Faxerated

I just hate our fax machine—actually, maybe I don’t hate the machine as much as am frustrated by it. I don’t know the fax machine because the machine is located in a place in our office which is pretty much inaccessible to be wedged between the wall and copier making the fax machine nearly impossible for me to get to with out structurally damaging the building as I did this morning. Now, even if I were able to reach the machine the fax resides on a cart raising it higher for me to really use efficiently.

Now I am a guy in a chair with limited hand function but I can still work machines like the fax and copier if I cam see what I am doing. I enjoy being independent too but I am, also smart enough to as for assistance when I need toe except with the fax machines. I have got the “stare of distain” enough times from staff when I have asked them to fax something for me when clearly they think faxing is something I can do “independently.” So, I have learned to keep my mouth shut and just fax. Today, I was jimmying myself into the corner to use the fax when something on my power chair caught the molding on the wall and literally pulled the molding off. Luckily the wood did not splinter as I have done to other molding in my time but still earned me the “dead eye” from Marianne our OA (Office Administrator), you know deep breath, sigh, roll the eyes and catch the piece of wood molding before the molding slides to the floor. She yanks the items to be faxed and then gives me Bone head Fax 010. Yeah I know how to fax I just cannot reach the machine.

“ So ask me to fax when you have to fax”

“ Then you think I am trying to get out of work”

“We;; it better then tearing down he building—why don’t we just move the fax down where YOU can use it?”

“Hey I have tried asking for that before…nothing ever happens.”

“Well, you have not tried with me…”

And this is true. I have not yet had this dance with Marrianne who is relatively new to the office maybe jut a little over a year now. This shows you how often I have to fax stuff. But Marrianne is right—I should push for the solution again, after all we are a disability advocacy office. We should be more accessible then most.

I was faxing our registration form to Propio language services. We will now be getting interpreting support for our Spanish calls. We had a horrible system before, impossible to use and cost us a small fortune. I get about five calls a year from Spanish speaking consumers. I think we will be much better served with this new service. I’ll keep you informed.