My Experience in a Wheelchair

As most of you know, I have a one year old little boy, his name is Eli. As I was going to rent the wheelchair I decided I would go around campus with him riding on my lap. My mom has been in a wheelchair her whole life and I am not sure how she did it with me and my two sisters! She told me  she would put us in laundry baskets cushioned by blankets and place the laundry basket in front of her and scooch us around the house when we were too little to walk/crawl. She also told me that when I was a little older she had to use a baby leash when we went on walks because she could not keep me safe without it. Well, my son has met my mom and would get little rides from her like you see me giving my son so I thought it fitting to do the same. I felt a lot more people smiled at me when I was in the wheelchair, but maybe that was just because I was carrying a cute baby and they were really smiling at him haha.

Here's even a picture of me getting a ride lol I was a funny looking baby

Well...now onto my experience! I had A LOT of embarrassing moments, but it was really an eye opening and beneficial experience for me.

1. Go to the restroom, enter a stall, and transfer your body from the wheelchair to the toilet. Reverse the process and return to the wheelchair.

- This was so hard! I had to like pull vault myself over the arm rest of the wheelchair while my son ran around in the stall haha, but I did it. Getting back into the chair was really difficult though because I had to touch the toilet seat some (EWW) and the chair kept bouncing up and down from my weight. A girl even asked, are you okay in there? hahaha I sheepishly said yes!

 2. Get a drink from the drinking fountain. 

- This was...just...ugh. I was so thirsty but the water kept dribbling down my face and onto my shirt! After I went to check my shirt, I noticed it had unbuttoned half way!!! So my garments, bra, and cleavage were all out for the world to see...must have been because of my son bouncing around or something, I hope he covered it and no one saw hahaha

3. Go another building on campus and ask for directions/assistance (e.g., Kimball Building information desk). 

- I asked where the bathroom was... I don't really know how this related to being in a wheelchair, it wasn't bad at all.

 4. Ride an elevator. 

- This was fine for me, I did have some trouble getting all turned around in there though! 

5. Go up and down a hill by yourself. 

- First, the wheelchair I had was like one of those stupid carts at the grocery store! I was so annoyed because it kept veering off to the right and it was really uncomfortable. Also, it was hard to go slow down a hill and very hard to even go up a hill at all.

6. Go through a door without using the door opener. 

- This was hard to do without using my legs! I kept wanting to prop the door open with them, but I resisted and ended up launching myself through the door frame with my arms haha

7. Go through a door using the door opener. 

- This wasn't so bad, but the door openings were very tight and I barely had enough room for all of me and the chair to get through the door.

8. Ask for assistance to navigate a tough spot. 

- People offered their assistance to me and that was nice. A nice man offered to push me up a hill, it wasn't steep at all haha but I must have looked like I was having a hard time (because I was). Also, I was trying to get into my car from the wheelchair without using my legs and this guy asked me if I would like him to hold down the chair for me. I said yes (because the chair kept bobbing up with me) and I regretted it! haha I had to launch myself over the arm rest again and I went way to high and hit my head and neck on my car door frame. Well, let's just say he was embarrassed and I was embarrassed and he said do you want me to just fold it up for you? With a rather strained look in his face like..."Oh my gosh...did that just happen? What do I say?" Well, I broke and told him it was just a practice for my special ed class and that it was harder than it looked and we both laughed and then he left.

Being in a wheelchair must be such a hard thing because a lot of the world isn't specifically made with people in wheelchairs in mind, but we shouldn't look down to those in wheelchairs because they are people just like us, only with more physical struggles in this life. If anything we should be nicer to them out of admiration, but never out of pity.