ADAPTATION

August 18, 2026September 1, 2026 | Jen

**Photograph of a Butterfly** by Albrecht Fietz from **Pixabay**

Adaptation is the process of changing to suit different conditions.

Now, as a species, adaptation is an intricate part of our evolution. In the short term, however, most adaptation is simply changing the way we do things.

And despite the naysayers, change isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

When I became a woman with disabilities, I was scared. It took time, but I eventually embraced my disabilities and started making changes. I adapted.

I started investing in adaptive equipment and clothing, helpful gadgets, and home modifications. When it came to food and meals, I had my groceries delivered and found useful cooking shortcuts to make cooking easier. I also found value in downsizing and digitization, which helped with emergency preparedness.

Best change I made was upgrading to a front-loading washer and dryer. They were a godsend.

Using these changes (aka. solutions), I managed a home (including three large dogs), prepared meals, did the laundry and dishes, and paid the bills. Eventually, I hired a caregiver to help me with the tasks I couldn’t handle on my own. No shame there. Everyone needs help at some point.

I was working when I became a woman with disabilities. And not only did my adapting help me continue working, I successfully worked with disabilities for over 12 years.

Adapting has helped me have a life that works. I’m grateful I did it.

I hope the information I’ve shared here is helpful.

-Jen, aka. Power Chair Dorothy

Not in Kansas Anymore (www.notinksanymore.com) is a site/blog authored and managed by Jen, aka. Power Chair Dorothy (pwrchr-dorothy). This site/blog is intended to provide educational and research information, and to share the author’s experiences.

The author of this site/blog is not a medical physician and this site/blog does not provide medical advice. This site/blog contains information that should not be used in place of a visit, call, consultation or the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider. If you choose to apply or implement any information posted at this site/blog, you do so at your own risk.

STELLAR TRANSPORT

December 1, 2025August 18, 2026 | Jen

**Image** by **Clker-Free-Vector-Images** from **Pixabay**

Stellar Transport is a non-emergency medical transportation service based in Melbourne, Florida. I had the opportunity to use Stellar Transport on November 19, 2025, and the experience prompted me to write this review. Note: I don’t do paid endorsements.

A paraplegic and power chair user since 2011, I am a seasoned passenger when it comes to wheelchair-accessible transportation (ie. vans, buses, subways, and trains). Basically, this was not my first rodeo.

The trip was from home to a doctor’s appointment.

Mileage (Roundtrip): 13.06 miles
Cost: $127.44

The driver arrived on time in a wheelchair-accessible van, equipped with a ramp at the rear. The driver was courteous and professional, though he did not offer his name. I had to ask him for it. The inside of the van was cluttered with gear and equipment, including a loose oxygen tank lying on the floor. The driver had to remove a transport chair to create room for me and after I rolled into the van, he crammed the transport chair behind me. I was so distracted by the clutter wedged around me, and thoughts of my pending appointment, that I failed to notice that the driver had not properly anchored my power chair.

He asked if i was seat belted into my chair. I said I was. He then closed the back door and got into the driver’s seat. After pulling up the address of my appointment on this tablet, the driver headed out. Halfway to our destination, the driver suddenly slammed on the gas and made a hard right. The force was great enough to actually tip my 350 lb. power chair to the left and I was slammed hard into it’s armrest. I cried out as pain enveloped my left knee and hip. The driver quicky pulled to a stop by the side of the road and looked back at me. The chair had already tilted back, righting itself, and I was gasping in pain.

I cried out that I was stuck. I had been thrown over the armrest, unable to right myself. The driver got out and opened the left side door to help me straighten up. Once sitting properly in my chair again, the pain in my hip and knee started to subside. The loose oxygen tank on the floor, however, was now wedged under my chair’s right foot plate. The driver kept asking what happened and I told him that my chair had tilted over. He looked at me like he didn’t believe me. Never once did he apologize. The driver then directed me out of the van, so he could properly anchor the chair. We then continued on to my appointment.

Our arrival at the office plaza was uneventful and after escorting me to the doctor’s office, the driver left. As I sat in the waiting room, I checked myself for injuries. I couldn’t find any. After my appointment, I called Stellar to tell them I was ready for my return trip. Another driver arrived promptly with a much larger van. He was also courteous and professional, and also didn’t offer his name. I still asked for it. The vehicle had a lift. The driver had no problem operating the lift and getting me in the vehicle. Unfortunately, this vehicle too was cluttered with random equipment. Stuff was everywhere. I barely had room to turn.

At least three loose oxygen tanks were lying on the floor. Any one of the loose pieces of equipment in that van could become a deadly projectile in an accident. This type of clutter is not safe. The driver properly anchored my chair, put a shoulder strap seat belt on me, and then we headed out. The drive home was uneventful and so was disembarking, as it should be. After returning home, I called Stellar to lodge a complaint. I received an apology, a full refund, and was assured their drivers would undergo additional safety training. I may be a rough-and-tumble Jersey Girl, but this accident really shook me. I was not happy.

Since then, I’ve had two more roundtrip rides. The vans are no longer cluttered, my chair was properly anchored, and the drivers were still pleasant. Unfortunately, there was one little snafu. While waiting for one of the return rides, I was ‘forgotten’ and left waiting an hour and a half to be picked up. Management was appropriately apologetic and reimbursed me for the return ride.

CURRENT STATUS

I’ve had several subsequent rides with Stellar and they’ve all been great. Nobody’s perfect and Stellar has proven that when things go sideways (quite literally in my case) that they will step up and do the right thing. I’ve also learned to be more mindful when I’m being loaded into a vehicle. I’m giving them four stars.

I’d bump it up to five stars, if they lower their prices

I hope the information I’ve shared here is helpful.

-Jen, aka. Power Chair Dorothy

More Reviews Here.

THE SOUP SOLUTION

September 29, 2025August 18, 2026 | Jen

**Photograph of a Bowl of Soup** by **Mich Wich** from **Pixabay**

I love a warm, comforting bowl of soup. Unfortunately, most canned and boxed soups contain ingredients that don’t exactly agree with me (ie. food sensitivities). The same with soups from most restaurants. The obvious solution, of course, is to simply make my own soup. Being a woman who knows how to cook, making my own soup should be easy, but as a woman with disabilities, my ability to physically cook is limited. Therefore, to create my own soup at home, I had to problem solve.

After much trial and error, I finally found success working at a smaller scale and relying on helpful cooking shortcuts, like my broth mixes. I discovered that 4-cup, handled bowls work best for me. They are easier to manage, physically, than a large soup pot and can be easily put in the microwave. To eliminate the need for the cleaning and cutting of fresh ingredients, I experimented with dried, powdered, frozen, and even canned/jarred ingredients. By the end, I managed to develop several tasty soup recipes.

I also love Thai Curries and have managed to create single serving versions of them as well. Even though Thai curries are technically not soups, I tend to treat them like soups and therefore have grouped them in with my soups.

SINGLE SERVING SOUPS

THAI CURRIES

These soups also contain anti-inflammatory foods. Those anti-inflammatory foods being Artichoke Hearts, Avocados, Black Beans, Carrots, Green Peas, Peanuts, Pumpkin, and Tomatoes. With the exception of the Thai curries, these soups also contain broth mixes, which are also loaded with anti-inflammatory ingredients.

As a woman with Multiple Sclerosis (MS),I use these soups to help manage my MS. When I discovered that inflammation can cause MS relapses, with relapses being the worsening of current or creation of new MS symptoms, I incorporated these soups into my beneficial diet to help manage inflammation. And managing inflammation helps manage my MS.

I hope the information I’ve shared here is helpful.

-Jen, aka. Power Chair Dorothy

THE BROTH MIX FIX

December 14, 2024August 18, 2026 | Jen

**Photograph of Broths and Ingredients** by **Bluebird Provisions** from **Pixabay**

I had an epiphany one day as I was preparing a bowl of ramen. I looked at the little seasoning packet and thought, “What if I made a broth mix, loaded with anti-inflammatory ingredients, that could help me combat inflammation?

You see, as a woman with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), I discovered that inflammation can cause MS relapses, with relapses being the worsening of current or creation of new MS symptoms. Therefore, I incorporated anti-inflammatory foods into my beneficial diet to help manage inflammation. And managing inflammation helps manage my MS.

While I found success in managing inflammation by filling my diet with anti-inflammatory foods, I also had some extra obstacles to deal with. Being a woman with disabilities, I have physical limitations that make cooking difficult. So, I needed to find cooking shortcuts to help putting together an anti-inflammatory meal easier. And that’s when I realized that an anti-inflammatory broth mix would fit the bill. Shelf-stable, a dry ingredient broth mix is easier to make and easier to physically handle than a liquid broth. I can also control the quality and strength of the ingredients I put in the broth mix, while avoiding unhealthy chemicals and fillers.

It took quite a bit of experimenting and testing, but I did it. I created, not just one, but seven very tasty broth mixes containing some of my favorite anti-inflammatory foods. It wasn’t long before I realized that these broth mixes could be used to make more than just broth. They can be used to make soups, sauces, dips, and salad dressings, as well as, used to season rice, vegetables, and proteins like fish, shrimp, chicken, and pork. These broth mixes can even be made vegan.

BROTH MIXES