What’s It Like Being in a Wheelchair?

I have a lot of fun with my wheelchair. I always get the best seat in the house. When I take my family to an amusement park, we always get shoved to the front of the line. I’ve seen the back halls of some of the best rides. My granddaughter liked it. She came to visit and we went to Disneyland. She got to go to the head of the lines through the back halls with me. She went on a ride I couldn’t. When she got off, she told me she wished I’d been there so she wouldn’t have had to wait in line.

Some of the bad things about being in a wheelchair include being short and not being able to visit my friends in their homes. The worst part is when you go to visit a friend you must find someone to knock on their door. They have to come out and sit on the step. Sometimes we just meet at a restaurant and that’s a lot of fun.

About being short, I tell people that I’m not disabled just short. This means that my reach, and my line of vision are both severely limited. This runs the gamut from mildly irritating to hugely embarrassing. Mildly irritating is not being able to reach the merchandise, and since most of the stores now offer assistance service, this problem is pretty much nonexistent.

As far as my range of vision, goes, the most embarrassing is in an elevator. I enter an elevator, People are kind of to move so that I can get in. Right in front of me stands a man with his fly open, 8 inches from my nose and I can’t move. I’m trying my hardest not to look at the open fly. I pretend I’m trying to look behind me and up to see what floor we are on. I try everything to keep from looking at his fly. But that’s not so easy when it’s just inches from your nose.

It’s never easy being in a wheelchair. But it’s not so hard, either. I have a husband who loves me. He loves me enough to let me do things. We go out for burgers, and he lets me order and bring the tray of food to the table. He takes care of the drinks because I’m short. I’m sure many people wonder why he makes me serve him. After all, I’m in a wheelchair. I’m helpless. He should be serving me. Yeah, Right! He takes very good care of me and this is my opportunity to take very good care of him.

There are two things to remember about people in wheelchairs. It’s okay to offer assistance, but please don’t be offended if we turn you down. We’re really very capable. The most important thing of all to remember is this: We are only as disabled as we let you make us!

I am not disabled. I am only short.

* By the way, should you want to read more of my writings, please check out these two websites:

http://www.triond.com/users/catherine+shimozono

This one you may have to cut and paste.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/449451/catherine_shimozono.html