The 37-year-old can not just run to the bathroom like most others can. She has a congenital muscle disease and is in an electric wheelchair. The dobe visits must be planned. She has had to be laid on the floor soiled with urine to get to the bathroom. – I have always wanted to drive up to northern Norway and see nature, she says. She does not think she will realize that dream. Day trips from Elverum can be difficult enough. GOING TO THE TOET AT HOME: Lina Irene Berg always makes sure to go to the bathroom before she leaves home, and tries to stay until she comes home again. Photo: Anne Kari Løberg / news Disability does not work for everyone Although Lina Irene Berg is dependent on assistants around her 24 hours a day, she tries to live a normal life. Nature and animals mean a lot to her. That’s why she wants to get out. – I’m in a wheelchair and I have no job. I hear about others who are on trips. My way of seeing the world is to use a car, she says. LOVE ANIMALS: Lina Irene Berg feels lucky to have horses in the neighborhood that she can visit. Photo: Anne Kari Løberg / news Although several of the petrol stations and roadside inns along the roads have disabled toilets, there is often not enough space or space for her to use them. There are no changing tables where she can be changed, and there is often no room for the floor-mounted lift she depends on to get from the wheelchair to the toilet. She knows that this is difficult for many to say. – It is actually a pretty painful topic to address, she says. The Norwegian Handicap Association confirms that this is a problem for many. – Everyone is going on holiday, but for some it is limited because of this, says Annette Jensen. She is the leader of the Handicapped Children’s Parents’ Association (Hbf). Desperate parents tell her how difficult it is when the children have become too big for the changing table. Do not dare drink on a trip When Lina Irene Berg was on a day trip to Lillestrøm, there was ONE dot trip of ten hours. Even though it was 30 degrees outside, she was afraid to eat or drink. She did not know the next time she could get to the bathroom. MUST BE PLANNED: At home in her own bathroom, Lina Irene Berg has both a changing table and a ceiling lift that is used so that she can go to the bathroom. Photo: Anne Kari Løberg / news Therefore, there are not as many car trips out as she would like. news joins Lina Irene at a randomly selected petrol station in Elverum to find out what her opportunities are for going to the bathroom there. CAR TRIP: Lina Irene Berg would like to get out more to see the world so many people talk about. Photo: Anne Kari Løberg / news The petrol station has just upgraded its disabled toilet. But it is too cramped to get in both the wheelchair and the floor lift that she depends on. The wheelchair is left outside while the floor lift lifts her in. MUST TAKE THE ELEVATOR: The wheelchair must be left outside while Lina Irene takes the lift into the disabled toilet at the petrol station. Photo: Anne Kari Løberg / news The changing table is too small so the floor must be used. The assistants she has with her react to the fact that she has to be laid on the floor. But at least the floor is clean this day. – You can try to lie on the floor yourself, she says while lying down to get help to take off her pants. She feels it is unworthy. DEPENDENT ON ELEVATOR: Lina Irene Berg depends on the elevator to move from the wheelchair to the toilet. Photo: Anne Kari Løberg / news Not aware of the problem Head of communications in Circle K, Knut Hilmar Hansen, was not aware of the problem before news made contact. But he understands well the challenge the 37-year-old has when he gets it explained. The petrol station chain has collaborated with Handikapforbundet in designing the stations to facilitate so that everyone can use them. They have not discussed the issue Lina Irene Berg raises. – We just have to look at this, he says. He promises to address it over the holidays when they look at upgrading gas stations and building new stations. Senior engineer at the Norwegian Public Roads Administration Liv Øvstedal says that they have also not decided whether there should be a roof lift or a larger changing table when designing rest areas. – We must discuss whether it can be operated and maintained over time, says Liv Øvstedal. If it should be relevant, she thinks it must happen in some large picnic areas where there is also other activity. Lina Irene Berg had hoped that at least a few petrol stations or roadside inns had had it in the disabled toilets. Then she could have planned longer trips. NOT EASY: Even though the toilet is new and clean, it is not functional for Lina Irene Berg. Photo: Anne Kari Løberg / news Know it is expensive A roof lift costs almost 100,000 kroner. Therefore, Lina Irene Berg does not expect all disabled toilets along the road to have it. – They quickly earn it back if I can buy food and drink on the road, she laughs. EASY TO ENTER: The petrol station is arranged for Lina Irene Berg to get in easily. This is where the problems start. Photo: Anne Kari Løberg / news Annette Jensen in the Norwegian Handicap Association says they want it in the legislation. – We are often met with the number involved and the costs associated with it, she says. She encourages everyone to do as Lina Irene Berg. That they say no. Because then more people can realize the dream that Lina Irene has about a trip to Northern Norway or another place they want to travel to.
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Lina does not get to the toilet along the road, has to stop eating and drinking – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
