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Challenges Of Going To The Beach / Beach Wheelchairs
The ocean for me has always been my favorite place to relax and heal my mind. For someone with PH just walking down to the beach can be exhausting and next to impossible if you are in a wheelchair. By the time you get settled you might feel too exhausted to enjoy yourself. It’s things like this that others take for granted that can limit PH patients to opportunities of improving their mental health.
Have you ever rented or purchased a beach wheelchair? If so, please share your experience using one. There are many types of beach wheelchairs available. If you have a preference, let us know what it is and why.
Here is a link that discusses the pro’s and con’s of beach wheelchairs.
https://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-beach-wheelchair.htm -
7 Replies
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So true, I love the beach and the water is so peaceful. PH can cause challenges for me on the beach. First to get to the sand, then walking even wearing my oxygen and walking in the sand, has never been very successful.
Several years ago while visiting one if my fave places, SoCal, we were told about these free beach wheelchairs. We were in San Diego, and I was hoping that by now more beaches would follow behind. Here in our area on the Texas Gulf Coast, we have nothing like available. Hopefully, others have found them at other beaches.
Here is a link to the ones in San Diego.
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Jen,
That’s awesome that you were able to find that free service. That is something that should be offered for sure. I still haven’t exactly mastered using the oxygen on the beach and admittedly I just don’t because it’s easier NOT to it seems. But when I was forced to take it with me last year, I would make sure I had a cool shady spot so I could put my oxygen under it. I didn’t want it getting too hot and you’re not supposed to leave it out in the sun. I always carried mine in my backpack that was a Camelback backpack that the hikers use and it is also insulated and was meant to keep waters and stuff cool so it did a pretty good job with temp control of the tanks. That is something that was always a struggle for me on the oxygen was making sure I didn’t leave them in a hot car or in a hot environment !-
Brittany, those Camelback backpack’s are so helpful for medical use. When my son was in heart failure he was put on IV Milrinone. This meant he had two pumps, that and his Flolan that he had to deal with so the Camelback solved the problem. One pocket for his Flolan and ice packs and the milrinone in another. He attended school with both and when I look back on it now I just can’t believe how he managed with it all. I never thought of using it for the oxygen tanks.
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Colleen,
It really is perfect for the oxygen tanks because a lot of them are shaped almost in a cylinder way. It holds the oxygen in place better than having it flopping around in a regular backpack and like you said it has the extra space and pouches for other equipment/devices too! It makes a world of difference when you find something like that. I am looking into cute backpacks online for my j tube pump currently and there are cool ones that people make through Etsy! -
It sounds like your son handled those IV medications like a champ, Colleen! I cannot imagine attending school with all of that and at such a young age!
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Great tip, Brittany! I never even thought of using a CamelBak, my hubby has one for his cycling. It’s tough enough walking in the sand, carrying oxygen is just more of a hassle.
I wish that other beaches would be more accessible so all could enjoy a beach trip. I’m hoping this year when we go that I won’t need one. It was great when we used it, though. Free, was another plus. I have to say that California was more accessible for those of us with disabilities. Texas is not as accessible.
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Thanks for the link Jen! That is so nice that a beach offers those wheelchairs for free. I have heard that some beaches have them available to rent and it’s not cheap.
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