I am currently a college student and have troubles walking to classes daily because of my psa. I wwnt to get a bike but can’t keep handle the stress it puts on my joints. I found bikes with pedal assist that have electric power to help you. These can be fairly expensive though. Anyone know any grants or programs that would possibly help pay for such a thing to benefit my health?
Does your college have disability services? Maybe they would know
if something like this is available in your area
Definitely contact disability services. It sounds like you are in that middle ground of needing some assistance, but not so much that you would consider an electric scooter.
Although, now I'm thinking. . . . If you're in that middle ground and not needing tons of assistance, what about a motorized scooter, something like this even - http://www.razor.com/products/electric-scooters/e300s/ You might not feel so self-conscious this way either. I looked and found it at Walmart for about $250, which is a lot more manageable than the bike would be. . .http://www.walmart.com/ip/Razor-E300S-Seated-Electric-Scooter-Multiple-Colors/12346982
Just wanted to throw out an alternate idea, that would accomplish the same.
Thanks for the suggestions! I will be talking to disability services soon as I want to see if I can get some assistance with my classes too because taking notes with my arthritis is so hard! When my wrists and fingers are in pain it can be hard to keep up with the teachers. I found these bikes http://www.pedegoelectricbikes.com/shop/step-thru-cruiser-light-blue-with-light-blue-rims/ which as you can see are very expensive but my family is considering investing because I will not stand out among other college students with it as they are all riding bicycles too. It may just be my next few years of christmas gifts and I will have to work hard to help pay it.
Stoney said:
Definitely contact disability services. It sounds like you are in that middle ground of needing some assistance, but not so much that you would consider an electric scooter.
Although, now I'm thinking. . . . If you're in that middle ground and not needing tons of assistance, what about a motorized scooter, something like this even - http://www.razor.com/products/electric-scooters/e300s/ You might not feel so self-conscious this way either. I looked and found it at Walmart for about $250, which is a lot more manageable than the bike would be. . .http://www.walmart.com/ip/Razor-E300S-Seated-Electric-Scooter-Multi...
Just wanted to throw out an alternate idea, that would accomplish the same.
Hi Megan Marie,
Here are a few of things I found helpful when I was in college struggling with PsA (technology has changed A LOT in 20 years, so don't laugh at some of the things :).
I was able to get these things through disability services:
1) class note-taker. The note-taker would use carbon paper, so their notes copied onto another piece of paper. Because I couldn't always make it to class, they would immediately drop the notes in a campus mailbox after class, and I'd get them the next day.
2) priority registration for classes. I could plan my classes around both what I needed for my degree, AND make sure I could physically make it from one place to another in the allowed time. This was most important when trying to get in certain smaller sessions of large classes.
3) disabled campus bus pass. I only had to pay 1/2 fare for the campus bus, and so I ended up taking it A LOT more than I would have, being a poor student.
4) help with housing. I was able to get student housing closer to my classes, and get a single room my sophomore year (due to need to sleep and other things for my PsA), when single rooms were on a lottery basis. My freshman year taught me that my disease flared A LOT when I didn't get enough sleep because my roommate was calling S. Korea at 3am to talk to family.
I've heard of disability services offering things like Dragon software for computers, lightweight laptops, etc. I'm sure with the technology changes there is a lot more out there than when I was in school.
I went to a huge public college (40K undergrad, 20K grad students and PhD and med school), so some things might not be as available on a smaller, or private, campus.
In a nutshell, like others have said before you, check out disability services. I didn't take advantage of all their services until after my freshman year, when I realized how much harder I was struggling than my peers, and decided I needed to bite the bullet and get some more help.
Oh, I commiserate about the work. Every college job I took I had to quit because I would flare. It was REALLY FRUSTRATING (and my rheumy was frustrated with the way I kept pushing myself). At the time, all the sit-down jobs of campus were for work-study (a sort of financial aid) students, and only more physical jobs (food service, store jobs, etc) were available to the general student population. I'm not sure if work-study is a thing anymore. I was so jealous of my friend doing work study in the music library, repairing music books and scores! (she was a music major, plus sharing my major :).
Always feel free to send me a private message through the board if you simply want to talk to someone who "gets it". I had no one during that time, and it was really tough.
When I was in school everyone who had money rode Vespa type scooters around. I had a regular bike, or walked, and it was HARD. I think your idea of the electric assist bike is brilliant, and I think you and your family should go for it (or at least the electric razor scooter, or something like it). There might be some grants, or insurance assistance, if you can prove it is for mobility purposes. Getting a disabled parking pass from your dr. may go some way toward showing you need assistance getting around.
I *really* understand not wanting to stand out from the other students. (((hugs)) if you want them.
I am going to try to look into getting a note taker. I know that we offer those services here and those students also get the priority scheduling which would definitely help me out! My campus bus is free (like anything in college is "free". I should say included in my tuition) but my apartment is a little far from campus so I typically drive there. I am currently waiting for my handicap placard to come in the mail and I have a temporary one through my college currently so I can park on campus. I would love to have my bike to be able to ride to campus instead of sitting in traffic, wasting gas and money, and to get some exercise! I would enjoy riding it to each class too, which would make life a whole lot easier! I do have work study. I am working only 4 hours a week however, but I get to sit at a desk and tutor students so that is easy on my joints, luckily. Thank you for all the advice and the support! I strongly appreciate it. My family and I are just now realizing that I need more help and am going to try to do as much as I can to set this up this semester as a sophomore.
Marietta said:
Hi Megan Marie,
Here are a few of things I found helpful when I was in college struggling with PsA (technology has changed A LOT in 20 years, so don't laugh at some of the things :).
I was able to get these things through disability services:
1) class note-taker. The note-taker would use carbon paper, so their notes copied onto another piece of paper. Because I couldn't always make it to class, they would immediately drop the notes in a campus mailbox after class, and I'd get them the next day.
2) priority registration for classes. I could plan my classes around both what I needed for my degree, AND make sure I could physically make it from one place to another in the allowed time. This was most important when trying to get in certain smaller sessions of large classes.
3) disabled campus bus pass. I only had to pay 1/2 fare for the campus bus, and so I ended up taking it A LOT more than I would have, being a poor student.
4) help with housing. I was able to get student housing closer to my classes, and get a single room my sophomore year (due to need to sleep and other things for my PsA), when single rooms were on a lottery basis. My freshman year taught me that my disease flared A LOT when I didn't get enough sleep because my roommate was calling S. Korea at 3am to talk to family.
I've heard of disability services offering things like Dragon software for computers, lightweight laptops, etc. I'm sure with the technology changes there is a lot more out there than when I was in school.
I went to a huge public college (40K undergrad, 20K grad students and PhD and med school), so some things might not be as available on a smaller, or private, campus.
In a nutshell, like others have said before you, check out disability services. I didn't take advantage of all their services until after my freshman year, when I realized how much harder I was struggling than my peers, and decided I needed to bite the bullet and get some more help.
Oh, I commiserate about the work. Every college job I took I had to quit because I would flare. It was REALLY FRUSTRATING (and my rheumy was frustrated with the way I kept pushing myself). At the time, all the sit-down jobs of campus were for work-study (a sort of financial aid) students, and only more physical jobs (food service, store jobs, etc) were available to the general student population. I'm not sure if work-study is a thing anymore. I was so jealous of my friend doing work study in the music library, repairing music books and scores! (she was a music major, plus sharing my major :).
Always feel free to send me a private message through the board if you simply want to talk to someone who "gets it". I had no one during that time, and it was really tough.
Megan Marie, I’m so glad you are being pro-active and thinking about how to make what you want to do do-able. Ask for help, that’s what it’s there for! Get yourself wheels and save your feet! Use that placard: that’s why you have it! You rock, Megan Marie!