12 replies to this topic

[wheeliebear75]

We (B/F & I)were out doing errands today; and among them was the ever frequent stop to pick up meds., when we were waiting we were joking around with eachother. I'd seen an older lady with a little girl around 4 on her lap. When we went outside the lady carried the little girl cradled in her arms behind us.....I hadn't thought anything of HOW she was being carried. She wasn't being carried on grandma's hip but truly CRADLED. When we got out my B/F went to lift me (our JEEP is a LIFTED 4x4)out of my chair, when he asked "ready?" I blew against his cheek making a PPPPPRRRRTHHH "fart" sound. Well I hadn't noticed that the lady & little girl had come out with US.

My "PPPPRRRTTTTHHH" against my B/F's cheek made the little girl LAUGH. The little girl has been using a stroller type (she doesn't like using it cuz "I'm a BIG girl not a baby anymore!") wheelchair & just got fitted for her 1st WHEELCHAIR. She doesn't see a whole lot of people who are in wheelchairs SMILING & having FUN. And I thought on one hand I was happy that just seeing our goofing off was such a beacon of hope.....but also how sad it is that this poor kid at 4yrs old is looking to other people who are in wheelchairs as her "peers" & having a hard time finding people who are still HAPPY.

I think if I hadn't already been IN the JEEP & my chair 1/2 way apart when we found all this out I'd have been wanting to give her a lap ride or something. I did at least tell her grandma she should get in touch with Children's hospital cuz they have a LOT of services including play days & day camps for kids.

Edited by wheeliebear75, 10 September 2011 - 03:18 AM.

[Ratticis]

[Glor]

That is a really cool story. Thank you for sharing...

[Smileyblue]

One of those heart-warming moments! Thanks for sharing..

[isobar]

It ' s good you touched her in this way very nice.

[isobar]

It ' s good you touched her in this way very nice.

[Irish Wheelz]

Very good story!

[rue2you]

Well, after reading your wonderful story, I want to tell you how a little girl made me smile the other day.

I had been visiting with my mother and I took her out to eat at her favorite place - Panera Bread. We were in line deciding what we wanted to eat and a mother with 2 little twin girls about 6 or 7 were leaving the store. The one little girl walked away from her mother's side and leaned way out in front of me and looked at my legs, then walked behind me and rubbed the handles of my wheelchair and then went back to her mother and they went towards the door. As they were leaving the little girl said, "Mom, did you see that lady was in a wheelchair? I looked and she did NOT have a broken leg!!" I just busted out laughing my head off and the mother hurried the little girl out the door!! My mom said, "Why are you laughing?" I told her, "Oh, I love the perspective of children!"

[Aparr]

Wheeliebear & rue2you~thank you both for sharing your stories. Children are wonderful...

[wheeliebear75]

Kids are wonderful.

I was glad that our goofing off made HER smile (& made us smile even more).....but I guess cuz I'm fairly content in my own little world I haven't really thought about how many OTHER people in chairs were or weren't smiling.

Smiles are just something that I think should be anything BUT rare....wheelchair or not.

[KayDub]

This made my crappy day sooo much better! Thanks for sharing, you rock. I love kids, guess it's why I love teaching childrens ski school so much lol especially adaptive. I don't think I can play pizza, french fry enough or blow too many kisses.

[KayDub]

rue2you, on 10 September 2011 - 05:02 PM, said:

Well, after reading your wonderful story, I want to tell you how a little girl made me smile the other day.

I had been visiting with my mother and I took her out to eat at her favorite place - Panera Bread. We were in line deciding what we wanted to eat and a mother with 2 little twin girls about 6 or 7 were leaving the store. The one little girl walked away from her mother's side and leaned way out in front of me and looked at my legs, then walked behind me and rubbed the handles of my wheelchair and then went back to her mother and they went towards the door. As they were leaving the little girl said, "Mom, did you see that lady was in a wheelchair? I looked and she did NOT have a broken leg!!" I just busted out laughing my head off and the mother hurried the little girl out the door!! My mom said, "Why are you laughing?" I told her, "Oh, I love the perspective of children!"

Rue the same thing happened to me at the gym out at the pool. The little girl was about 5, and shocked when I stopped (keen ears I have from years of people doubling over about my height as I walked past I suppose) and told her "Nope, it's not the kind of broken where you need a cast, but my legs just don't work quite like yours so instead I get an awesome chair." Her mom was mortified but I didn't mind it at all. She seemed to understand my explanation.

It just reminds me of another time my mom and I were at the grocery store on our local military base. This adorable little toddler kept running away from his mom towards me. I'd say "Uh oh sweetie! Where's your mom? Let's find her!" And try to lead the little tyke back. But she kept finding me. Finally my mom and I were leaving and about to go into the parking lot when we realized she had followed us and grabbed onto my chair! I've never seen a kiddo so fascinated by a wheelchair. I put her in my lap and rode her back in to her very frantic mother. She was really apologetic too. But the smile on the little girls face...

If my peers at law school could be half as fun and smiley as the kids I run across, my days would be way better!

[Soryfam]

Thanks to everyone for such great stories. I find that kids are so intrigued by the chair. I always smile, say hi, or talk about whatever they might bring up. Some parents are awesome, and some just don't know what to say. A funny thing about adults-- most days they are very nice, say excuse me if they block my way, offer assistance, etc. But every now and then there will be a day when almost everyone is grumpy, they cut me off, even sometimes try to move the chair with me in it! I can't figure out if it's the weather, my expression, what I'm wearing, or what? that makes such a huge difference.

Sandy