Got my RADAR key today

[Little Belle]

So this feels huge guys - my RADAR key came today which means that I can now unlock disabled toilets all over the UK. At last I don't need to panic about being able to get into a loo to change.

Anxiety about frequent/urgent toilet visits has been something I've lived with for years and although going 24/7 has helped a lot in that respect, needing somewhere to comfortably change my nappy can be just as worrying as feeling like you're going to wet/shit your pants because you need the toilet!

It's also going to be a bit of a social lock in for me as it has helped me to really accept that I am IC and I do need accommodations now. Plus whoever I'm out with - friend or family - will also know that this is my life now.

 

[~Brian~]

@Little Belle

congratulations! I've never heard of a radar key, But I went and looked it up using wiki this afternoon. I assume that this key will allow you access to every single handicap accessible toilet in the United Kingdom regardless of where you are. When I saw one of them look like this is what I saw:

I think it's pretty cool that they would Make it so everybody that needed access to hand Access to handicap accessible toilets would be able to be given such a key period in the United States, it's just a hit or miss thing, and there's no key per se that you can get So that you can access them all. 90% of the time when I go into a bathroom, people are foolish and they just leave a freaking mess! there's one thing I can't stand about a toilet it's the fact that somebody is made a mess out of it, or left A mess in it! through the COVID-19 pandemic however, most of the people that have been cleaning their own toilets, have been using their own toilets so there's no real problem with that.

In the United States they have what they call family restrooms: this means that any mother or father or family member can go into a family To help a young child. I think that even in some cases or most cases, there is changing facilities to change little kids, and the reason that you have a family restroom is because it allows you a few extra amenities such as larger space and the ability to have maybe a changing table or a few extra amenities.

Glad you were able to get such a key! let's hope that when you go into one of these places they're kept in clean condition! that's the one thing about United States bathrooms: unless you go into a medical facility or a hospital, you end up With the luck of the draw, whether your bathroom is clean or not. the safest place that I've ever been able to go to be able to be assured of a clean bathroom is the hospital, but even in that case you're still taking a risk but it's a low risk compared to some of the other places that I've been which are totally disgusting!

Brian

 

 

Edited November 24, 2022 by ~Brian~
remove duplication in post

[carsfan]

Congrats @Little BelleI imagine its further weight off your shoulders along your journey to nappyhood. From what I understand, it sounds like a wonderful and invaluable resource for those who need it. Go NHS!    

[~Brian~]

1 minute ago, carsfan said:

Congrats @Little BelleI imagine its further weight off your shoulders along your journey to nappyhood. From what I understand it sounds like wonderful and invaluable resource for those who need it. Go NHS!    

@carsfan@Little Belle

it sounds to me like the NHS is is right on top of it! from what I understand and I've been watching videos of people in australia for example, the NHS provides information and support to people who need Specialized care period this includes people that are disabled and that are in need of incontinence supplies, and they get the supplies from the NHS at either free or reduced rate, based on their needs. I understand that a continence nurse is always available to help you through The process and is available to help you should your situation get worse or something changes.

I must say that I am impressed! in the United States we have Medicare and Medicaid, and we have differing insurance companies with a whole bunch of different Engine Whatnot. I am pretty lucky that where I am, I am well covered for what I need. all I need to do or all I needed to do was be able to prove medical necessity and have the doctor write the necessary prescriptions period now that I have those particular diagnosis and prescriptions, I don't need to worry about them anymore. I have them forever now so I don't have to worry.

The good thing is that the health care system takes care of their people over there. i'm not sure exactly how it works in the United Kingdom or in Australia, but I've heard good things about it. the most important thing is that you take care of those that are in need, and that does not necessarily mean that they get they get Subpower equipment or subpar product. I am glad that there are people that also help out those that are in need, because parents of disabled individuals Have challenges also, and they have to make sure that they are getting the necessary stuff that they need, in the right quantity, at the right quality so that they can help their children succeed. one of the biggest problems that I see is that insurance companies want to see if they can get away with giving you the roduct for the least amount of money. this means that quality Takes a back seat to quantity and that is a bad thing. If you had one diaper that was halfway decent and did what it needed to do, you wouldn't need to tell somebody to put on five to get the same Mileage out of it. i've never understood why insurance companies want you to have three times the quantity at 10%, Quality.

People will tell me that the reason is because they can set rules that require you to change somebody every two hours, which really responsibility of the medical providers because they are only required to give you a product that only lasts 2 hours at the maximum. In my opinion the way they think is flawed. if somebody needed a $10,000 hose for one of their machines to be able to live, the insurance company would be able to figure out a way to give you a $0.10 hose! Part of the problem is insurance companies want to spend as little as possible, and that can be a problem period I can understand that you don't want to be covering somebody that needs a lot of care and needs to spend a lot of money, but for those that need that type of coverage, Money should not be an object, their life and their happiness and their ability to live their best life should be the most important piece.

I am also glad that my Medicare and my Medicaid work together to make sure I can get what I need! the only thing is that for what Medicare won't cover medicaid picks up: so if you do the math, 80% of what you need is covered by Medicare and what is not covered by Medicare, 20% that is is covered by Medicaid. in the case of my wheelchairs for example, Medicare covers 80 and Medicaid covers 20, but it is kind of reversed. in that case, medicaid covers 100% and then bills Medicare the 80. that way they pay a total of 100% between them. i'm kinda glad I have the insurance I have, but let's hope that our insurance rates do not go skyrocketing through the roof and that we lose coverage because people don't know how to take care of those they ensure.

Brian

[Little Belle]

6 hours ago, ~Brian~ said:

@Little Belle

congratulations! I've never heard of a radar key, But I went and looked it up using wiki this afternoon. I assume that this key will allow you access to every single handicap accessible toilet in the United Kingdom regardless of where you are. When I saw one of them look like this is what I saw:

I think it's pretty cool that they would Make it so everybody that needed access to hand Access to handicap accessible toilets would be able to be given such a key period in the United States, it's just a hit or miss thing, and there's no key per se that you can get So that you can access them all. 90% of the time when I go into a bathroom, people are foolish and they just leave a freaking mess! there's one thing I can't stand about a toilet it's the fact that somebody is made a mess out of it, or left A mess in it! through the COVID-19 pandemic however, most of the people that have been cleaning their own toilets, have been using their own toilets so there's no real problem with that.

In the United States they have what they call family restrooms: this means that any mother or father or family member can go into a family To help a young child. I think that even in some cases or most cases, there is changing facilities to change little kids, and the reason that you have a family restroom is because it allows you a few extra amenities such as larger space and the ability to have maybe a changing table or a few extra amenities.

Glad you were able to get such a key! let's hope that when you go into one of these places they're kept in clean condition! that's the one thing about United States bathrooms: unless you go into a medical facility or a hospital, you end up With the luck of the draw, whether your bathroom is clean or not. the safest place that I've ever been able to go to be able to be assured of a clean bathroom is the hospital, but even in that case you're still taking a risk but it's a low risk compared to some of the other places that I've been which are totally disgusting!

Brian

 

 

Hi @~Brian~ I will let you know about the cleanliness as I've not been in one yet! I would imagine they'd be pretty clean if only people with a key are accessing them.

Cleanliness of loos is a big issue in the UK too. And yesterday I found someone smoking weed in the disabled stall of a public toilet near where I work!

6 hours ago, carsfan said:

Congrats @Little BelleI imagine its further weight off your shoulders along your journey to nappyhood. From what I understand, it sounds like a wonderful and invaluable resource for those who need it. Go NHS!    

Thank you. The NHS is amazing even if it is on it's knees right now. To be fair, I'm not sure how much this is an NHS thing - in UK law, places have to offer disabled loo facilities and there are government grants they can access to install them. The RADAR key is available for free if you have a medical condition so presumably that is where the NHS steps in but as I'm working I decided to pay for mine and it was still only £5. Excellent value I think ?

[Stroller]

Good idea to get one, Belle.  I've had mine for 3 or 4 years, and it's on the keyring with my car keys.  Actually I've never had to use it, as many disabled public toilets are open anyway, but it makes me feel safer to have it with me.

[cathdiap]

12 hours ago, Little Belle said:

It's also going to be a bit of a social lock in for me as it has helped me to really accept that I am IC and I do need accommodations now. Plus whoever I'm out with - friend or family - will also know that this is my life now.

Anything that serves that very special feature of your body is wonderful. Mentally, physically and socially. Congratulations!

The best public affirmation of my incontinence was embodied in my personal Diaper waste bin at the office.

[rusty pins]

Now if the USA had something like that in order to be able to use handicap parking spaces, I would love it!  It really pisses me off when I'm trying to park and some idiot with no handicap placard or plate is parked in the handicap space. 

Generally when I'm out of town running errands or Christmas shopping and I need to change diapers, I find one of those Family restrooms (Walmart) or a one at a time restroom with an outer door lock that you see in places like CVS, Gordon's Food, Harbor Freight, places like that.  That used to happen for many years before I started to just wear premium diapers when out shopping.  Now with a Betterdry I can make it pretty much the whole shopping trip without needing a diaper change.  If I wore 24/7 and lived in the UK, I'd get one of those keys for sure!

[babykeiff]

On 11/24/2022 at 6:55 AM, Little Belle said:

Hi @~Brian~ I will let you know about the cleanliness as I've not been in one yet! I would imagine they'd be pretty clean if only people with a key are accessing them.

Cleanliness of loos is a big issue in the UK too. And yesterday I found someone smoking weed in the disabled stall of a public toilet near where I work!

Thank you. The NHS is amazing even if it is on it's knees right now. To be fair, I'm not sure how much this is an NHS thing - in UK law, places have to offer disabled loo facilities and there are government grants they can access to install them. The RADAR key is available for free if you have a medical condition so presumably that is where the NHS steps in but as I'm working I decided to pay for mine and it was still only £5. Excellent value I think ?

@Little Belle keep an eye out as I have found, both in the UK and Ireland, that some locked disabled toilets tend to be used as storage. It really depends on where the disabled toilet is - and how reputable the company is. I have a similar key, plus a 'wheelie badge' which allows me to park in disabled / wheelchair specific parking bays (although I tend not to as not to draw attention to myself). While out, unless it is absolutely nessessary, I avoid changing my nappies / diapers but prefer to do it in the privacy and comfort of my own home.

The N.H.S. are amazing when compared to the H.S.E. here. You should also find advocate groups in the UK for both incontinence and specific medical diagnosis - and your contact in the N.H.S. shoulc be able to give you that list. 

In relation to the bin you were talking about, did you get that resolved in a way that doesn't identify you as a nappy user.

For me, since I use the Tena Maxi Ultima, they very rarely get totally soaked - there is either the front or the middle that gets soaked. What I do with a wet one is tear it so that the wet padding can be shaken out into a normal bin and the dry part stays in the nappy. The dry bit, blus the rest of the nappy I put into a fire (Stanley range) and burn it. The wet bit I put in with the fire ashes which ends up in landfill. It is only the messy nappies that I have to seal and put in the bin which are not that heavy as compared to a wet nappy.

Consider this - most countries incinerate (burn) used nappies so there is no added carbon footprint in burning your own. Actually, there is less of a carbon footprint due to the fact that one is not paying TAXI fares for ones rubbish to an incinerator plant!

[Little Belle]

19 hours ago, babykeiff said:

@Little Belle keep an eye out as I have found, both in the UK and Ireland, that some locked disabled toilets tend to be used as storage. It really depends on where the disabled toilet is - and how reputable the company is. I have a similar key, plus a 'wheelie badge' which allows me to park in disabled / wheelchair specific parking bays (although I tend not to as not to draw attention to myself). While out, unless it is absolutely nessessary, I avoid changing my nappies / diapers but prefer to do it in the privacy and comfort of my own home.

The N.H.S. are amazing when compared to the H.S.E. here. You should also find advocate groups in the UK for both incontinence and specific medical diagnosis - and your contact in the N.H.S. shoulc be able to give you that list. 

In relation to the bin you were talking about, did you get that resolved in a way that doesn't identify you as a nappy user.

For me, since I use the Tena Maxi Ultima, they very rarely get totally soaked - there is either the front or the middle that gets soaked. What I do with a wet one is tear it so that the wet padding can be shaken out into a normal bin and the dry part stays in the nappy. The dry bit, blus the rest of the nappy I put into a fire (Stanley range) and burn it. The wet bit I put in with the fire ashes which ends up in landfill. It is only the messy nappies that I have to seal and put in the bin which are not that heavy as compared to a wet nappy.

Consider this - most countries incinerate (burn) used nappies so there is no added carbon footprint in burning your own. Actually, there is less of a carbon footprint due to the fact that one is not paying TAXI fares for ones rubbish to an incinerator plant!

Thank you @babykeiff I haven't used my key yet as I've not been anywhere I have needed to. I shall be very cross if I get in one and it's a storage cupboard though! 

The NHS are amazing and I've been signed onto the Continence service at my local hospital for about 5 years now. They've not actually 'done' anything to help me but it's always useful to talk things over with them. I haven't been to see them since I went fully 24/7 but I am due to go in the new year so it'll be interesting to see if they 'nappy shame' me(!) as they probably won't expect me to be so accepting of my loss of continence and they always discourage using nappies unless all other solutions have been explored. In previous visits they've wanted me to try steroids, LOTS of pelvic floor exercises etc but I long ago decided I was just going to accept my fate regarding total IC incontinence. 

As for the bin: my situation is unresolved. I am still secreting nappies into public bins wherever I can in order to keep the weight of my bin at home down which makes me feel a bit deviant but that's all I can do. Your system sounds amazing but it's not an option to me as I live on a fairly new housing estate where its all gas cental heating and outdoor fires are forbidden. Even if they weren't, I'm not sure a ritual burning of my soiled nappies is something I could ever see myself doing ?

[~Brian~]

@Little Belle

If they had a toilet that was a disabled toilet, and for some reason in the United States, they needed a key to open it, I would assume, even though it might not be always true, that they don't wanna put things into a storage Situation in a public disabled toilet. it's bad enough that people need the ability to use these toilets, because of their disability. one of the things that I noticed is that Disabled toilets are very large. Now I understand why. if you're using a power chair such as a quantum, these things are great big huge, and they are not something that you're going to be able to slide into a public toilet without having to worry about the door. You need to be able to have the room to be able to pull a power chair directly in front of the toilet, and sometimes you need the space to be able to do that. you also may have a caregiver that helps you in and out of your assisted device such as a wheelchair or a Walker, or something like that. if you have a caregiver, and the person has to help you, they might have to push you in, they might have to lift you off Your wheelchair seat and put you on the toilet, and then help you. larger toilets help you to do that. however if you have a disabled toilet, I would hope to heck that you would be able to use it, because you don't want Jack the janitor to be putting all of his cleaning supplies in the toilet. imagine if @Little Belle really had to go to the bathroom and, and she had to go NNNNNN OOOOOO WWWWW!  If she uses her radar key come it's up the disabled toilet and can't even get in there, she is going to wet herself automatically, or maybe even mess! this would make her life a lot harder because now not only does she have to use the facility, she has to change within the facility and may not be able to do so effectively. she may have to go home wet or messy and then have to change herself! it is important that these toilets remain free, but they may not be, so I hope that she doesn't have to run into that problem!

In the United States, we don't have any locked disabled toilets where you get a key from somewhere so that you can access it. I also don't want to see in the United States, a dirty toilet where somebody has to use it, but it is not fit for someone to use. it is bad enough that someone has to use the bathroom and they have to do a number one or #2. it is quite another thing if somebody does it, and they clean it up, but the most The most ridiculous and disgusting thing if somebody decides to use the bathroom and they leave a mess, they flood the toilet or they put a whole bunch of stuff in it so you can't flush it. If people do that, it's a wonder that bathrooms are even sanitary. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, way back in the beginning no one was able to go very far, so bathrooms were locked so people wouldn't use them. I have a rule that says that I'm not gonna use the bathroom that's really dirty or smells. I have a weak stomach so I can't deal with this and it's not very fun to do it when you really need to go.

I hope that what happens is when she decides that she needs to use the loo, The loo Is not going to be inaccessible to her, extremely dirty, and it actually does not smell bad. That is one thing that is distracting. hopefully if you lock these bathrooms and have to use a key, someone is going in there and cleaning them. I wouldn't want anyone especially friends of mine, to get extremely sick because of somebody being and disgusting because they don't at least make an attempt to clean up their mess so that somebody else doesn't have to walk in and use the bathroom and lose their lunch as well.

Good luck!

Brian

[Little Belle]

31 minutes ago, ~Brian~ said:

@Little Belle

If they had a toilet that was a disabled toilet, and for some reason in the United States, they needed a key to open it, I would assume, even though it might not be always true, that they don't wanna put things into a storage Situation in a public disabled toilet. it's bad enough that people need the ability to use these toilets, because of their disability. one of the things that I noticed is that Disabled toilets are very large. Now I understand why. if you're using a power chair such as a quantum, these things are great big huge, and they are not something that you're going to be able to slide into a public toilet without having to worry about the door. You need to be able to have the room to be able to pull a power chair directly in front of the toilet, and sometimes you need the space to be able to do that. you also may have a caregiver that helps you in and out of your assisted device such as a wheelchair or a Walker, or something like that. if you have a caregiver, and the person has to help you, they might have to push you in, they might have to lift you off Your wheelchair seat and put you on the toilet, and then help you. larger toilets help you to do that. however if you have a disabled toilet, I would hope to heck that you would be able to use it, because you don't want Jack the janitor to be putting all of his cleaning supplies in the toilet. imagine if @Little Belle really had to go to the bathroom and, and she had to go NNNNNN OOOOOO WWWWW!  If she uses her radar key come it's up the disabled toilet and can't even get in there, she is going to wet herself automatically, or maybe even mess! this would make her life a lot harder because now not only does she have to use the facility, she has to change within the facility and may not be able to do so effectively. she may have to go home wet or messy and then have to change herself! it is important that these toilets remain free, but they may not be, so I hope that she doesn't have to run into that problem!

In the United States, we don't have any locked disabled toilets where you get a key from somewhere so that you can access it. I also don't want to see in the United States, a dirty toilet where somebody has to use it, but it is not fit for someone to use. it is bad enough that someone has to use the bathroom and they have to do a number one or #2. it is quite another thing if somebody does it, and they clean it up, but the most The most ridiculous and disgusting thing if somebody decides to use the bathroom and they leave a mess, they flood the toilet or they put a whole bunch of stuff in it so you can't flush it. If people do that, it's a wonder that bathrooms are even sanitary. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, way back in the beginning no one was able to go very far, so bathrooms were locked so people wouldn't use them. I have a rule that says that I'm not gonna use the bathroom that's really dirty or smells. I have a weak stomach so I can't deal with this and it's not very fun to do it when you really need to go.

I hope that what happens is when she decides that she needs to use the loo, The loo Is not going to be inaccessible to her, extremely dirty, and it actually does not smell bad. That is one thing that is distracting. hopefully if you lock these bathrooms and have to use a key, someone is going in there and cleaning them. I wouldn't want anyone especially friends of mine, to get extremely sick because of somebody being and disgusting because they don't at least make an attempt to clean up their mess so that somebody else doesn't have to walk in and use the bathroom and lose their lunch as well.

Good luck!

Brian

Thank you @~Brian~ I tend to be a glass half full type of person so I will assume that my key will always open up into large, clean and well appointed rooms which will be a pleasure to use ? 

I will let you know how I get on ?

[PlstkBakdnghtnday]

We need those keys in the US. I can't tell you how many times I had to toss a bum that was smoking rocks, or sleeping in a handicapped stall when working security at whataburger 

One of them smelled like he was sleeping in shit

[stevewet]

On 11/30/2022 at 5:59 PM, Little Belle said:

Thank you @babykeiff I haven't used my key yet as I've not been anywhere I have needed to. I shall be very cross if I get in one and it's a storage cupboard though! 

The NHS are amazing and I've been signed onto the Continence service at my local hospital for about 5 years now. They've not actually 'done' anything to help me but it's always useful to talk things over with them. I haven't been to see them since I went fully 24/7 but I am due to go in the new year so it'll be interesting to see if they 'nappy shame' me(!) as they probably won't expect me to be so accepting of my loss of continence and they always discourage using nappies unless all other solutions have been explored. In previous visits they've wanted me to try steroids, LOTS of pelvic floor exercises etc but I long ago decided I was just going to accept my fate regarding total IC incontinence. 

As for the bin: my situation is unresolved. I am still secreting nappies into public bins wherever I can in order to keep the weight of my bin at home down which makes me feel a bit deviant but that's all I can do. Your system sounds amazing but it's not an option to me as I live on a fairly new housing estate where its all gas cental heating and outdoor fires are forbidden. Even if they weren't, I'm not sure a ritual burning of my soiled nappies is something I could ever see myself doing ?

I think the NHS continence nurses are brilliant. They have never made me feel any shame in wearing nappies. They suggested I applied for a radar key.