floor to floor just so that the doctor can tell them they will be wearing that ugly boot over their broken ankle for 4 more weeks is cruel and unusual punishment, not handicap accessible.
I went to the doctor today. Luckily my neighbor gave me a ride there, and my landlady gave me a ride home so the transportation part was easy. It was the actual appointment that led me to the above conclusion.
Boston being as it is, the doctor's office is a huge old brownstone building that used to be apartments, complete with bay windows that have been turned into office space. Upon entering the office from Beacon Street, I crutched over to the elevator and stood behind a UPS guy and another guy. Soon, a guy with a broken arm and his mother, along with three really old people, were waiting along with us. The elevator, of course, is this tiny thing that could fit comfortably three grown men. Four could squeeze in but it would be kind of gay. The UPS man had a huge dolly full of packages, eliminating an entire body from entering the elevator. I lucked out and got the first ride up, after waiting with a crowd of the handicapped and the elderly for about 10 minutes, balancing on crutches the entire time. I was riding to the fifth floor and of course someone needed to get out at every floor (after we inadvertantly went to the basement first) in between and I was near the elevator door. By the time I got to the fifth floor, I was exhausted, sweaty and tired.
I checked in and immediately had to go back to the elevator to head to the third floor for xrays (after they took my $10 co-pay did they tell me this). After waiting again, and cramming onto yet another stuffed elevator, I arrived at the third floor, got my x-rays by the crazy x-ray lady, and then started back up to the fifth floor, x-rays in hand as I crutch around. Once back on the fifth floor, for the second time in 30 minutes, I smile as I realize that I will only have to get back on that crowded slow elevator one more time today.
It was ridiculous. What, just because you install and elevator in a building then all of the sudden it is handicap accessible? I don't think so. Making old, crutched, wheelchairbound people get on and off a crowded elevator four times going from floor to floor just so that the doctor can tell them they will be wearing that ugly boot over their broken ankle for 4 more weeks is cruel and unusual punishment, not handicap accessible.
posted by Howard at 6:14 PM
1 Comments:
Sounds like they need to upgrade their system. Aren't you glad that you don't have to work there?
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