Come camping with me for a day and I'll show you how I make it accessible
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 พ.ค. 2023
- The outdoors aren't always the most wheelchair friendly and for years I really hated camping because we used a tent and I didn't have access to running water.
I still went because my family really liked it and it was a sacrifice I was willing to make to spend time with them. Over the last 10 years we've worked hard to make camping more comfortable for me and now it's one of my favorite things to do in the summer.
I guess technically my set up would be considered glamping but it still makes me feel like I get my nature fix even though I have comforts like running water and a lift!
My Lift
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My Scooter
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I know I've said this before but I want to say it again. The one thing I love the most above all others about you and your channel is your brutal honesty about how you live your life. All in all your mouth runs with no filters and that's what people need to hear. Rather they like it or not the truth is the truth and I hope that you never change that about you. You are refreshments to ones soul and I thank you for that.
Yeah I'm honestly just me on camera. I'd be the same if we were actually hanging out. I'm glad I come across as real and honest! That's my goal!
@@EmpoweredPara some people aren’t even real in person, your genuineness is a very endearing quality ☺️
I'm 24 and I just got into a bad motorcycle accident its been 5 months since and I'm doing way better now seeing you do all these things really inspires me now that I'm in a wheelchair . thank you so much .
Thank you for posting this. I was recently paralyzed from the waist down due to a spinal cord injury a few weeks ago, and one of my favorite activities is camping.
Don't get discouraged if it's hard your first few times. It'll get easier over time! Feel free to email me if you have any specific questions! empoweredpara@gmail.com
You could also get some advice from backuptrust they are amazing they even have ppl with spinal cord injuries going up mountains
so real..... camping is "take it as it comes" .... glad you let nothing stop you! God Bless!
You are an amazing woman, it appears that you just never give up! Yes, I’m still watching the video, only 2 minutes into so far!
I'm pretty stubborn but I do give up on some things lol. I'm not perfect by any means!
@@EmpoweredPara I hear that and me either!
Your hubby must be a sound sleeper as you roll over back and forth. You are so much more organized than us. Nice to see your sister again! Great scooter attachment - it’s great how user-friendly it is! Great life Brittney! Enjoy!
He wakes up but just lays there lol.
@@EmpoweredPara I think this is still camping as you cook outside and spend a lot of time outside. Glamping is IMHO more like people who “camp” in a $400,000 motor home like several of my dog show friends!
The Scooter attachment looks amazing! I want one so bad!
amzn.to/3WHFgze
You have same mental toughness, that they instill in special forces combatants, it involves ignoring what your body is telling you, and just keep moving forward. Kudos! Only 3 in a hundred applicants complete that training.
Not sure I'm that mentally tough lol. But thank you!
The westview rv park in wetaskiwin has an accessible room with a true roll in shower. (they built it for me) its in the willow in section
Really? That's cool!
Ok not for nothing, your husband is a Deep sleeper 😂. Bless you both ❤
Thanks for sharing your family and your journey. It looks like everyone had a great time and I love how you find ways to make everything work. I remember, in a video with Margaret, she helped you find an apartment with the bare minimum setup that would allow you to live independently. I think that gave you a great start in learning how to adapt.
Your videos always brighten my day. I hope you have a great summer with many more adventures!
Denise
Yep I think Margaret truly changed my life and gave me the most important advice that made my life what it is today!
Now that's a kick ass little camp stove lol ..
You have a beautiful fun family. I’m glad y’all enjoyed. I love the summer months. ❤️🤗
I do have a pretty great family!
CAMPING IN A WHEELCHAIR UNBELIEVABLE 🤗🤗🤗
It’s great to see that we can lead a fairly normal life 😊 I have a E-pilot wheelchair attachment,( scooter)it’s changed my life
Yep we sure can!
Thank you you are such a great person. Your family is wonderful and you’re one of the reasons the sun comes up in the morning.
lol well that made my day! Pretty sure the sun doesn't shine for me but I'm gonna pretend it does from now on lol!
You are such an inspiration and your videos are so informative and enjoy watching your vids. Have a wonderful and safe summer with loved ones.
Thanks! I plan to be with family as much as possible:)
Always great to see when your whole family does a fully accessible sport/activity like washoes.
Probably should have said “inclusive”….
inclusive/accessible both work!
Looks like a lot of fun! I love family get togethers. You figure out every way to do things. Honestly, it's super cool to watch how you do everything in a wheelchair. I've learned a lot from you. Thanks ❤
I try my best to figure out what I can. Memories are at stake and I don't want to miss anything. I have serious FOMO lol.
Good for you. Great example for us all. If you put sage and rosemary oil around the inside of you walls the mosquitoes will vanish. Those little green mosquitoe coils work well also.
Thanks for the tip!
@@EmpoweredPara I should have said the inside wall of your fireplace. As the oils warm they smell great to us but the bugs hate the smell. We use them in the Florida Keys. Works great.
Great video… nice to see you out camping..
Proud of You I am Scooter Bound Too This A great Video For People do not Know Us How we Live Thank on Video
Great Video! Thank YOU for sharing you and your family with all of us that love you very much. You are a super awesome inspiration to so many! ! Hugs and continued blessings. 🙃😊🤗
Thanks for watching!
I always called it washers, but I remember there only being one hole. More like horseshoes. You seem to have variations like a cornhole game that uses Bean bags.
Yeah I think we mixed up a few games lol
Another perfect video Brittney, nice to see everyone enjoying the summer Happy camping. 😘❤❤
Thanks for watching:)
Happy Camping!
Thanks!
Great camping with the family
My first time watching one of your videos and as a para completely blown away and it’s made my day. I especially liked all the routine stuff, which I can relate to, but then amazed by your day with your fantastic family. Will be checking out your other videos. All the best, John from the UK.
Welcome to my channel! Glad you enjoyed watching my shenanigans!
It’s amazing how you make things work for you! Not being able to get your chair beside the bed, not being able to get your wheelchair into the bathroom - nothing stops you. This should open a lot of people’s eyes and encourage them to try trailer camping. I think I read that you originally did tent camping. My relatives who enjoy camping progressed from tenting, to pop-up tent trailers, to full trailer camping with slide-outs. Is that the route that you guys went?
I used to camp alot when the kids were younger.. started with a tent, upgraded to a pop up trailer, then a hybrid trailer.. kids got older and don't "like" camping anymore ..so I upgraded to lake side cottage! 😂🤣Thanks for sharing your day!
yeah a lake side cottage is what we're aiming for too!
Respect, for al your info included the poop, I can stil poop (with problems but it stil comes) only pie’ing sitting is a problem after pooping is a big mess in the toilet wen a stand up, but standing I stil can pie’ing .. I can stand for 30 second and walking 30 meter with a stick, rest in a wheel chair just for 3 month I’m stil waiting forma own chair…. Love your story and family
Nice to have some bowel and bladder function still! Thanks for sharing!
Im not super outdoorsy or glitz and glam either but i do love a good camping trip. Even as an able-bodied person, I find there's so much to do and bring for camping. Its worth it though. So much fun. We tent camp and we've been doing it for about 10 years now and been doing it for about 4 years with our daughter since she was 15 months (now 5). And she loves it as much as we do.
Tent camping is the real deal lol. If I were able bodied I'd probably choose a tent over hauling a trailer!
@@EmpoweredPara I'd do a trailer if i had money lol.
thank you for sharing you day. I have a scooter attachment for my chair too I got a batec 2nd hand from a friend so can go on walks with wife n kids through the woods and stuff my kids don't stay still for long the run every where lol
Yeah a scooter is so helpful!
You are thoroughly amazing😊
Why thank you!
Next month, we are trying crip camping for the first time. I did want to go with the whole tent, but we found a rustic accessible cabin with a ramp. This was extremely helpful in prepping for the trip next month
Accessible cabins are hard to find! I hope it goes well!
Great video thanks Brittney
You're welcome!
@@EmpoweredParaYou are a great communicator Brittney and provide very detailed helpful information:)
@@jhors7777 I'll take that 😉
I looked at the link you provided for the scooter. that looks like a great help. looks like the designer really knew what was needed from the kickstand to picking up the front wheels of the chair. neat to see your son? parking it. glad you have family to help where needed but not getting in the way of you doing what you can and want to do. I am able-bodied but planning for what works if I am not. we built a laundry room upstairs so if we can't get downstairs to the laundry we can still do it ourselves. I don't think I have seen any of your other videos but you are inspiring. thank you.
I wish I had main floor laundry. It's such a valuable things so your were smart to think ahead to when mobility might be more challenging!
the food look good!
It was!
I am so excited 2 find you
I'm so excited you found me lol!
Such an awesome video. I love seeing how you make do with what you got in the camper trailer. I would love to have a trailer for camping sometime too. I'm mulling over getting a scooter attachment for my manual chair. I just received my travel buggy so going to take a few months to enjoy that then maybe I'll have it figured out which scooter attachment I want by next year. Seems like some models can go pretty fast and have a good long battery range. It's so wonderful to see you getting together in the summer with all your family. Looks like you all have such a wonderful time together.
The travel buggy is great! Thr scooter and the power chair each have their own place. If you want any info let me know!
This was a great video. Thanks so much for showing us your routine, but holy shit add filming into all of this and it is a LOT of work. Thanks for all that because I don't think people realize how much extra time is required to set up the cameras and stuff (and make sure batteries are charged, lol). I never camped as a kid (my family wasn't into it), and my husband is a camping freak, so guess who's gotten much more used to camping! Started off with tent camping, then we bought a travel trailer from my sister-in-law and have gotten to do 'fancier' camping that way. It can be a pain in the ass no matter what physical abilities you have. That scooter attachment is fascinating. What a great invention. Glad you had such a great time with family!
Yeah camping is a weird hobby if you think about it lol. Pack up to go sleep somewhere else haha. Not sure why we love it so much when it's so much work haha.
That wheelchair scooter attachment is genius! Would you mind sharing the link? Going to see if it would fit on mine. Thanks!
amzn.to/3WHFgze
We call it washer toss here in Mitchell, Ontario
I think my family combined the words washer and horseshoe lol. So we call it Washoe.
glad you enjoyed it i would not but thats me
It’s great that you can attach the scooter to your chair by yourself, because I think there was a previous video (last year?) where your hubby attached it for you!
yep! I figured it out!
@@EmpoweredParaYou are clever & independent!
I read most of Ken Follet but at the end of the triologie I was done: / So daang cool the electric weel chair transformer thing. Mlre of activities next camping, please ! Happy midtsommer!
It's more like beginning of summer here lol. Short and sweet summer her in Alberta. Ken Follet is good but soooooo wordy lol
Washers (or however you call it in English, I don't know) is a very common game on campgrounds. Easily the most noticeable one at least, with the noise. Camping is great sometimes, enjoy fun times!
Lol so my family didn't make it up I guess!
It made me laugh when you said "what would you do if we lived in the SXVIII?" When you turned on the barbecue, then when you said what book you're reading I understood that it was your subconscious 😂😂😂😂 the video is very funny and endearing, a hug family 👌😂🤗
lol maybe that's why I was thinking about that time frame haha. I'm being brainwashed by reading 📚 haha.
@@EmpoweredPara hahaha, better to brainwash reading than not having anything 🧠 to wash 😜
I got dressed in a 3pc suit & tie for Church last yesterday, got 1/3 of the way there & my bike chain popped. I walked it home & the 1st thing a friend said was "I can't wear my boots with a suit & tie". No idea why not.
Well why were you riding a bike in a suit lol
@@EmpoweredPara I don't own a car. I ride 8000km (5000 miles) a year at least.
@johnvelas70 wow!
Brittney, you should try camping in a tent!... Yes I did, just the one time and that was enough. Hotels for me these days however I do miss the outdoor life in a trailer caravan or a tent.. (Phil - UK)..
Tents suck lol. I used to camp in them but graduated to the trailer when we could afford it. I am always cold so I could never fall asleep in a tent.
Great video again. How well does that attachment work on grass? It looks really cool, like it could open up some different situations.
Works awesome on grass!
Always great seeing someone else living their best life in a wheelchair. Yes, it can be quite a pain in the butt, but what choice do we have? You have piqued my intersted on the scooter attachment. I have a SmartDrive, but your attachment looks like it could allow me to cover more terrain.
amzn.to/3WHFgze
@@EmpoweredParaIMHO, a decent price for what you get from it.
@westiepower2020 Yep I think so!
@@EmpoweredPara Enjoy all the good times and the memories you are making with your family!
Another great video. What's the name or brand of your scooter? You have me curious.....
amzn.to/3WHFgze
I wish I would have known about the scooter attachment sooner it would have helped my mom
Did she pass away?
THANK YOU so much for all the stuff you explain…
You pretty much summed it up with , “It’s kind of a pain in the ass” 🤣😖😳
Im still in the having to accept wheels attached to my butt thing..
Some days I’m not so goo with it…
I often notice how different people treat me compared to when I was my normal 5’7” buck fifty, half normal guy.
When I stretch my my body (belly button down) goes into violent tremor mode…
It sometimes even scares me. People were saying… oh my gosh that’s a good sign…
So far nothing but the same and sometimes less.
I got so lucky in the “code brown” department?
I didn’t get lucky on the pee side but a cath wasn’t too bad of an adaptation.
EVERYTHING IS DIFFERENT… people act like my head is gonna fall off if I hit a bump or something… Before this I was always getting hurt on dirt bikes or ATVs, horses, etc.
now… It’s like I’m 5 again… and that needed an ADJUSTMENT
MYSELF & SOME TEQUILA had a plan at the lake last weekend to sort of shut this “fragile Chance” thing down. Ummm, normally I don’t drink.. but I needed a little help on this
because it was mostly the ultimate in STUPID!
We have a cool long dock for when the lake goes down (it’s public water supply lake also)..
I got out my tools, made my little additions at the open end. I tumbled off the dock, moved the boat… My cousin was laughing so hard…
I was trying to get out of the boat and back on the dock and fell between…
Finally he saw my hand and pulled me back up.
He was the only person who knew what I was doing.
I Checked water depth, I pushed Brody off the dock… It was about 8’, perfect!
I only told my cousin so he could help lift me up. I can swim but it’s a struggle
I put on my life vest and my dirt bike helmet it was around time every one started cooking supper.
I went zipping by and heard my mom say, Chance WTF are you doing ?
I was like IF I SCREW THIS UP THEY WILL KILL IF THIS DOESN’T.
I was zinging down the dock. I said, “Brody INCOMING!!!” He was already in the water.
I did a perfect WC BACKFLIP right off the dock and straight off into the lake WC AND ALL!
My family was ripping and hollering and my mom was pissed, but she got over it
So, for the rest of the weekend we launched ourselves off the dock in my WC that now needs new bearings .. lol
But it was worth every second to have at least that amount of freedom back.
Yeah Wheels to the butt life It sort of sux, until u make it not suck so bad
Again thanks for the cool videos you post
You and others have unknowingly given me countless tips and inspiration to not get bitter or relive a horrible situation that wasn’t even my fault…
So many people don’t understand what so many of us have to face every day and how we got here. Im still blessed (and sometimes stupid) BUT IM GONNA LIVE OR EAT A BULLET
That was the message told people who suddenly think a very grown man is a fragile kid again. Yes, I had severe head injuries also but zero damage other than blank spots that only show up when I need to remember something (not helpful in proving I’m not crazy at times).
😖
Wow, not sure I'd have the guts to launch myself off of a dock into the water in my wheelchair lol. I do think we have to prove to our loved ones that we aren't fragile and that they don't have to worry about us. There's always a period where they aren't sure what to do with us after our injury. Thanks for sharing your story! Happy to play a small part in building your confidence as a new person with a disability !
@@EmpoweredPara
not gonna lie, I was scared s****less as I went off!
BUT… instantly it was the COOLEST SENSATION I know of… I just sucked it all in…
I wasn’t gonna drown, my cousin was right there. I wasn’t gonna hurt my head, or sink…
The worst outcome was an obvious idiot… I was like not gonna happen.
I could pull it off as a kid on a bike.
It’s honestly so easy… it looks hard but it’s not.
Basically the only failure is chicken out on momentum
Put the kick, right as you leave the ramp and centrifugal force carries it out AS LONG AS THERE IS ROOM between you and whatever is under you…
Plus I mentioned I snuck off with Jose Quervo (tequila) 😂😂😂
I was watching WCMX videos
Warning they are addictive if you like sports and guys with nuts of steel.. insane what a wheelchair can do!
I was like… 💡 me, dock, small ramp, water, go!
So, that’s where it all became this insane need to not be treated like a ginger bread man… it worked but only after making few people bout have heart failure…
Look great to me, but you've many more things to do than being on the Royal spaniard Marine Infantry in the mornings; we didn't had such a good company and much less that good amount of food. Looks good to me the place and the activities.
I wish I didn't have to do that in the mornings lol.
@@EmpoweredPara Fuck my dislexy, sorry; you do more things in the morning than i used to do in the morning as Royal spaniard Marine Infantry rifleman, but again... the girls do more things than most of the guys; still, looks like a good place, a good group and a nice time.
I came across something called a “Tri-Ride” the other day, which I am assuming is just another brand name for a scooter attachment. I was kinda surprised at how little the caster wheels are raised off the ground. Do you find that you have to keep an eye on your feet when you are riding it?
I'm the process of getting disability it miss camping I can't walk far or sit or lay down with out issue and my travel is like 10 minutes
How much was your wheelchair and can you travel a lot in it without getting tired
Do you have a second wheelchair to use during the scooter ride in the mud?
Nope. I went scootering in the dark once and got so much mud on my tires it took me an hour to clean before I could go to bed. Now I'm careful not to go in mud. Just dry dirt lol!
Which town is this 😊
Is the Bunkie/Bunkhouse all finished now and available to house your guests?
no lol it's still a shed
Any marshmallows for the fire? Yummy!!
We had them but didn't take them out lol
@@EmpoweredPara Saved them for me? Lol
Kid, you're a hero! I'm not paralyzed but I'm not far from it... I watch a lot of camping videos, and I'm thinking about "How I'm gonna do this, or that" or what kind of shotgun to use against mosquitos. !!PULL!! !!BOOM!!..... Oh, sorry Fred...🤨 You are an inspiration!
lol a tiny shotgun is what you need to kill mosquitoes
Actually there is something called the "Bug A Salt" which shoots salt like a shotgun. (It's basically a high speed salt shaker...) but its not tiny... You cock the thing like a shotgun. ("Yer goin' down BUG!!) You can also mount a laser sight on the thing. (Which I highly recommend!.....Adding the sight improved my kill ratio to like around 98%) @@EmpoweredPara
That is one nice big Porta Potty at the back of your trailer! Would love to see the inside of it - is it wheelchair-friendly?
Yep it's an accessible one!
@@EmpoweredPara That’s awesome, I never knew they had that. It’s amazing all the things you know. Next time we have a function, I’ll make sure we rent one like this.
I’m also a wheelchair user, I wonder how long does it take you to poop in the morning? Bc it takes me a long time specially with cleaning
An hour start to finish.
Do you guys have guns out there to protect you from Yetis and bear? (UK perspective ;)
We have pellet rifles lol. Haven't seen anything other than deer and moose. I'll watch for a yeti lol!
I would rather not bugs just aint my thing.
Not sure anyone likes bugs lol! Camping isn't for everyone!
You sweet girl. Some day I will tell you of my traumatic event which does not count as I did not realize it at the time.
I'm all ears!
@@EmpoweredPara I was ten years old and wanted to see how far I could swim underwater.
It was in a river in Wisconsin.
I swam till my lungs felt like bursting and when I popped up that first breath I gulped down was the air that surrounded a dead bloated huge sucker fish. I even gulped in a couple blue bottle flys that buzzed around the 30 inch long yellow stinking mess.
I was in water over my head to boot. I went from gagging to desperately trying to gulp down air when suddenly I remembered my swim training when the instructor said if involved in a panic situation to just float which I did until I caught my breath and was able to swim back to shore. My brother and friends thought it was funny
As hell. I just said F you guys and went back to swimming never giving it another thought.
That is till the next time my mom served fish for supper. I didn’t even think of it then until I got the first bite in my mouth. It was like a breaker tripped in my head and I threw up. I used to love sea food of all kinds but after that I never could eat any fish ever again.
I guess even though I didn’t realize how close I was to dying my brain did. The same river almost killed by two more times as a adult. Once when I was riding a young horse just growing into his big body when he stumbled and we tumbled down the 30’ very steep river bank! As he rolled over me as we slid down by a miracle I slid into a depression in the side of the bank and was saved from being crushed by a 1500 lb Friesian sport horse.
Lastly about ten years ago my kid wanted to go play on the ice. We were cutting firewood and I said sure but let me check it out first. I walked out just a couple feet past our dock and ploosh down I went into deep water. The current was very fast and immediately started taking me down stream.
But I never panicked and went into survival mode. I oriented myself and located the hole I went through. There was just enough light left that I was able to see it and swim towards it. By the time I reached the hole I could stand but just barely. I pulled myself up by grabbing the dock and got on to shore. In my head I was only under two seconds but my 8 year old son said it was over 15 and he was starting to panic. This was in late February and the temp was dropping fast and we had over a mile to drive by ATV to get to my truck. Needless to say I’m very paranoid now about going out on ice. I figure I’m on at least life number 8!
You are a beautiful Lady :)
Thanks Lanny!
You look so much better with reddish brown hair...why did you think you needed to dye it blonde? By the way, always wipe your face up...gravity will not be your friend when older. Glad you and everyone else had a nice time. You make it look easy rolling in the grass.
I didn't dye it. It's the same color it's always been lol
@@EmpoweredPara no, I mean when you were a blonde. You mean that was natural? Wow...man would kill for that...you have good genes.
@morgancalvi6675 oh lol. I had naturally blonde hair my whole life and was just getting it highlighted on a regular basis. I had no idea my hair had turned brown until I asked my hair dresser to just keep it the natural color and then he dyed it brown lol. He told me that was my roots were brown lol. I had no idea! But I do think I look better with dark hair!
My cousins also play your washoes game
Cool!
Con dinero cualquiera
I usually sit on the toilet for up to one hour so the standard seat is a big NO because of its hardness and actually no room to get my hand to the anus 😂. Only right hand access works for me.
Yeah it is a little tight getting my hand in there with the small seat.
1st
I can’t tell if she’s a brunette white Woman or a blonde white woman either way she’s a white woman . Were the powerful strong white women!?
Are you talking about me lol? I'm a brunette!
@@EmpoweredPara !! You’re a strong brunette white woman 👩🏻
@williamramirez3087 I guess so lol!
@@EmpoweredPara I swear to god you get some of the strangest comments on here!
@@vickenator yeah sometimes lol
Wouldn't it be much easier if your husband helped you?
No lol. I hate waiting around for help!
Gotcha' You're very independent and self-sufficient. That's great!
Nice to see you enjoying the great outdoors. The smoke in the background while you were at the grocery store looked thick.
The smoke was gross! So thick.
@@EmpoweredPara ya I could see it in the background, we’re the bugs bad, you’d almost think the smoke would keep them away.
@keyup2626 the bugs were awful lol. Smoke didn't help at all haha.
@@EmpoweredPara oh darn, the dang things must have had gas masks on lol. In Alberta is it black flys and mosquitoes at that time of year.
@keyup2626 yeah lol. So many forest fires that they're evolving built in filters lol
Soon you will be able to walk freely and move like everyone else. Cyberprostetics will take care of it in a few years. Just keep up your spririt.