Perspective of the disabled

Regarding Stephen Berde’s July 18 letter, “Disabled should pay for parking”: Let me offer my perspective. My husband is severely disabled. When we park to patronize a business downtown, it’s often no easy endeavor. You may be able to park, dash into a business, complete your task and get back to your vehicle in a fraction of the time it takes us.

After unloading his wheelchair, I struggle to lift him out of the car. We then get to a store or business, a few have buttons to remotely open the doors. When they don’t, I have to prop the door open and struggle to get his chair over the transition bump to get him inside. Often the aisles aren’t nearly wide enough to navigate his chair; we have to take the long way around.

If we need to eat a meal, it’s just another long process since he can no longer feed himself and swallowing issues make for slow-going. Should he need to use the restroom, well, imagine how long that takes us. As we leave, we fight the same battle with the door, getting him back into the car, loading up his chair.

Not worrying about whether the meter has expired is the only thing easy about our trips to Spokane.

Diane Kicza

Spokane