#servicedogpunk asks

[powerchairpunk]

do you consider schizophrenia (and other schizospectrum disorders) disabilities?

short answer, yes, they are disabilities. but there are people with these diagnoses who do not consider themselves disabled.

that’s true of a lot of disorders that present on a spectrum. so, it would be factual to state that schizospectrum disorders are disabilities, but not that everyone on that spectrum is disabled.

[powerchairpunk]

how did you choose what breed to get as a service dog and how did you go about choosing the dog you specifically did?

this post is gonna be long as hell bc i wanted to be thorough, but the short answer is, it took a lot of research!

weighing the pros and cons of different breeds, the standard poodle just seemed most suited to my needs and lifestyle. they’re popular psychiatric service dogs, and have soft, hypoallergenic fur that doesn’t shed. ideal for me due to my sensory issues, and the breed characteristics were also consistent with what i was looking for in a service dog. size was also a big factor- i need a breed that weighed enough to provide significant pressure but not so much as to be physically uncomfortable for me.

so, i worked with an expert to pick an ethical breeder, and settled on a litter of black poodle puppies born to two standards. one of his parents was also a psychiatric service dog, meaning his genetics were more likely to produce successful service dogs. every puppy from his litter was evaluated at seven weeks to find them the best potential homes. i also considered whether i wanted a male or female, but ended up deciding i had no preference. river just happened to be the puppy with the most fitting temperament for service work. he was intelligent, social, had the necessary drive, and picked up new skills easily.

it’s a long process but i have no regrets and im glad my research lead me to him!!

[powerchairpunk]

hey are you a radqueer? I saw you liked a rq post and I'm not gonna like #cancel you but if you are i don't really wanna follow you lol

oh god no i am not, they’ll probably come for me for this post but for the record i am VERY anti radqueer

i do have a morbid fascination with that stuff tho, especially the “transabled” aspect, because i am actually disabled and the idea of people romanticizing disorders you struggle with is just. strange. i probably liked a post by accident while doomscrolling the tags (admittedly something i have done.) i don’t really believe in coming into their space and attacking them which is why i just lurk but like. the psychology of why people fake disabilities is just super interesting to me

also if. any radqueer sees this post and genuinely wants to engage in a respectful debate with me i am actually down, i feel like some of you guys need to talk to an actual disabled person to realize the shit that you’re doing is wrong and is harming people. also i am just genuinely curious why someone would want to be disabled when they’re not

[powerchairpunk]

Hey! I’m going to my first show soon and I’d LOVE some tips on moshing while disabled if that’s still a post you wanna make! I fully intend to throw myself in the pit and deal with the consequences after, but it would still be INCREDIBLY helpful to have some tips to remember in the hope of minimising pain.

P.S. sick blog dude!!

you guys asked for it so here we go

a guide to moshing while disabled!!

these are just some general tips but will obviously want to approach the pit differently depending on your comfort level and what your specific needs are. they’re based on my personal experiences/observations but only you can gauge your own comfort level!

-if you can, check beforehand that the venue is accessible. unfortunately shit happens and sometimes places that claim to be accessible aren’t, so be prepared for how to handle a worst case scenario

-have an exit route! make sure you have somewhere to go if you want out of the pit. people are pretty understanding and if you seem like you want to get out they will help you out

-for any wheelchair users, you guys are at a little bit of a disadvantage due to height, so you’ll probably want to either arrive early to near the front, gently push your way to the front or have someone lift you up, that said

-wheelchair users can absolutely crowdsurf, just let people know you want to get up and they’ll support your chair the same way they’d lift a person

-depending on your venue, there may be a patio outside for smoking. it’s a great place to take a break if you’re easily overstimulated, or, if you can’t stand for long periods of time, a place to sit down if no other seats are available

-large venues or music festivals may have also have general accessibility services you can take advantage of as needed. smaller/diy shows may be easier to navigate due to less traffic but are also less likely to have these options

-noise canceling headphones. get yourself a good pair. mine have never fallen off but it’s just something to be aware of as you’re moving around.

-if there are seats, get them. that doesn’t mean you have to use them the whole show, in fact, you can spend most of your time in the pit if that’s what you want to do. but moshing is physically demanding, even for abled people, so it definitely helps to have the option for yourself ahead of time and be prepared

-have pain meds on you just in case, and if you have asthma, bring an inhaler. it’s better that you have them and not need them than need them and not have them

-wear something comfortable. if you want to bring a mobility aid, bring one, and if you have any other clothing such as compression garments that make physical activity less strenuous on your body, wear those

these are just a start but i hope they can be helpful to someone!

[powerchairpunk]

Hi! I just acquired a (very very temporary) second hand wheelchair for cheap while I work on getting a better one. It is a pretty heavy standard/hospital chair. I was wondering if you have any tips for how to modify it to work better for me. I'm already planning on switching the for rests for some sort of fabric hanging under me and replacing the tires if I can but any other tips would be super helpful!

i am not a wheelchair user myself, so take my advice with a grain of salt, but here are some tips based on what i know from my friends that are also wheelchair users/have experience with hospital chairs :)

if possible, unscrewing the armrests and removing them really helps, from what i’m told. it’s more challenging to push yourself in a hospital chair because your center of gravity is different, so the extra arm space helps a lot, especially if you want to try wheelies. it also just makes it more comfortable when you’re using a heavier chair. you can also use padded gloves for better grip and to protect your hands when pushing yourself. also, hospital chairs have like zero padding, so get yourself some nice cushions as well

good luck! i hope this was able to be of some help

[powerchairpunk]

Is your service dog self-trained, professionally-trained or a mix of both?

he’s typically considered owner trained, since i didn’t get him from a program. i raised him as a puppy and did his training myself. but i also worked with a professional trainer for much of the process, so i wasn’t completely on my own and had an expert to advise me.

[powerchairpunk]

I saw your patch post, and was wondering what "no spoons" mean? if you don't mind <33

i don’t mind at all! spoon theory is a commonly used way to illustrate chronic illness. spoons act as the unit in the analogy, essentially representing the amount of energy a person has for certain tasks. that’s why you will sometimes hear chronically ill people refer to themselves as “spoonies” or state that they are “out of spoons” as a way to say they don’t have the mental or physical capacity on a particular day.

[powerchairpunk]

Hellooo! How do i make patches? I want to make some very badly but I have no idea how to make them

the only things you really need are scissors and fabric! other things like glue, tape, thread/floss, needles, hardware (any kind of chains, safety pins, added objects) are great but optional.

i start by cutting the shape i want from my fabric. this can be any scrap fabric; canvas and denim are good if painting on a flimsy layer bothers you, but a thinner or silkier fabric may help you achieve more detail and a cleaner look. depending on your fabric, you may need to seal edges with glue so they don’t fray.

i use masking tape to secure the fabric to a surface as i paint it, and then freehand my design. you can also sketch out more complicated patterns with a white jelly roll pen, but i am lazy and usually don’t. i do touchups with black acrylic paint since my fabric is black.

hope this helps :)