Today I'm sharing an article with you that I posted earlier about one of my first solo ventures to the mall with my chair... Thanks for reading!
Sooooooo, today is the first post about life from my new perspective: SITTING DOWN! Haha! There are so many things to say, I sometimes feel overwhelmed, but I will attempt to keep this blog concise and humorous, if at all possible.
See, one of the first things I need to point out is that there are lots of things worse in life than having to use a wheelchair. It has taken me awhile to say that, but it's true and that's why I will try to bring humor to these wheelchair anecdotes I share with you.
I have to tell you about an experience I had at the mall on Monday. I thought I'd get a little Christmas shopping in since I am able to venture out alone with my chair now. (Big deal, btw!) As I rolled up to my usual entrance at Nordstrom, I gave a small tug on the accessible door so it would trigger the automatic opening function. All of a sudden, a boisterous, intrusive woman, who was also entering the store, yelled, "You have to push the blue button on the wall!!" Ah, too bad I didn't understand how this whole accessibility thing works. (Sorry for being a smart aleck)
After all, she is the able-bodied one and I'm just the one using the wheelchair. (Truth is, that blue button rarely works, so I don't waste my energy rolling over there to push it) As I was explaining that to her, and the door was opening, she came at me, crawling over my chair, shouting, "Let me get it! Let me get it! I'll get it for you!" Now, don't misunderstand, I appreciate people genuinely expressing a desire to help, if I NEED it! But this doesn't really fall under that heading.
So, what can I say to you about this then?
1) ASK if a wheelchair user would like your assistance
2) do not approach a wheeler very closely; speak from a respectable distance so you don't overwhelm
and frighten her
3) this woman acted as if I had lost the ability to think at the same time I lost the ability to use my muscles, assuming I didn't even know about the blue button on the wall!
4) she was yelling at me as if I were also deaf
5) she really scared me when she came at me, trying to open an already opening door--again, not helpful
6) please, DON'T ever approach a wheeler from behind; announce yourself, visibly, well
before you are close to that person.
(One time the male valet at this same Nordstrom store followed me to my car~unbeknownst to me~in the parking garage and asked if he could help me, from behind my wheelchair. I nearly jumped out of that chair from fright!)
It just takes a little thought. Don't be afraid of us or freaked-out by us. Did this lady mean well? Most people do. Did she create a commotion going about 'helping' me? Most definitely. I was polite to her and I smiled to myself and kept on going, determined to finish my mission. Remember, I am just a real person, like you, rolling through life instead of walking, the way I used to do. xx
