Who You Gonna Call?

On my way to the Capitol building my electric wheelchair suddenly died. I would have been stranded if it weren’t for the efforts of two good Samaritans who tinkered with some wires until it started working again. It reminded me though of our responsibilities as disabled employees.

Many, if not the vast majority of us (people with disabilities), use some sort of assistive technology product or service. When we are hired for a particular job, it is expected that we have complete responsibility for that assistive technology. In my case, I needed to know who to call to repair my chair. That’s where the benefit of social capital comes in handy. There are plenty of people out there who are mechanically inclined and like to tinker with things. I collect these people like coupons. You never know when trouble is going to strike so I try to keep a number of numbers handy. I keep a list of all my medications in case I end up in the hospital. I keep a phone number of a responsible, accessible cab company in case I or my friends need emergency transportation. I also memorize phone numbers of mechanically inclined individuals I can call when something mechanical goes wrong.

Whether you use a guide dog or JAWS or a hearing aid or wheelchair, our employers expect us, and rightfully so, to take responsibility for our AT. We need to keep it in good working order and, dare I say it, professionally looking. That means wheelchairs are to be free of mud and bumper stickers. When our AT malfunctions at work, we must know who to call or how to fix it. If possible, we should have back up AT or at least a ‘Plan B’ in place to deal with it.

It should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway, we need to pay particular attention to our health. If our health goes, good-bye work. My health is too important to be left to doctors. I can’t seem to find a doctor who has plenty of experience working with quadriplegics anyway so I turn to my friends in the disability community who may have had similar experiences to my own. Case in point, when I was having problems with my gut, one of my dear friends gave me psyllium husks to take several times a day. That helped a lot. Later, I learned my doctor knew about this stuff but never thought to recommend it. I wonder if it is because it is sold ‘over the counter’. Regardless, our employers also expect us to be healthy. It sounds like common sense but there have been times I was so engrossed with work that I inadvertently neglected my health. Don’t let that happen to you.

When I was a manager, the last thing I wanted to hear was an excuse. The same goes for our employers. They don’t want excuses, they want results. Manage your AT or your boss will manage you, ie. take responsibility to keep your AT working well or your boss will manage to find someone who will. That applies also to attendants or readers or drivers. Each of us that uses AT services can be considered a small businessman or woman. We have to manage our business so well any task given us seems to be accomplished seamlessly – without regard to the equipment of service we use to help us along the way.

Remember the Boy Scout motto: Always be prepared.

About the author

Gene Rodgers Photo Gene Rodgers has been a quadriplegic since age 17. Since then he has earned several college degrees, worked in several states, earned a Switzer Fellowship, and now works as a private contractor.

Do you have a question about employment and disability? Send your question to grodgers@austin.rr.com and put “DLRP JOBS” in the subject line.