Do you have a chronic disease or a disability that makes RVing challenging for you?
A physical or mental challenge can be hard for an RVer. So much of RVing depends on physical and mental abilities. Of course, there are many resources for those on the road with disabilities, and some motorhomes are even wheelchair-ready if that’s something you require.
Please tell us by voting in the poll below. If you’re comfortable sharing your situation or sharing resources in a comment, please feel free to do so. Your comments may be helpful to others experiencing the same or similar things as you.
I’m a double right side amputee above knee and elbow due to work injury and developing Osteomyelitis, VRE and MERSA but we stopped counting after 150 surgeries and having had 3 6 ft clots now take Lovanox shot twice a day. But its time for us the make a few memories know there will be obstacles but that’s okay.
Stop and say hi we’ll be in a 2021 Bay Star 3014 and you can’t miss me I’ll probably be the one hanging upside down from the ladder from my prosthetic.
Wow! What an amazing story of survival and determination, Dennis! We wish you many happy years of RVing. And we hope we don’t see you hanging upside down from the ladder!!! (But we’ll come running to your aid if we do.) Take care. 😀 —Diane at RVtravel.com
Having MS makes it a little harder and time consuming to get things ready for taking off but it’s well worth the effort.
Same here. We haven’t gone anywhere last year due to the pandemic and my wife is still working. I am on disability ( 2 years now) now but the wife gets to start drawing SS checks late summer and hope to go someplace further away than we normally do, but I will bring my mobility scooter along to be able to go further than 200 feet away from the RV. 🙂
2 back surgery’s 1 with fusion and hardware, so bending and lifting can be a challenge some days, then lets through in PTSD and it makes everyday fun… but better then the other choice
Hi. The whole reason for purchasing our RV was so my man could travel comfortably and stay on his hemodialysis schedule. Fifteen years ago he was stricken with a rare blood cancer requiring very harsh and frequent chemotherapy. Then he survived two stem cell transplants. Each requiring more chemo and radiation. About 5 years later he was doing great until his kidneys gave out (cooked by the chemo). We opted for home hemodialysis which allows us lots of freedom. We pack up the dialysis machine and supplies and off we go. I usually take enough water/dialysate for two treatment and have the rest shipped to our destination. Short trips with the grandkids (not this year) we just work his treatments around our outings. We do require electricity to run the cycler and warmer. We are so happy to be able to travel. I would encourage all to get out in their home/clinic on wheels.
My DW has 5 torn lumbar disks, her right hip and knee have each been replaced twice, the replacements have not been very successful. She also has Macular Degeneration in both eyes and is unable to read magazines or books. She can get on the computer if I’ve increased the font sizes and she uses a lighted magnifying glass. We still go to outings with our local RV social club, and spend the winter in Yuma. We haven’t gone anywhere this winter because of COVID-19, she also has COPD and fibromyalgia, so she is at high risk for problems if infected.
Yep, it is called A. G. E.. Can still get around but it is a little (sometimes a lot) harder to do. 🙂
I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s 25 years ago, and my wife was in a near fatal car accident 11 years ago. Do we still camp? You bet we do. We bought a Hybrid about 4 yrs ago and it is much easier to set up than our pup. We will keep going until we can’t go anymore.
Mainly as a result of a massive stroke my Wife has been severely disabled for going on 22 years, falls resulting in a broken hip, then a broken femur and then a broken foot have significantly affected our ability to travel but have been to every state (except Hawaii) and province (except Nunavat). We have overcome all obstacles including installing an ATV winch in the trailer to pull her up a ramp in her wheelchair and replacing her seat in the tow vehicle with a lift chair. All of these changes have been posted on various RVing with Disabilities Facebook sites. The key to continue what you love to do is to keep evolving and overcoming.
You and your wife are a great inspiration, Don. Thank you! Keep on keepin’ on! 😀 —Diane at RVtravel.com
chronic illness? yes. challenging? depends on your meaning. on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being high my illness would rate a 1.
Overall, I am in fair health. My worst issue is severe sleep apnea. As long as I have power for my CPAP I am fine.
Heart disease, lung disease and diebetic along several years back in a bad auto accident so have a stimulator. So some days can be a struggle but give up or slow down RVing unheard of. My kids are saying slow down. I guess the wife will be driving my dead body out of some boondocked site. Rather go happy then not go at all.
Am slowly becoming arthritic, but, thankfully, so far is only a sometimes annoyance. Wearing driving gloves seems to have reduced the fatigue I get in my hands when driving the RV. Maybe factual, maybe imagined, but I wear them constantly now.
I have a worn out right hip and knee from my 20 years in the Navy, steaming ships. So far I haven’t pulled the trigger to have a hip replacement through the VA. I’m fully covered, no cost to me, but I’ve got to park and stay in one place long enough to get it done. We’re fulltimers, it’s hard to do it.
when looking for scooters look at the wheels until we got my latest one I was limited to paved path ways now I have an all terrain power chair and we go everywhere
Chronic low back pain.
I broke my back in 2000. 6 back surgeries later, I’m in constant pain. Getting ready to buy mobility Scooter, so we can still take camping trips.
Have you looked in to a spinal cord stimulator. I have had one now going on 15 years. It has eliminated 80 percent of the back pain the rest is covered with a low dose pain med. God bless that little device.
Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy has slowed me down.
Leg and knee surgeries impede easy walking at times and climbing is a no – no in most cases. But in general I keep on going.
No, and I’m very thankful for that.
Yes. I have had 3 back surgeries, so lifting heavy is out of the question and splitting wood for a fire requires the help of someone else to do it beforehand. Some days walking is a challenge depending on the weather.