Tell me more (about SB) Mondays

 

Don’t stare at the chair!

C’mon people, there are a lot of people in wheelchairs these days.  Many people with spina bifida use them.  It’s okay – they are fine with it!  In fact, there are many people with spina bifida who can walk but choose to use a wheelchair.  “Why?” you may ask.  Well, even though it may seem phenomenal that a person with spina bifida can WALK – sometimes it means wearing massive leg braces and holding onto crutches or a walker.  The wheelchair is like freedom!   Hands free!  It means you can wheel around and then have hands free for picking up items, shaking hands, or eating.  Hands aren’t available for those things if they are grasping tightly to crutches or a walker.

Amanda has had a wheelchair since she was three years old.  It’s part of her.  You don’t need to feel awkward.

In fact…

… being smaller and lower to the ground like she is, Amanda easily makes friends with other small creatures that are low to the ground.

Like … a neighbor’s puppy:

 

 

 

 

Or her sister’s cat:

 

 

 

 

 

Or a friend’s baby:

 

 

 

 

 

It does help if you can get yourself down to her level sometimes:

 

 

 

 

So throw your wheelchair paranoia out the window and look beyond the chair!

Just Laurel

And one more cartoon … rather twisted humor, but I showed Amanda and she laughed (helps to have a sense of humor!) and replied, “That’s almost funny!”