#fluid mobility

the current answer is that i’m Super Homebound lol but i used to be more mobile so i will mostly answer based on that! i’ve used a cane, axillary crutches, Smart Crutches (a brand of forearm crutches), a forearm rollator (the Gemino 30), and a mobility scooter (Pride GoGo Sport 3-wheel) for long periods of time and a standard rollator, manual transfer wheelchair, powerchair, and 4-wheel mobility scooter for shorter periods such as pre-pandemic vacations and conferences.

some stuff will differ depending on your particular pain, symptoms, etc! a big thing is in the past year and a half i’ve developed a lot more hand, wrist, elbow, and arm muscle pain, which makes using any non-motorized aids a very day-to-day or even moment-to-moment decision depending on what hurts. other than that my main AS-specific tip is stretch. stretch a lot. i have an additional sacroiliac cushion on my mobility scooter & take breaks every so often to stand and stretch my back/trunk, and while seated i stretch my neck really frequently.

for your large multifloored building example, i’d currently take my mobility scooter & would’ve taken my forearm rollator before i had that. for these i’m making the assumption that i’m being driven by someone i know or taking public transportation; if i’m taking a lyft/uber i would usually opt for smart crutches or a cane unless i would be walking too much for those at the destination because sometimes the car/trunk won’t fit my forearm rollator or disassembled scooter, and it’s a lot harder for me to lift those on my own now.

around the apartment - usually a cane, recently my smart crutches sometimes as i’ve been having more balance issues

doctor’s office - usually a cane, sometimes smart crutches

around a building (for example, i’ve been dropped off from a car and don’t have to travel between buildings) - forearm rollator

going to a store where i’ll be shopping for a relatively longer time or buying many items, going between multiple buildings, etc - mobility scooter

going to a store just to grab a couple things - forearm rollator

for somewhere with one or two stairs, i’ll take my forearm rollator and lift it or have someone lift it for me; more stairs than that, smart crutches

somewhere involving a line or a lot of standing - forearm rollator or mobility scooter so i can sit

gravel - forearm crutches

grass - anything but the rollator

steep hills - mobility scooter (note that uphill will drain the battery much faster)

"It's so good to see you finally out of that chair!" is not often a great compliment when the person receiving it has a chronic illness and/or fluid mobility; consider the tone used, consider the relief, it implies that it won't be so good to see them when they need their wheelchair the next time you see them. It paints the use of a wheelchair as a moment of failure.

For many people this fluidity of symptoms is permanent, they will need different devices on different days and different moments. 

Many people struggle with their abilities and the use of a wheelchair BECAUSE of the mentality that a wheelchair is a failure or “giving up”, they will push themselves beyond their limits; possibly injure themselves or trigger their symptoms to worsen because of this ableist idea.

Don’t make them feel ashamed or like they disappoint you when they have to use a particular device. 

You could just finish that phrase a little bit earlier “It’s so good to see you!” End.