Picture of Laurie Crosby

Laurie Crosby - Disability Lifestyle Columnist

Laurie Crosby is a writer with a B.A. in Social and Behavioral Sciences with an emphasis on Disability History from California State University Monterey Bay. She has worked at CSUMB helping students with disabilities get the accommodations needed to achieve their educational goals; sat on citizen's advisory committees for paratransit and In-Home Supportive Services; and been a disability advocate for many years. She enjoys writing about relationships, feminism, sex, being a woman with a disability, and disability issues in general. You can find her and her service dog, Grady, zipping along the sidewalks of the Monterey Peninsula in California.
On Top

Articles By Laurie Crosby

Educational Article

History of the Wheelchair

History of The Wheelchair

“She’s now wheelchair-bound.” “They’ve been confined to a wheelchair for three years.” When we wheelchair users are spoken of, phrases like these are sometimes used -- reflecting the way that some feel about this vital piece of equipment that we rely on. It is seen an instrument of imprisonment, holding us down, keeping us from living full lives. In reality, it is our chairs that give us mobility and independence. Examining the genesis of the wheelchair and how far it has come may help change the way that it is perceived.

Educational Article

Swimming While Disabled

Swimming While Disabled: Body of Water

The first time I went swimming while disabled was about three years after my spinal cord injury. By this time, I had sat in several clothing-optional hot tubs in the little hippie town we lived in and I was getting more comfortable with being in the water, so trying to swim while disabled seemed to be the obvious next step. It would be years before I got into another pool and tried swimming while disabled again.

Educational Article

Wheelchair on Sidewalk

Why You Should Watch These Great Disability Documentaries

I watched my first disability documentary in 2005, about five years after I became a wheelchair user. I was riveted. I barely moved my body for the next hour and a half, my transfer forgotten as people who looked like me filled the screen. I had never seen so many wheelchair users on screen at one time before. I felt like I was gorging on something I hadn’t even known I was starving for. My worries about what the film would be like were swamped by how good it felt to be immersed in a world of media where I didn’t feel like I was a square peg fitting myself into a round hole. I thought, Why didn’t I start watching this stuff earlier?

Educational Article

What Happened to You?

How Do You Answer “What Happened To You?”

“What happened to you?” If you’re a person with a visible disability, chances are you have been or will be asked this question at some point in your life. It’s not uncommon for the people asking this question to be complete strangers. It may take different forms: “Can I ask why you use a wheelchair?” “What happened to your arm?” You may even get, “What’s wrong with you?” This last one is perhaps the most uncomfortable one to hear – no one likes to think that there is something wrong with them, or that others see them that way.

Educational Article

riding the bus with a wheelchair

Travelling While Disabled: Beyond The Basics

I was scared the first time I travelled while disabled. It was about one year after my spinal cord injury. There seemed to be so much that could go wrong. Over the past two decades as a wheelchair user, I’ve learned many things about travelling while disabled (mostly wheelchair-related, of course). I’ll only be referencing on-the-ground travel here; air travel is a completely different animal that deserves an entire article of its own. While some things here are specific to wheelchairs, others are good to keep in mind for any disability.

Educational Article

leg pain

Not Feeling Pain Broke My Body’s Defense

On October 14, 2004, I woke up in the morning and started my day like any other. Sitting up in bed, I began pulling my pants off before I was going to transfer to my wheelchair and then go into the bathroom. As I pulled my pajama pants off, I suddenly felt a wetness on my right hand. My first thought was what many people with a spinal cord injury would probably think: that I had had an episode of incontinence sometime during the night. But the moisture was on the side of my right leg, not the seat of my pants. I removed my pants entirely to examine myself and was stunned by what I saw. My foot and ankle were swollen, pink, and hot to the touch. I woke my partner up and told him that we had to go to the emergency room immediately.

Educational Article

Doing Dishes in wheelchair

Handy Household Tips

When I first became a wheelchair user, life was particularly frustrating. Most of the world is not built with disabled people in mind, and I felt that keenly. I could barely make the hallway turns; most of the shelving was out of my reach; using the kitchen was an exercise in frustration. Over the years I’ve learned a few things that have helped my home become a place that works for me, somewhere I am independent and free of stress. They help me specifically as a wheelchair user, but some of them could apply to other disabilities as well.

Educational Article

Stuck in bed with disability

Things to Do When You’re Stuck in Bed

One of the most difficult things for people with disabilities to deal with can be when we must remain in our beds. Despite what some people may think, it’s really not fun to stay in bed all day – namely because of the reasons why we are stuck in bed in the first place.

Educational Article

chronic pain

Reducing Chronic Pain Without The Use of Prescription Medications

For those of us who experience chronic pain, sometimes we need to use techniques besides medications to help quell it. There can be many reasons for this. Perhaps our doctor forgot to sign off on our prescription on a Friday, and now it’s the weekend and we have to ration the few pills we have left. Or maybe the dosage we’re prescribed isn’t strong enough to fully stop the pain. Perhaps the dosage is enough to stop the pain, but the side effects are unbearable. Or maybe we simply make the personal choice to stay away from painkillers altogether. Whatever the reason, it can’t hurt (pun intended) to have in your back pocket some ways to reduce chronic pain that don’t require dependence on a doctor – ways that put you in the driver’s seat.

Educational Article

paratransit van

Using Public Transportation as a Wheelchair User, pt. II: Paratransit

If you’d like to use public transportation as a wheelchair user but cannot ride the regular buses for whatever reason, paratransit may be a useful option for you. Paratransit can go by many names: Dial-a-Ride, HandyDart (not my favorite name), community transit, MetroAccess. My personal knowledge and experience consists of the system used in the U.S. -- therefore, that is what I will be focusing on.

Follow Us on Social Media

Facebook-f Youtube Twitter Instagram

Latest Articles

Educational Article

History of the Wheelchair

History of The Wheelchair

“She’s now wheelchair-bound.” “They’ve been confined to a wheelchair for three years.” When we wheelchair users are spoken of, phrases like these are sometimes used -- reflecting the way that some feel about this vital piece of equipment that we rely on. It is seen an instrument of imprisonment, holding us down, keeping us from living full lives. In reality, it is our chairs that give us mobility and independence. Examining the genesis of the wheelchair and how far it has come may help change the way that it is perceived.

Educational Article

Swimming While Disabled

Swimming While Disabled: Body of Water

The first time I went swimming while disabled was about three years after my spinal cord injury. By this time, I had sat in several clothing-optional hot tubs in the little hippie town we lived in and I was getting more comfortable with being in the water, so trying to swim while disabled seemed to be the obvious next step. It would be years before I got into another pool and tried swimming while disabled again.

Educational Article

Healthcare law and patient rights

Patient Rights in Ontario, Canada

We fully believe in and support patient (or client)-centred practice where the patient is at the centre as the most important and in control of what happens next. A key part of this and a part of you being in charge of your own healthcare, is being informed. So today, we are going to review patient rights in Ontario including some real-life examples!
Get The Latest Updates

Subscribe To Our Weekly Newsletter

No spam, notifications only about new products, updates.
On Trend

Most Popular Stories

Explore more
History of the Wheelchair

History of The Wheelchair

“She’s now wheelchair-bound.” “They’ve been confined to a wheelchair for three years.” When we wheelchair users are spoken of, phrases like these are sometimes used — reflecting the way that some feel about this vital piece of equipment that we rely on. It is seen an instrument of imprisonment, holding us down, keeping us from living full lives. In reality, it is our chairs that give us mobility and independence. Examining the genesis of the wheelchair and how far it has come may help change the way that it is perceived.

Swimming While Disabled

Swimming While Disabled: Body of Water

The first time I went swimming while disabled was about three years after my spinal cord injury. By this time, I had sat in several clothing-optional hot tubs in the little hippie town we lived in and I was getting more comfortable with being in the water, so trying to swim while disabled seemed to be the obvious next step. It would be years before I got into another pool and tried swimming while disabled again.

Healthcare law and patient rights

Patient Rights in Ontario, Canada

We fully believe in
and support patient (or client)-centred practice where the patient is at the centre as the most
important and in control of what happens next. A key part of this and a part of you being in
charge of your own healthcare, is being informed. So today, we are going to review patient
rights in Ontario including some real-life examples!

Wheelchair on Sidewalk

Why You Should Watch These Great Disability Documentaries

I watched my first disability documentary in 2005, about five years after I became a wheelchair user. I was riveted. I barely moved my body for the next hour and a half, my transfer forgotten as people who looked like me filled the screen. I had never seen so many wheelchair users on screen at one time before. I felt like I was gorging on something I hadn’t even known I was starving for. My worries about what the film would be like were swamped by how good it felt to be immersed in a world of media where I didn’t feel like I was a square peg fitting myself into a round hole. I thought, Why didn’t I start watching this stuff earlier?

Explore

Wheelchairs
Home Oxygen
Communication Devices

Quick Links

Discounts and Deals
Educational Resources
Newsletter

About Evika

About Us
Send Us Feedback
Advertising and Products

Legal

Privacy
Terms and Conditions
Contact Us

Loading...