Back in 2003, I converted my attached garage to a handicapped accessible room for Maryann along with a handicapped access ramp to get into the house along with a mudroom and 42 inch doors so she could get in and out of the house. In addition I built a new garage that made it easier for her to get in and out of with her wheelchair.
Also had a 6 foot wide door installed in the rear of the garage, but she actually never used it.
All was not in vain however, even though I never expected that I would have to use it, it has become a Godsend for me ten years later, except for the fact that the ramp is not enclosed and is on the South side of the house, so some good snow storms can made the ramp a little treacherous to go up and down unless it is shovelled and I personally do not do much shovelling now-a-days. Jeff Clokey came up with a proposal for me to design and build some plexiglass panels to attach to the ramp which prevents the snow from coming in. They provide me with a good view and light through the windows while also keeping the snow out. Also in the spring they can be easily removed as they are attached with clamps, plus are numbered, so they can be stored on a rack in the garage in the summer.
Fred Kuhn, meanwhile worked on decreasing the size of the 6 foot door which had rusted out in the past ten years from the road salt that had accumulated on the bottom. A new three foot door was installed so that entrance from the rear of the garage is accessible.
The finished panels look nice and are now completely free of the inclement weather for me to go up and down. Also, my mail carrier also delivers my mail inside my mud room at the top of the ramp so I don't even need to venture outside and my Burlington Free Press Carrier delivers my newspaper right up to the door at the top of the ramp and hangs it on the door and the St. Albans Messenger Carrier does the same thing. Now hopefully this winter I will break the curse of falling as I have done in the past five years at least once during the winter months.
Now, I don't drive my car much any more and when I do it is usually in the forenoon. Not sure how many years I will be able to live by myself at home, but at least I am taking some precautions to live here as long as I can. I am far luckier than most, as even though I don't live in a fancy house, it is at least handicapped accessible and my daughter lives next door and keeps very, very close track of me, along with the fact that I also wear a medic alert at all times.
Many thanks go out to Mike Duggan, Architect who designed my handicapped addition ten years ago and to Brad Meunier who did a great job building it at a very reasonable price. Jeff Clokey remarked when he put up the plexiglass panels, how square my ramp still was after being there for ten years. Also, Jeff Clokey, many thanks for putting up the plexiglass panels in a timely fashion before winter sets in. I still need to be careful, but certainly have no intentions of falling this winter.
