This is a really weird post for me to make but thought I needed to.
My perception of my disability is that I don't really have one. Now I understand that some may be wondering "Well, how is that possible?". Well it's really complicated to explain but it's how I see my life. If I chose to look at my life as being "disabled" or "handicapped" (I hate that word) then I wouldn't be as positive as I am today.
It really gets to me and that is how people treat me because of my disability. For one reason or another some see people with disabilities as being un comprehensible and it's not like that at all. When I go on the bus by myself some stare at me for 5-10 minutes at a time and I wish I knew why that is. It could be because I look ab normal and people aren't used to seeing people in chairs on buses or in public. I have not had the guts to say anything but I hope that can change by making everyone aware of what I go through on a day to day basis and that is why I have created this blog in the first place.
I think people stare because they are trying to figure out why you need a wheelchair or what's wrong with you. I think the same thing when I see someone with a cast on their leg - I saw one tonight and thought, "he must have crashed while on his BMX".
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering - what do you do when they stare? Being the mom of a kid in a chair - I often catch staring before my kid does - but we both usually see it eventually. We make a choice to smile back or wave or say hi. I think people get caught up in the stuff and forget there's another human being present.
This is going to sound weird, but I know I used to get caught up checking out the chairs, especially power chairs. And would end up in my own little world just looking and wondering how different functions work. After working at camp and finding out alot more about the differnt types of chairs and meeting everyone I find I do it less simply cos I have a better understanding of how they work. Everyone knows it's rude to stare, but some people get lost in their own thoughts and don't realise that they are staring.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, awesome blog Shayne only really just got the chance to check it all out. Head over to Lupineandboogowandering.blogspot this is mine and my husbands from our motorcycle trip earlier this year.
Look after yourself.
Brooke (aussie from camp squam 2009)