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Post by deejay on Dec 10, 2018 22:43:04 GMT
Another question for those who have kafos but no medical need for them....
What is the longest that you have worn them in one go, either continuously or during daytimes.
For example, has anyone been away from home and worn them for a whole vacation etc?
Also how often has someone actually asked about them? How did the conversation go?
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Post by castmenow on Dec 11, 2018 22:49:10 GMT
I have only ever worn my KAFOs at most for a complete daytime at home, perhaps 14 hours. I have only worn them outside the home for short periods, several hours and never received any comments or questions. I have worn neck / back braces for longer periods outside the home and again rarely had any questions. I once wore a Philadelphia style neck brace on a flight home from Australia = 24 hours, only questions were what happened, I can not remember my reason, however it generated a lot of interaction with the cabin crew who wanted to make sure I was OK, could eat and drink and relax OK.
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Post by jaylad on Dec 16, 2018 16:36:34 GMT
Interesting discussion this one and so good to see a bit more activity on here, it all went very quiet for a while.
So my interests are, I suspect, a little different to many members in that although I do have a pair of leather and metal KAFOs my main focus is on being a wheelchair using paraplegic. Partly because I have always been fascinated by guys in wheelchair but also because being basically lazy wheeling around is just so much easier than dragging my braced and useless legs around with crutches - but I may just be a little biased about that.
I use my wheelchair a lot around my local area which is fairly easy because since moving here a few years ago I have not really got to know many people and as I work some distance from where I live there is not much chance of being spotted. I've also done a number of day trips in my wheelchair, booking a taxi to and from my local station and then booking a wheelchair space on the train and assistance as necessary. A few years ago I had a short break away when I spent the whole time as a wheelchair using paraplegic, from the time I left my home until I returned. A fantastic experience and one I hope to be able to do again sometime.
With all of this what I have found is that by and large people tend not to look too closely at someone who is obviously disabled, I guess this has a lot to do with most peoples perception of disability and the stigma that is often attached to being disabled. So by and large as I wheel about, or in the past when I've ventured out with my KAFOs and crutches most people just 'look the other way' and on only a few occasions has anyone asked me about my disability which I find a bit disappointing as I would really like to have a few people I can interact with as the paraplegic my body thinks I really should be. I do have a (I hope convincing) story to use if anyone ever does want to talk to me and I also make a few subtle changes to my appearance and dress style when I'm out wheeling just in case I see anybody who may know me. Again though in most cases people just seem to avoid looking at someone who is disabled, presumably out of embarrassment.
Hope this all helps, I guess if you are known by a lot of people in the area where you live then the best option is to only use your braces or whatever some distance from your home area but in any event I think you will find that most people really do try and avoid interacting with someone who has a disability...…..unless of course they are an admirer but I've never got lucky in that respect.
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Post by castmenow on Dec 22, 2018 15:35:02 GMT
jaylad,
It sounds like you have had some good outings and manged some longer term ones. This prompted me to think a bit about my non bracing activities. The closest I have come to long term experience is not in my braces but wearing a self applied cast. When I left home for university it was not long after arrival that I found that I could buy plaster bandages from Boots and put my arm in a cast and wore that for 6 weeks of the 10 week term. At that time I did not really know much about how a proper cast was made, the stockinette, padding etc and just applied the plaster over some Tubigrip elasticated tubing. It was very tight, but I got away with it without any problems. Of course, having a cast is not the same as having a disability and people are more prone to engage about it, people are less embarrassed when faced with other people's injuries that disabilities. I have done casts over a few days when at a Hotel many times since then, but I have never worn a full term one for many weeks again.
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