It's Got Two Wheels, But It's Not A Bike

I've never really talked in-dept about my experience being in a wheelchair.

When I first started using that hell-on-wheels, I thought I was going to get pity (and you know I hate pity).  It was actually quite the opposite:  assholes came shining through, let me tell you.

One time, I was out shopping with my mom.  Shopping was always a hard thing to do.  Think of Target and think of how little the spaces are between the racks -- now imagine fitting a wheelchair between them.  Women would look at me like, "you are in my way".  I remember one woman actually pushed me out of her way -- pushed my chair! 

And I'll never forget one time when I was in CVS.  I was wheelin' my way through, mindin' my own business, when a man looked at... smiled, and said, "you are still very beautiful."  I don't think he knew how good that made me feel.  You don't get many compliments being in a wheelchair.

However, the worst time was when someone took me to the aquarium in Camden, NJ.  At the aquarium, there are spots right in front of the displays just for those who are handicapped.  I would be wheeled right up to the handicapped spot and be surrounded by a million children.  I like kids, but being surrounded by 20 of them gives me hives.  The kids would start touching my wheelchair, which was okay... I understood they were curious little creatures.  But then, the kids would start climbing on my wheelchair to get a better look at the display.  They would put one foot in my wheel and hang onto the back, while their parents would look on in horror but not say anything about it and probably hoping I didn't say anything about it either. 

I get a lot of questions about how I got out of my wheelchair.  In all honesty, I think it comes down to one thing -- determination.  You start to lose the ability to live life while using that thing, but I mustered everything inside me to want to walk again.