Mobility aids can be positive | #WheelchairLifeWednesday
I started #WheelchairLifeWednesday to talk about my experiences of being a wheelchair user, as to me this is a big part of being disabled.
When I thought about what I wanted to say, the first thing that came to mind was how mobility aids can be positive! This took me a while to realise, but it shouldn’t have done.
If we look at how mobility aids are positioned in society, they are so often associated with age, impairment or illness. When I was younger (until I had about two years left of primary school) I had a buggy instead of a wheelchair. It worked well for me, and we (mostly) had fun with the buggy board on the back! People would stare because I looked “too old” to be in a buggy. I didn’t really have a deep understanding of it then, nor did I think about it much, but I knew it was “different”. - I used to tell myself they were staring because I was famous! Haha.
When I first got a wheelchair, I was apprehensive and excited (it definitely helped that the wheels had smiley face covers!). At the same time, I remember feeling a little disappointed, because wheelchairs are often closely linked to disability (for instance, it is a popular symbol ♿️). Growing up I always tried to get away from and not think about my cerebral palsy as I wanted to feel the same as everybody else. I probably thought that if I had a “proper wheelchair”, other people would see (and “know” that I was “more disabled”.)
How society views mobility aids can also be seen in the language we use - the term “wheelchair-bound” makes me cringe, or how I magically disappear and become “the wheelchair” when people are referring to me! I know I’m not alone in this, and dealing with attitudes towards mobility aids is something people do in different ways. I could probably write a whole other post on this to be honest so I won’t go into too much detail (gotta build up the content!).
My point is that mobility aids CAN be positive. They may be hard to deal with at first but they don’t have to reflect negatively on your abilities. Most importantly, whether you have them or not, they don’t have to be a reason for other people to judge you. For me personally, my wheelchair gives me a level of independence I’d never have otherwise and I’m so grateful for it. Yes, there are challenges but I certainly don’t resent it. Also, I think it’s important to note that anything that helps your mobility can be a mobility aid! That sounds obvious, but I mean it doesn’t have to be the conventional wheelchair, for instance. Maybe one day I’ll tell you about the genie chair sledge we fashioned so I could go out in the snow... that’s the kind of post you want to see, right?! 😂 (Looking back, I’m not sure it helped my mobility but it for sure helped my enjoyment!) I’m so thankful I have such a supportive family that do all kinds of things to help me as I know not everyone is so lucky.
Thank you for reading!
Ellie
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