My Toilet Paper: Bathroom Adventures and Awareness

This past season, Squalicum High School hosted the Sub-Distrct 2A track meet at Civic Field. On Wednesday, I went to use the bathroom about 45 minutes before the meet was to begin. So, not all the schools had arrived and not many spectators were at the stadium yet. When I went in the bathroom, all the stalls were open except for the handicap stall. There were seven others wide open and it was very unlikely that seven girls had just finished, as the bathroom was empty except for the Blaine athlete and my mom and I. If other stalls are open, I would appreciate it if others would not take the handicap stall.
I am thankful that Civic has a handicap stall on both the away and home sides. However, on the away side, I am not able to fit my wheelchair into the so-called handicap stall. My mom or whoever else is helping me has to carry me inside the stall. Even is my chair does not fit, it is still nicer to have a little bigger stall, as it gives more room for two people.

Having handicap stalls that I am not able to fit into happens more that it should and even worse than that, I find bathrooms that do not even have a handicap stall and this happens more often than not. Going to the bathroom, something that the average person takes for granted, has turned into an adventure. Looking on the bright side and keeping humor in difficult situations that cannot be controlled, can be a great way to get through these obstacles. 

I can remember back in Middle School when one of my friends came to take me to the bathroom. I used the bathroom in the nurse's room as most of the bathrooms were always locked and the only one that was always unlocked, I was not able to fit into. However, I did not fit much better in the nurse's bathroom. Well, as two girls squished in the corner of the bathroom, we started laughing. We decided that one day I should write down all my adventurous bathroom stories. Here I am, almost six years later saying that going to the bathroom just can be "that funny."
Another bathroom situation happened with the same friend when we went to church camp. She was taking care of me and when she would take me to the bathroom, she kept smacking herself on the toilet paper dispenser. I felt bad, but every time she would laugh and say it was her fault. That same weekend, her sister also took me to the bathroom and almost planted my foot in the toilet! Good memories! 

Another funny bathroom experience was during my last year at MDA camp. Now I know this does not have anything to do with the size of the bathroom because this bathroom was a nice size and we both easily fit. However, it was funny and is a situation someone who does not need assistance would ever experience. On my old power chair, I had a bike horn bolted onto the side and each time my counselor would squat down to pick me up, she would non-intentionally squeak it. We would laugh and then she would have a hard time holding onto me, which just made the situation even funnier. This was definitely one of the highlights of the week.

So, switching gears to a little more serious aspect to a few places I can think of that do not have a handicap accessible bathroom stall. On Western's campus, the main bathrooms in Arntzen Hall do not have a handicap stall, I do not even know if there is a handicap stall somewhere else in the building. It's the same in the Humanities building; the main bathrooms are in the basement and the elevator does not even go down there. In the Viking Union, all the handicap stalls are barely big enough for me to fit nevertheless, someone else having to fit in along with me. The most hilarious bathroom set up is in Old Main. Right next to the handicap entrance is the bathroom which does not have a handicap stall. Then, over by the main entrance (with the stairs), the handicap bathroom will be found. However, in Bond Hall, supply closets on each floor have been converted into spacious bathrooms. The only problem with this is everyone wants to use them instead of the normal stalls. It is so nice for my mom's knees to not be squished up against my chair and her butt against the wall.

Squalicum High School has a similar problem as does the Viking Union. All the student bathrooms on one side of the school are too small and the bathrooms on the other side of the school are not much bigger, so I ended up using the teacher bathrooms. At first, I was told to use the nurse's bathroom, however, if I was across the school, it could take me five minutes to get to the bathroom. When I approached the issue, the school had no problem with telling me to just use the teacher bathrooms. However as a student, it was odd to use these bathrooms as they were off limits to every other student. I am glad I could use them, but being segregated out is not that special.

Fortunately, not every place has this problem. Thank you to Adagio Cafe, Prospect Cafe, Mallards, Bellingham Fred Meyer, The Market and Costco, Barkley Starbucks, Sehome Starbucks and Haggen, Woods Coffee, and Bellingham Hearthfire just to name a few. Thanks for having bathrooms that are large enough for a wheelchair user and their helper.