Christ Kost, 37 of Shakopee, has heard these concerns and more, as a personal trainer for Accua Advanced Fitness Training in Savage and as a man who has lived with osteoarthritis for 16 years. Married to Erin Kost and the father of a 17-month-old son, he keeps physically fit, but can't deny that some days are marked by aches and pain that are unusual for a young man. A longtime volunteer for the Arthritis Foundation's north central chapter, which includes Minnesota, he also speaks to young people anxious about intimacy issues and particularly worried about whether able-bodied people will find them desirable.
Eight years ago, he delivered a candid talk to participants at the American Juvenile Arthritis Foundation's convention in Washington, D.C.
A lot of people are just worried about being able to live normal lifestyles,' he said. ìThey see media-made intimacy. Honestly, that's not the way it is. I told them, 'You're not going to be in a porn movie with cameras all around you. It's you and your significant other.'î
TIPS FOR DISABLED TRAVELERS
Bicycle shops have all kinds of nifty, compact repair kits that you can bring with you to repair a flat on your chair tires.
Don't rely on those 'wheelchair friendly' access symbols. Contact hotels, parks, etc, and ask specific questions about room size, door widths, and so forth.
A pair of long nosed pliers are handy for inserting charge/debit cards into slots if you have limited use of your hands. They are also useful for pulling suitcase zippers and opening packages.
For information on renting a scooter wherever you travel, contact www.scootaround.com, a national scooter rental agency, to find out if they have a branch in or near your destination.
Parking and other traffic laws very from state to state. Google the DMV department of the state you are traveling to for contact information to inquire about laws in that state.
To get advice from other travelers to all kinds of destinations, Google ìDisability travel blogs.î You will get a wealth of information. That's where these tips came from. -ed
FOR SALE***
WC Lift; $7,000 new; only used 2 months; asking $3,000. Invacare Storm TDX 3 Power WC; full reclining; less that 1 year old; $12,000 new; asking $2,000. Quickie II manual chair; good cond.; $800. Call David 589-6620.
*Cookbooks for Sale: Recipes compiled by Chapter members; $10:00. Call David @ 589-6620.
*Video tapes for sale. Various topics related to spinal cord injuries. Call David Allgood or Buddy Lawson.
***If assistance is needed to pay for any of the above items, contact Kentucky Assistive Technology Loan Corporation at 1-800-327-5287 for information on loans at 5% interest to qualified candidates.
