Big Wheels Keep On Turning

       

Most of the time I avoid at costs talking about the fact that I'm in a wheelchair but it is part of my life and sort of the elephant in the room. Many trials and tribulations have come to pass the last ten years of wheel-itude(if that's a word). Early on I adopted the mantra, that has served me well to this day: "I am in a wheelchair; it's not who I am, it's just how I get around."

I don't view it as a defining factor in my personality but it does however, change my view of the world. Accessibility is something I have to mindful of anytime I go out; finding ramps and elevators is second nature to me.



The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires all buildings to be "accessible" however, "accessible" does not necessarily mean easy. Locations that are to "code" will still occasionally require a serious amount of round-about traversing and maneuvering just to get in. Living life in a wheelchair is a definite learning curve, it takes a lot of time and practice to get the hang of not destroying everything in your path. When I got my first power chair, a hot rod blue Jazzy 2000, I spent hours in the driveway just zig-zagging between cones, learning how to spare toes and walls. When I first got the Jazzy, it was at a point in my life when walking was getting quite difficult and my independence was slowly shrinking. Using a power-chair gave me my freedom back and allowed me to feel like a normal kid again. Not only could I go play with my friends, I could do it at break-neck speeds. In the early days I was pretty wild, constantly racing around through grass and mud.

In my reckless driving adventures I would sometimes found myself stuck in the mud, wheels spinning and chair completely filthy. After those nighttime games of manhunt with the Halfmoon crew, I would come home with everything from road tar to dog shit on the tires, leaving my parents to clean up the mess before I could go in the house. When I was a little older I could be found zipping around my entire neighborhood covering miles on those sunny summer days—totally unbound.


These days I may not be as adventurous but I am still so grateful for the mobility and comfort that this piece of technology gives me. Life is all about adapting and being able to find enjoyment regardless of the challenges.






P.S. Andrea Riseborough