Sound of Surviving Blog

A few days ago, I was thinking of how frustrating it was that I had to take a wheelchair to the Phillies game, since between my fatigue and difficulty walking, and my vision loss (walking through crowds with vision loss is horrible, especially with blindness in one eye and a left-sided field cut that takes more than 50% of your vision in the other).

I was feeling frustrated over needing a wheelchair just to go to a baseball game. I felt terrible that my mom or brother would have to push me (since I only have use of one arm and can’t push myself). Having to use this wheelchair at a Phillies game to me, just was one more reminder of all of the ways I’m not like everyone else. It irked me to no end.

Unfortunately, though, there was no way around using it. So, we went to the Phillies game, and my mom and my brother were amazing at helping to push me in the wheelchair, and they didn’t mind at all. In turn, I was able to enjoy the game without getting tired or exhausted from walking. I didn’t have to worry about bumping into anyone because I might not see someone on my left side. Overall, the night was so much more gratifying because I ended up using the wheelchair.

The lesson I learned from this is not to worry about being different from other people because you need to use something that will allow you to participate in activities that you want to do. My family didn’t treat me any differently because I needed to use my wheelchair to go to the Phillies game, and they didn’t make me feel bad about using it. If I hadn’t used my wheelchair to go to that game, I can’t even imagine how exhausted or how frustrated I would have ended up being, instead of getting to enjoy the game and my family, and just have a good time.

If something helps you to be able to participate in and live your life, whether it be a wheelchair or assistive device, etc., don’t feel bad or like you are less than anyone for needing it. You should never be ashamed of using something that helps you to enjoy life, and that helps keep you safe. One of my favorite quotes regarding inclusion and disability is from Rick Hansen, who states, “The wheelchair should not be a symbol of disability. A wheelchair is a vehicle to liberation and freedom; a chariot for independence.” It is so true, that so many things that people use to help them, whether it be a wheelchair, hearing aids, a cane, or a walker, etc., society views as a symbol of disability, in my opinion, these things should be a symbol of ability, as they enable people to be able to live their lives the way anyone without a disability would. It might look different, but it still leads to the same result, enjoying one’s life and living it to the fullest.