Due to my back issues, my doctor went to fill in the forms to declare me disabled. I told her not to bother since I was self-employed and as such did not qualify for the government program and had no private disability insurance.

The main issue for me is I can't sit for any length of time. At first I could only sit for minutes, now I'm up to about 3 hours on a plane without major pain or consequences the following day (unable to walk more than a pain-filled shuffle). I can now drive the six hours to visit my daughter but have to allow for stops to stretch. And on both a plane and in a car I have many aids to help seat me comfortably. Same in a bed.

In our office, I've modified my work environment so I can work standing, lying on the floor or on a kneeling chair. I move constantly from position to position but this isn't an issue since I work from my home.

I use a cane to get out of bed. I need a minimum of 30 minutes of concentrated walking and 20 minutes of floor exercises a day to manage pain free. If I don't get that, I get quite bad and can take up to 20 minutes of concerted effort to get out of bed. That's when I realize I am disabled.

I walk with a limp but don't need a cane to walk anymore. I use walking sticks when walking any distance (i.e. miles) since they help when I stumble (which I do often since the nerves in my foot were affected.)

I'm about to travel to Europe and will take the cane on board because I'm not sure how I'll be after so many hours in a seat. Despite the relaxing of carry-on rules to LHR, I'm dreading this trip greatly because I will be dehydrated (which aggravates my back further.) Not being able to choose when I take painkillers (since liquids are controlled substances now)
is very upsetting. Flight delays change when I need meds to peak and once something is taken, I have to wait hours until I can take something else.

I stand until the door is closed on the plane to reduce the amount of time I have to sit so I do not preboard but put off boarding as long as possible.

I don't look disabled and usually don't feel disabled but my regular life is now a memory (I miss baths and riding a bicycle). It will be interesting to see if international travel will be something I have to give up or not. I have 4 overseas trips planned between now and Christmas so this fall is a major test of my current condition.