Airports....oh boy....

****WARNING: Rant/Thoughts ahead***

So for the last three weeks I've been visiting my friends and family in Washington State for the first time in about 2 years. I really enjoy going to see them and catch up. But what I don't care for is going to the airport and boarding the planes...that's a stressful event for anyone who is flying. But when you're in a wheelchair, have a service dog, and all your carry on items it becomes 10x more stressful then it needs to be.
      First off when you are parking in the DFW parking lot there are no ramps or elevators in the parking garage.....which is a problem for someone who is in a wheelchair....how am I suppose to get down the stairs people!?!?! That's a safety issue {#1}They are two flights of stairs on the second floor of the parking garage. I know that you could park on the parking lot not in the garage, but that's a pretty small lot which means that all the spots are taken, so your only option is to park in the garage. There are no ramps to get up onto the sidewalks that are placed in the garage so you're not walking in the middle of the road...safety issue #2.
     Once and if you manage to get to the building you have to squeeze through the really tight area of space that is the airport. Which I understand, because it's an airport and you're busy..but then there's a problem that you would assume wouldn't exist.: People don't move out of you way. {Insert sigh of frustration here} You need to move. If there is a person carrying a leash, her luggage, and pushing herself in a wheelchair trying and trying to get to baggage check and then to security don't expect them to be the ones that move out of the way. Is that asking too much? Don't think so.

For me I have an added place I need to go to. I have to make sure my service dog, Danika {who rides on the plane with us} is able to go to the bathroom before we leave. Which means that we plan what time we get to the airport and through security based the time Danika can not use the restroom. She can generally not use the restroom for 4-5 hours, which is hard when the plan ride is 4 hours long without delay {from TX to WA}. So when we do hit a delay {which has happened} we can't take her outside....because if we do we have to go through security all over again. How could you solve this problem? Be like airports in LA and Seattle where there is actually a relief station for dogs who ride on the planes. That would be a blessing to every person who has a service dog and needs  to take them to the restroom before a lay over flight or if there is a delay. Instead of making them go down the elevator, all the way across the other end of the airport, through security, and outside....

      For me getting through security isn't too much of a problem, the workers are generally really nice and understanding, but it does take a really long time to take off and put on my shoes, take out my computer and remove my jacket, put them into the container {and get the container through the sea of people}, and then go through the metal detector, and then put everything back on or away. And all of this time, when I've dropped the same thing time after again, it would be nice for someone to offer to help. I know that they don't want to seem to pushy or interfere with me, because they're scared or something, but if I do really seem to be struggling I would LOVE some help (just throwing that out there).
       Once you get through the security and get to the waiting spot it's all good, at least on my part, because the flight attendants really help out with getting you seated and figuring out what you need to do.
***End of rant***    
 All is going fine: until you have to use the restroom..if I couldn't walk I guess you would use the isle chair to get to the restroom, but there isn't any railing or room to move around so you can get your pants back on, at least in my opinion. Which of course you can't do anything about since the plane is tiny. When I do walk I find it really difficult to get to the restroom because I am already unsteady on non moving ground, so when I have turbulence on the plane and are trying to get back to my seat it's hard for me to keep my balance and try to make my legs not give out.
     Once we finally make it to our destination everything is actually pretty easy. The rest of getting situated is really easy, despite heaving the luggage out of the baggage claim {thank God for making Mom and Dads right?}.

Thoughts or opinions, anyone?  I really hope I'm not the only one with these problems because then this rant/explanation would make no sense to anyone else

-Dana