elevator

Three weeks and 2 days without the ability to go out of my home.  I've missed so many of my favorite Indianapolis events I like around birthday.  I missed a Dr appointment.  

Being stuck has brought on trauma and physical symptoms I haven't experienced in a while.  I'm very unwell mentally and physically.  

I've been fighting hard.  But the elevator is still broken. 

My apartment complex offered me a hotel room after the DMD called about this.  They also lied to them and said they had offered it and a first floor apartment but I never responded.  That is entirely false.  I responded to their offer of the hotel within 2 minutes of them sending it AFTER they got off that call.  

I was considering going to the hotel and originally accepted the offer but then I started thinking about the logistics and then we started packing and there was so much stuff and I felt like I needed more stuff.  I also had to call the fire department when ready to go so I could be completely humiliated and carried down the stairs, which is also dangerous. 

I ended up thinking that this "accommodation" didn't suit what I needed.  It was making things worse.  Like giving someone paralyzed from the neck down a keyboard rather than having someone take notes for them in class.  Or giving a person with accessible needs an ADA room for the deaf rather than for mobility.  Or giving someone who needs a wheelchair because they can't use their legs a cane.  Or giving a blind person an ebook instead of an audio or brail book.  It doesn't make sense to the disability so it's not reasonable.

The thing is that this is what I know and what I believe but I keep hearing that little voice inside me telling me I'm being ridiculous or overreacting or ungrateful or making problems where there doesn't need to be any.  I don't believe that voice but it makes me second guess my choices.  Am I overreacting?  Am I being ridiculous?  Should I be fighting this?  The real me says no,no and absolutely but that voice is screaming the opposite at me. 

This is what I wrote to the apartment complex:

Subject: Request for Repair Date, ADA Unit Move-In Date, or Alternative Accommodation

Dear [Apartment Complex Manager],

I wanted to follow up regarding my current situation and why I’ve chosen to stay in my apartment rather than move to a hotel while waiting for the elevator repair. A temporary move to a hotel would be significantly more stressful and disruptive to my health and well-being for several reasons:

1. The amount of essential items I would need to bring is overwhelming, and even then, I would likely forget something I can’t easily access.

2. My husband will have to travel back to the apartment 2–3 times a day to care for our rabbits, making a 30-minute round trip each time. Our car is unreliable and inefficient on gas, adding another layer of difficulty.

3. My husband and I would have to share a bed, which is problematic due to my night terrors. Additionally, my highly irregular sleep schedule would make it even harder for both of us to get proper rest.

4. I rely on my adjustable bed to prevent coughing fits and POTS attacks—something I won’t have access to in a hotel.

5. A hotel won’t have a bidet, which is a necessary part of my daily routine.

6. I would have to be physically carried down the stairs, which is not only unsafe but also humiliating.

7. Meal prep would be extremely difficult, as I have specific dietary needs and rely on my current setup to prepare food safely and efficiently.

8. Lastly, when I first moved to Indianapolis, I was sick, stranded, and had to stay in this exact hotel brand for months. That experience was traumatic, and staying there again would be incredibly distressing for me.

Because of these factors, I want to clarify that a hotel is not a reasonable accommodation for my situation. Reasonable accommodations should remove barriers, not create new ones, and in this case, moving to a hotel would introduce serious risks and hardships:

Medical Necessities – I require an adjustable bed to manage POTS attacks and prevent coughing fits, which a hotel cannot provide. Additionally, the lack of a bidet would create hygiene difficulties.

Safety Concerns – Being physically carried down the stairs is not a safe or dignified solution. It puts both me and those assisting me at risk.

Separation from Essential Care – My rabbits need daily care, requiring multiple trips between locations and placing additional financial and logistical burdens on us. If I forget essential medical supplies, retrieving them would not be simple.

Impact on Daily Functioning – My sleep schedule and night terrors make sharing a bed unworkable, and meal preparation would be extremely difficult in a hotel setting.

Mental Health & Trauma – Being placed in this specific hotel brand would be emotionally distressing due to past trauma, further worsening my condition.

A reasonable accommodation would be either:

Providing a clear repair date for the elevator.

Moving me to a first-floor ADA 2-bedroom large unit as soon as possible.

Installing a temporary mechanical chair lift or similar modification that would allow me to safely access my apartment while the elevator is out of service.

Would you be open to considering the installation of a mechanical chair or another stair modification to assist with accessibility during this time? This would allow me to remain in my home while ensuring I can safely get up and down the stairs as needed.

I appreciate your time and consideration. Please let me know the available options as soon as possible.

Best,

Alycia Corpiel