Now that the electric wheelchair is cooked, and my insurance is too busy being evil to help (what’s new 🙄), I’m back in my off-the-rack hemiheight.
Pros: legs to the rescue.
Cons: I’d forgotten handles make people forget every word and scrap of manners they’ve ever learned.
Do not touch a wheelchair without asking—EVER.
The only reason I have very few injuries from people “helping” is bc I literally have boots on the ground. That didn’t stop someone from spraining my ankle just now, but honestly? Best case scenario.
This latest incident is brought to you by a woman pushing my chair when my left caster got stuck in the elevator. While I appreciate the intent, I need folks to consider the following:
If someone’s pants were caught on a thorn bush, would you touch them without asking?
Same principle applies to wheelchairs (and all mobility aides).
In order to free my caster, all I had to do was pop a wheelie, then push forward. This woman pushing me unexpectedly fucked that up. Let me translate this into abled:
She silently grabbed my belt and jerked me into the thorn bush.
This nearly broke my fingers, but if my legs didn’t work at all? I would’ve been thrown from my wheelchair, headfirst, into our very small elevators. Even if I’d tried to catch myself, my wrists would’ve disassembled on impact.
Something important to note about wheelchair physics:
If we are tipped forward, or thrown from our chairs, our heads will probably hit whatever’s one torso away and at/just below chin height.
In my case, that would’ve meant my eye socket would hit those flat, metal handles most people never think of. Mind you, ours aren’t flush with the wall either.
Did I mention that my neck just naturally falls apart in slow motion? Cause yeah, it does that.
To top off this shit sundae, she dinged my already wobbly left brake. It’s well and truly shot now.
If anybody would like to chip in on what is now the brake repair/jewelry tools fund, that’d be fucking swell.
Note: I don’t want your fucking money if you have to do math. I do, however, want your reblogs regardless.
Think of all the wheelchair users in the world.
Think of your loved ones.
This information could stop them from turning one of us into the fucking Joker.
