The Illusion of What People Want to See
For people with disabilities, access is especially lacking. This doesn't end with buildings. It could include a job, affordable housing, or access to gym equipment. I didn't start to understand that until I started to use my wheelchair full-time when I was fourteen. I used a reverse walker for as long as I could remember. I could take myself to the bathroom as long as my pants didn't have any buttons.
I would have been able to live on my own if I had a walk-in shower, and I still used my reverse walker. It has been several years, and I still think about how my life would be easier if I could still use my reverse walker. My number one goal the past few years has been to be able to use my walker full-time.
I have had Cerebral Palsy my entire life. I have always tried to do everything my other able-bodied friends did. I compared myself to them, and if I couldn’t do everything they did when they did it, I would get frustrated.
My physical therapist knew this, and had some of my friends from school come to one of my therapy sessions. She had them put on ankle and wrist weights to mimic the spasticity in my muscles. The sight of my friends struggling to do the same exercises where I struggled made me feel better.
People with Disabilities sacrifice their comfort for the illusion of a normal life. The fact of the matter is that they are happy to do it so they can spend time with their loved ones. It's better than sitting at home wishing you could be "normal". The ultimate goal should be to find people who make you feel as " normal" as possible.
The article is inspired by the podcast episode below:
Photo by geralt courtesy of Pixabay
Stephanie Wyatt has Cerebral Palsy and uses a manual wheelchair. She spends her free time hanging out with her best friend Carmen and her dog Ama Angelica.
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