If people stare when I stand up in my chair (to reach something on a high shelf, for example), I like to shout "It's a miracle!" before falling back down and saying "nope, false alarm." People generally leave me alone after that.
I'm a PE teacher and my students, specially the young ones ask me all the time "why are you not using your wheelchair this time" or "why are you using your wheelchair today, something bad happened?" And I'm like "Kids common it's been months you can not always ask me the same things, there is no way to please you if I'm on the wheelchair you ask if I'm not in my wheelchair you ask too, now let's focus on enjoying the class!" XD
I have a different disability, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, but I completely relate to this video and the points you've made. My wheelchair gives me the freedom to enjoy life and see the world that my legs don't provide me with.
I also have (suspected) hEDS (dx HSD), though I didn't know it when hubby & I bought our house. I'm more grateful than ever that the previous owners had a household member with MS & made accessibility improvements. 1 of the 2.5 bathrooms is fully wheelchair accessible (but no raised toilet seat), there are ramps from house level to street level in the garage & backyard deck.
toby crow to be 100% realistic, if you were just diagnosed they might want you to try PT and other aids before going to a wheelchair. I hope they’re supportive from the beginning and that the stigma is starting to change however
Same here. It’s good to have a video like this to show people when they don’t get it coz it’s amazing how many don’t, even some of those closest to me who really should understand don’t!
I have a foldable cane I tuck away in a bag on the back of my chair. If I run into the small bathroom problem, I use my cane and hobble in and out. And yeah, I've had people, even friends, ask me why I use a wheelchair if I can walk. I keep the answer simple: walking even a few steps is extremely painful and extremely dangerous, due to the very real risk of falling.
Why do I use a wheelchair when I can walk? Bcos I want to! So many ways to reply depends on what mood I'm in! I'm usually stuck in the house so I want a good experience when I go out.
The troll comments are sad, especially those coming from other wheelchair users... we all need to understand that at the end of the day, a wheelchair is just a mobility AID. It moves a person from A to B. It doesn’t symbolize a competition of who’s more disabled. Spinal cord injuries can be complete or incomplete and then there are plenty of ambulatory disabilities that can necessitate a wheelchair, especially for long distances. Yes those of us who can pick and choose our aids are lucky, but if a wheelchair is the best/safest option, we’re ALLOWED TO USE ONE. Stop being the disability police. I’m WAY more mobile and in WAY less pain in my wheelchair than when I’m walking. I need it for long distances otherwise Im in too much pain to walk even a very short distance later in the day. I also save a ton of energy using my chair and it’s safer because I don’t have to worry about falling.
I agree, I actually been in more situations with disabled people. It's almost as if your not as disable as that one disabled person then they wont consider you disabled. I used wheelchair for two years, then learned to walk on crutches for 23 years. Now, I have to go back to wheelchair. For me it started when my state allowed other disabled to basically write a ticket for people parking in handicap. I would get all these tickets, when I have a license on my car. Some people only see shit that fits their agenda. Imo
So well said thank you. I am in a wheelchair but can walk a tiny bit. I literally face some sort of discrimination every single day. I found the troll comments disturbing.
@@Pugsrus I know and its so wrong that we would have to feel like that us Wheelie Boi's (and girls) go through enough. I think channels like this will help make the future better for the next generation. And hopefully us to.
I tried for years to just walk instead of using a wheelchair. I ended up never leaving the house and being too tired and in too much pain to move after noon. I could never walk as fast as my friends and had to constantly look at the ground due to my poor balance.
lease u can walk.. you have to push urself if you keep complainning that moving around hurt den you my friend will never catch up to ur buddy again... gotta push urelf let the inner self come out beat it up dont let ur inner take out. if there a chance there a will.. that mean will power..
thanh phan Just hope you never have to be in Amanda’s shoes. I never thought anyone could understand how I feel but now I’m so thankful to have found this page. Many people tell me to push myself but they have NO CLUE!! Ty for sharing Amanda!! I don’t feel so alone anymore!! Ty to all who understand 🥰
@@thanhphan-zc7mx clearly you are someone who doesn't have a disability. It's really easy for people who don't have issues to talk. I know what Amanda is going through because I am too.
Wisegal99 why? If everyone wheeled and then only some people walked, wouldn’t you have questions about why they don’t run all the time if it’s faster? I understand it sucks that people just ask disabled people very personal questions out of nowhere, and that for sure is not cool. But he is doing this to hopefully stop that kinda behavior, right?
@@DryBooks I have no problem explaining my disability to anyone. It's the people that judge and dont ask I have a problem with. My guess is you never parked in a handicap parking place to understand. Imo.
@@doveseye.4666 might have been referring to the comments he showed at the beginning of the video, people accusing him of faking etc. he had already explained why he uses a wheelchair (which he shouldn't *have* to explain in the first place--it should always be the wheelchair user's *choice*) and it wasn't enough for some people
@@raphaelmorgan2307 there is an easy way to tell if he is faking it, look at how he places his teeth when he clenches his jaw, its placed full and balanced so as not to break his teeth with that much constant strength, all his teeth are placed together for maximum comfort against such strength, eventually his teeth will shatter if he doesn’t do this. I have severest form of AS with peripheral damage in the extremes that cause me greater pain than childbirth all day, one thing you learn 30/40 years+ on is how to place your teeth when you clench your jaw with true power.
@@doveseye.4666 I was just gonna go and assume he's not faking his disability, as a disabled person myself who knows how infuriating that is. I was just including that comment someone made as an example of 'disgusting"
@@raphaelmorgan2307 I also must say I may be thinking this is a comment video I’m commenting on where people are calling a guy in pain faker, I can tell.
YESSS!!!! I'm an ambulatory chair user too and most of my family, former classmates, and even my doctors don't understand why I rely on my wheelchair most of the time. My wheelchair = my independence! I actually keep a cane attached to my chair with a bicycle flashlight mount so I can switch between the two.
I'm at the point of having to consider using a wheelchair and this has put me at ease that it's ok to use both crutches and a wheelchair!! Thank you woman for helping me learn how to cope with my disability xx
For my situation- Wheelchair is better: -museums -big cities where we'll be out all day without the car (e.g. D.C.) -state/national parks -airports (except on the actual plane itself - I can walk well enough that I don't need an aisle chair) -anywhere with paved sidewalks/no stairs that's too long for me to walk without sitting down to take breaks -anytime I have to stand/walk in the heat for more than a few minutes at a time but it's still paved -anywhere accessible that I'm not sure how far I'll need to walk (just in case it's further than what I can do) -when I don't have enough energy to walk -when I need to conserve energy for walking later on in places that won't be accessible -when I need a portable chair and it's the only one I have Walking is better: -anywhere a wheelchair would be unable to go/where it would be extremely impractical: friends' houses, fields/unpaved trails, at camp, geocaching, at church (even though the main part is accessible, there's no elevator to the choir loft, but there's a railing the entire way up), first responder training scenarios, my choir concerts, etc. -anywhere it would be unsafe to use a wheelchair: working around horses, etc. -anywhere I don't have to stand still for long periods nor walk very far without breaks -when I have the energy and walking won't do more harm than good I walk when I can (which is most of the time), but I use my chair when I need to.
I'm an ambulatory wheelchair user and the amount of times I have had to explain that walking hurts, dislocates my joints, makes me nauseous and dizzy and requires me to have help which I DONT WANT AT AGE 20 is remarkable. My chair enables me to go out alone for more that 20 minutes and actually have hobbies outside of my house.
I live with chronic illness and the points you made are so relatable and frustrating! I'm trying to get a loan out to get myself a chair so I can find my independence instead of being trapped in the house for days on end - would be fab to see an advice video on finding the perfect wheels to suit you - your videos have helped so much and when I finally get my chair I know I'll be using many of your tips and tricks to help me feel more confident getting back out in the world again!
I strongly advise against taking out a loan for your wheelchair. The last thing you want to have happen is because of unforeseen circumstances you are unable to make payments and they take your wheelchair away from you. That would be tragic! It's better to swallow a bit of pride and find a charity to help you get what you need. Trust me there are many charities out there that do this. I got mine from the VA. Of course when I served in the USAF I had no clue how valuable the VA would later become.
@@rtlamb Thankyou for the advice especially coming from personal experience. Luckily I have plenty of family support around me should I decide to go through with a loan but will certainly be taking more time to see what charities and grants are available to me.
I have been looking at decent chairs for about 2 hundred,I cant just order one right now either but in a matter of time its not that far out of reach..
This is SO true. I have Spina Bifida, and I made the decision to be in a wheelchair full time due to stamina and falling risks. I decided after I was intentionally shoved by a fellow student at my High School. Sadly, I was also ashamed of walking because I had a noticeable abnormal gait due to my spinal birth defect. My suggestion to others who may be thinking about making the transfer; make sure you do have a plan when it comes to diet, exercise, and strength training. All of that needs to be modified once your mobility is limited. Unfortunately, I neglected those things as I got older, and I am suffering from the effects of not planning for the future when it came to my health. I wish I would have done things differently, but I am now working from the bottom up. Learn from my mistakes and don't take your health, independence, or your abilities (despite how limited they may be) for granted. Only you and your doctor can decide what's best for your health and independence. Be proud of your abilities and who you are. If walking or using a wheelchair is easier and provides independence, don't be afraid of what others are thinking. You know your limitations and how to better the quality of your life; don't listen to ignorant fools.
Good advice that I need to take, I do have a deteriorating condition and I've let my weight get a bit to much (I'm overweight, not obese, I think it's less than 40lb to get me back to a BMI of 25) and I haven't found a way to work out (whole body condition where currently my lower body is worse). I've just moved to a flat where I could use my wheelchair inside, though I will need to get the bathroom adapted, it's accessible via a lift. I'm about to get a new car and this one will have a hoist for my chair as I'm finding it increasingly difficult to lift, despite it being light. The future does scare me as if my condition gets worse in both my upper and lower body I may need an electric wheelchair, which makes being independent much harder. I also use hand controls to drive, what if I find I can't use them?
Everything you said is 100% what I’ve dealt with as someone with spina bífida. I also made the switch to wheelchair for the same reasons! It can suck at times, but I definitely have more energy. I’m currently in college, so I’m glad my mom convinced me to stop using the walker 😂 But anyways I know exactly what you’re going through and I wish you the best 💕
I also have Spina-bifita, and am currently checking in to having to start to use a wheelchair part time. I'm glad I found these postings, it makes me feel better about the decision after seeing I'm not the only one that is going through this.
Bevan Biggs I’m glad dude I hope everything works out for you! I was really trying to avoid switching mainly because I didn’t want to give up walking and I didn’t want people to think of me differently. But people generally don’t pay you any mind and u still occasionally walk when I do something like just going out for dinner. It’s just important to know your body and it’s limitations. Don’t over exert yourself just for the sake of walking. Having a wheel chair is a great choice even if you have to use it to get to your location so you can have energy to walk around the room.
I STILL cannot believe that people STILL needed further clarification as to why some people need to use a wheelchair 🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️. Your other video explained it pretty well. People are so dense it's ridiculous.
This has been one of my biggest obstacles to overcome. Yes I can walk but I pay for it later with all the pain I end up having. I have hated it because I feel like it's giving in but I am trying to remember it's what is better for me to use my wheelchair and it will help me keep my pain under control. I am having a hard time getting over the mindset that my wheelchair is somehow giving up on walking. Even though eventually I won't have a choice but use my wheelchair 24/7. I have only been using my wheelchair on a regular bases for the last few months but have known for a long time this was inevitable. (I have an inoperable nerve sheath tumor growing on the L4 and L5 of my spine and growing into my sacral due to Neurofibromatosis type 1)
so i can walk and stairs as well and not use a walker if needed but i like my wheelchair because i get around faster and it lets be so much more independent. its like a non stop workout that helps me get strength back in my life. You are one great example for many people and i thank you for it so much. “My disability does not defines me, it’s my hard work and never giving up that shows who I am”
Due to my deteriorating health, I’ve recently given in to the fact that I can no longer navigate a large store or event on foot. Just grocery shopping puts me in tears from the pain. I hate the looks that I get when I walk from my truck and go get into an electric cart. People have even made rude comments about the chairs being for people who “need” them. I’m starting to get bitter towards those people. How dare they make comments like that, when they don’t know me (or my health struggles) at all. THANK YOU for doing such a great job trying to educate not only those in similar situations as yourself, but also the general public. It is much appreciated. 💕
I’m just waiting for someone to tell me I don’t “look” disabled when I use my handicap tag or use an electric cart. I’m sooooo ready!! I’m gonna tell them....YOU DONT LOOK LIKE A DOCTOR EITHER!! 😂😂😂😂🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳
You know what? Let people think what they wanna, Let them stare! They are NOT living in your body, & they sure as hell NOT your doctor. They have NOTHING to say.
My sister gets dirty looks when she parks in a disability spot then walks around the shop. So many people don't seem to get that she can walk around the shop or the car park (not both) on an average day; she uses crutches on a bad day and in a really good day can walk a full mile (much like when I forget I can only drink 3 pints of cider, she regrets this the next day). The dirty looks rarely became conversations after I brought her a bumper sticker that said "I don't look disabled? You don't look stupid".
I love the video game concept!! Thank you for making these videos to help educate and inform others and effectively making the world a better place!! 😃
I wish I had seen your videos when my dad was still alive. He was in a wheel chair but had the ability to take 2-5 steps with a walker. The tips and techniques you share would have opened a whole new world to him.
My sister's goddaughter has a little boy (three years old this month). When I first got a wheelchair, J was afraid of how he'd react when he was used to seeing me walking or in a hospital bed. I was afraid the wheelchair would frighten him or make him see me differently. The first time he saw me in it, his whole face lit up. He loves anything with wheels. We had a race, which he won in his buggy. First time I had laughed in a long time. My new, all terrain wheelchair arrived today. Looking forward to showing little Jude my new wheels.
I feel so much more mobile in my wheelchair. Yes, it limits the places I can go, but it enables me to go other places I'd probably never go because I can't stand for long periods of time.
This is fantastic. This is very much my life. People get annoyed with me that I can walk... see what happens to me if walk around for an hour. I’m screwed. I need a chair. Simple. Thanks for making this!
Thank you for posting this. Back surgery 6 months ago left me in a wheelchair. Like you, I can stand and walk a little. Everyone in my world wants me walking but 1) I have osteoporosis and falling is a terrible risk and 2) when I'm in my chair, I don't hurt. Your video confirms what I know to be true and I will stick to it. Thank you!!
As a parent, this video has really put things into perspective. Our eldest has sever scoliosis and kyphosis but is still "not severe" enough for intervention according to the doctors and no help was provided regarding the reduced mobility she's been suffering. She's been using a walker and forearm for crutches for the last couple of years but she was still left mostly immobile for the exact reason you've mentioned. This video helped us make the final decision to get a wheelchair. We were nervous about how she would react about us when we proposed the idea of a wheelchair, we showed her the video, she is really excited and since she's a gamer, the videogame twist helped so much THANK YOU for sharing your strength with others!
I've just started watching your videos and they are so validating. I've had a non-traumatic spinal cord injury for 8 years and I'm now an ambulatory wheelchair user. It's great to see people like myself represented, and especially embracing wheels the way you do. I know my new wheels (hopefully getting them next week, current wheelchair is awful!) are going to lead to me being so much more active and adventurous!
Thanks for this! Sadly in UK, being able to walk even 10-20 metres with a crutch, I am deemed to not be a fulltime user, so had to take peace with a heavy chair I can’t propel, let alone lift in and out of the car. I was working for wheelchair services as a senior therapist when I had my stroke. I so fully agree with your reasons why a wheelchair is better than walking. My gait is also very painful and costs me a lot of energy. I’m going to share your video to my colleagues to get some more understanding about pacing out my energy and avoid pain where I can.
Thanks for this! Sadly in UK, being able to walk even 10-20 metres with a crutch, I am deemed to not be a fulltime user, so had to take peace with a heavy chair I can’t propel, let alone lift in and out of the car. I was working for wheelchair services as a senior therapist when I had my stroke. I so fully agree with your reasons why a wheelchair is better than walking. My gait is also very painful and costs me a lot of energy. I’m going to share your video to my colleagues to get some more understanding about pacing out my energy and avoid pain where I can.
Also I don’t personally have an injury where I have to use a wheelchair but I still enjoy watching these videos just so I can be more educated about wheelchair users. Your videos are also very informative to non-wheelchair users also I love your personality. It’s sad to see people being so insensitive, I love how positive you are about it too! Keep it up man
i’m so happy i found your channel. i’m chronically ill with POTS and EDS so i’m finally having to come to terms with needing a wheelchair in the next few years as i can barely make it through an hour of walking even with my walker. you’ve given me confidence that i’ll find independence even with the thing i thought would mean my life would be over. thank you so much for having your channel and uploading your journey to independence.
I feel you on this. I also have POTS and suspected Marfans Syndrome. I just started using a rollator and wish I’d done it years ago. Now I’m starting to look into wheelchairs. I’m out of the house more than ever and now I don’t let the fear of others opinions stop me. Hang in there ❤
I was laughing so much during this, my partner came over and was like WTF?! He loved it too. I use crutches at home because it isn't accessible and I can hop (I only have one leg that works). It's exhausting, I've fallen a few times and it just sucks. The crutches are helpful for stairs (I have 3 flights to get into my apartment - hopefully moving in a year or two!) and the city that I live in isn't really accessible. When I get into my chair, it's a totally different story. I can move, go places by myself, keep up with others. Speaking of amusement parks, I recently went to one in my chair and had a blast. I never would have been able to do it on crutches. I bought a free-wheel and now I can go off-road, I camp, hike, etc. At the end, when you were talking about how your chair means freedom and independence, my partner was like "That sounds familiar!" Loved the video game, you're really doing great things with your channel, I'm totally envious of your skills :)
Do you have any tips for the freewheel? I just got one and I'm going on a camping trip next week (that's why I bought it actually). I'm super excited but the fear of messing up with it is so huge
@@laetusCantus Sorry I just saw this!! I had mine installed by a wheelchair company that was local to me, which made things a bit easier. It doesn't look too hard to install on your own though. I had issues because I have a TRA so my footplate is adjustable and kept slipping down so the Freewheel didn't lift my castors. A strong boyfriend later, it was good to go. I have him tighten the footplate area every few weeks or so, just to make sure it stays put. It's honestly a problem I had with the chair before the Freewheel, so not that surprising. My big caution would be don't get overconfident. It's so easy to roll on grass, gravel, dirt, etc. I've nearly landed on the ground a few times because I wasn't paying enough attention. It also makes wheelies much harder. I'm not great at them, to begin with, and it's extra hard with the FreeWheel on. I can pop up the front a bit but I can't balance with it - but the Freewheel also eliminates most times I would need to wheelie anyway (except curbs). I just hope it's as good in the snow (I"m in Canada), but I will find out in a few months :)
Oh my gosh! I just realized reading this that I haven't been able to go to an amusement park for years because of this! I LOVE amusement parks and have wanted to go for so long!! I'm getting fit for a wheelchair in the coming weeks and I'm really excited because I think I might actually be able to go to an amusement park!! Thank you for reminding me of things I'm going to be able to do again with my new wheelchair!!
This also happens to me I live in Brazil and always get these looks when someone sees me walking, I have incomplete spinal cord injury l3 and l4 but I can stand with crutches use for short distances but also use wheelchair, people think that to use chair wheelchair should be 100% paralyzed from the legs.
This is the BEST video I've ever seen on being an ambulatory wheelchair user. I have cerebral palsy and I can walk limited amounts independently, with crutches, or a walker. But my power wheelchair is what allows me to work, have a social life, and do all the things I want to do. Stamina and pain are my big issues too and able bodied people never realize how much walking is involved in day to day life. Love this so much!!
@@Wheels2Walking Well, I hope you don't get hate. This is your life and your journey and your body. Just because you're putting yourself out there doesn't mean that others get to try to tell you what to do or presume to be in your body or to tell you how you should feel or what you should think or do. You're absolutely right...you have to think about the future, and how you can best remain independent for the longest time, not just, "What is the absolute maximum I can do right now?"
@Martyr4JesusTheChrist Well, this is his channel and his platform, so no, I am not saying anyone is not entitled to their feelings or their opinion, but those opinions and feelings don't make Richard's perspective wrong. He gets to decide what is right for him personally, no one else gets to decide that, nor should he get hate for it. That is what I am saying.
Thank you so much for getting this information out there. I have been an amputee (left ak) for almost 29 years and have used many types of prosthetic's. My last revision was a few years ago and I thought this would finally let me get into a prosthesis that fit and was comfortable. Well it fit very well and was comfortable to wear but it just was not giving me the mobility I needed. I have always used a wheelchair since losing my leg and only used it in house or sparingly outside. However, I have finally switched to a wheelchair for everything I need to do in my daily life and just don;t miss using a prosthesis all that much. So again thank you for being an inspiration that it's okay to live your life on wheels.
This was really encouraging for me. I am a L4,,5 recovered spinal core. For years I have pressed through the pain of walking. But lately it is so painful I have stopped doing anything, I have been thinking about a wheelchair or a walker. Because I have been loosing my balance a lot more. Thanks for sharing.
I’m not someone who uses a mobility device, but I have severe asthma and it’s very hard explaining to people how some days I can walk long distances (on flat surfaces) but on the same day climbing stairs to my building leaves me completely out of breath. It’s been especially hard the past year because my lung function has gone to shit and walking any distance especially up hill basically makes my chest feel like it’s being crushed in a vice.
I WISH I could use a wheelchair more, but I'm not strong enough and struggling to develop my shoulder muscles. The explanation of the decision between crutches and chair is spot on.
I spent the first 27 years of my disability exactly as you describe when you were out “walking” in nature. Since becoming wheelchair bound full time, I have gained Independence like I have never had in my life. The only thing I cant do that you can is stand to reach things. It was a shame that I had to wait until I was 42 to get that independence Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Your trick of changing the crutch over to the other side going up stairs is so smart! I’ve been stuck like that so many times but just did one step at a time to combat it! I’ll 100% do that from now on!
This is a great video and very educational. Thank you! I'm not in a wheelchair, but I want to educate myself so I don't do anything offensive or judge people. I've learned a lot from your videos! I wish you a lot of success!!!
Thank you for explaining! The idea of comparing it like this was really good! Your videos helped me realize that wheelchairs are just tools people use to get around and helped me see the person instead of " the wheelchair user" whenever I see a person in a wheelchair.
Couldn't have said it better myself. #AmbulatoryWheelchairUsersExist is a really great hashtag on social media to find other people online who are also ambulatory wheelchair users. There are so many variables that determine what mobility aids I'm using in a given day. I'm glad you are educating people on this topic! Hopefully the younger generation won't have to face as many ignorant comments and stares for just existing.
@Martyr4JesusTheChrist it's never other wheelchair users who make comments. It is always able-bodied people who make ignorant comments. Because they are ignorant to the reality of actual disabled lives. But thank you for your loving response, "Martyr for Jesus The Christ." You are really doing the Lord's work. I'm sure he is really proud. 😘
Brought tears to my eyes bc I have a spinal tumor and I'm just now needing one for more than distance in order to enjoy life more. It is a hard choice but I want the independence. You have a new subscriber! Oh and thank you for your candidness about the bladder leading issue. 🥰
Thank You so much for this video. I no longer fell strange. I broke my hip a year ago and I can do about 700 steps a day before I fall apart. I am sending the link to all my friends you explain this so well.
Thank you so much for this.. I was really worried about explaining to people why I have started using an electric wheelchair after 7+ years on crutches. I don't have an SCI - I have pain, low energy, dislocations and back weakness from Ehlers Danlos Syndrome - but all of these points also apply to my wheelchair use so I just shared this video on my facebook. Hopefully, some of my friends will watch it and understand. Keep up the good work - I love your channel :D
im so glad u did this video. ive been using two forarm crutches for a while now and still in alot of pain, dose make me think more about getting a wheelchair. thank you.
There are days when I can walk for a few hours with minimal issues (though I will probably need a couple days to recuperate afterward). There are days where I wake up and my caregiver has to carry my sorry butt to the toilet that is literally ten feet away from my bed, because I don't even have the strength to crawl. There have been a large number of instances where I thought I was in good shape that day, decided to go out with just my cane, aaaaand collapsed on the sidewalk halfway to my destination. Or in the parking lot outside my apartment. Or on the floor at work. Or in the third aisle of the grocery store during a relatively short errand run. You get the gist. I don't go anywhere without my wheelchair anymore. Even if I think I don't need it, I know there's a massive risk involved if I need it later and don't have it. And I'm terrified of being stranded wherever I happen to fall. And anybody who wants to tell me I should just walk until I can't, can go suck an egg.
My reasons for using a wheelchair are different from yours, but the daily struggle is the same. I too can walk/stand, but not for very far or long. Not at all. I LOVE your guest bathroom transfer hack!! Freaking brilliant! I try to not stand up in the grocery store. It really warps people's brains and I don't like dealing with all that at all. To be honest you walk better than I do. I always tell people that I very grateful that I can walk, even if it's just a little bit. I must have an attitude of gratitude! Thanks for sharing a bit of your life with us! I really appreciate it!
This came out at a perfect time! Really reinforces to me that I need to take my chair on my camping trip next week. I have the freewheel attachment so hopefully that'll make it easier but I'm still a new chair user. It feels weird taking it on a camping trip since I can walk but my pain levels get so absurdly high and my patellas dislocate and hips sublux if I'm walking around too much. My crutches do help but they're moreso the temporary use ones and you can't exactly carry anything with them and holy shit the wrist pain from my cane. So I guess this whole ass ramble is just: Thank you for reminding me how much good I'll be doing for myself by taking my chair.
As a new wheelchair user after 55 years of life I have no problem with this guy, or anybody using a wheelchair. Especially to avoid debilitating pain. When you NEED one for any sort of mobility such as myself (above knee amputee, fully paralyzed same side arm) the benefits are clear. They are fantastic devices. But for the able bodied but pain afflicted they are also useful. "Toughing it out" does nothing for a person except cause more pain and more need for assistance while robbing you of simple mobility. Being newly disabled is strange because I even have a few people who EXPECT me to walk with a fake leg. Yup. Just put one on and walk though the entire left side of my body is gone and my right side is greatly weakened. Its ridiculous. Its one thing to overcome a disability and an entirely other thing to be enslaved to a disability out of pride, ego, or the ignorance of others. For myself and others more or less disabled using a wheelchair IS overcoming disability. And a great way of doing it. It can also help prevent further injury and use of painkillers. Independence and freedom or pain, struggle, suffering, disability and painkillers? Easy choice. Kudos to this "walking person" for showing us the full and true value of wheelchairs, erasing stigma, and truly helping himself live better.
I am 19 months into my paralysis, and I have just started to trying walk again, and I tell people all the time that I'll always have a wheelchair. I get told that I'm being negative or pessimistic. I try to explain that I'm being a realist. I'll never walk "normal", and that I have to do what's best for my body. I won't use the crutches to go out with friends or go to events. I will slow people down, and no one will enjoy themselves. My wheelchair will be what I use for those situations. I'm planning my first flight soon, and I'm excited to be able to be able to get up to use the restroom in the plane. That's a benefit for sure. I have really enjoyed your videos, and have told both of my physical therapist about your channel for other SCI folks they have. I can't thank you enough for all of your videos, and the way you put things in a way able bodied people can see it.
I was talking about going on a SCUBA trip in the next couple years to my mom. She then asked..."How are you going to go SCUBA diving if you're in a wheelchair?". Needless to say, I explained to her that just because I need a wheelchair for long distances doesn't mean I can't do things I love. SCUBA is the only thing I can do that takes away all of my pain! I love it so much just for that. Not to mention all of the cool things you can see down there! It really helps me to see other people who are ambulatory, but need a wheelchair. My family just doesn't understand.
Excellent video man! As an incomplete T12, this is almost exactly my situation and i can completely relate to your perspective. And the way that you conveyed the information was interesting and informative. Great job man, keep the videos coming!
Most of the time I wouldn't need a wheelchair. I only need my cane half of the days and I can walk fine for the others. But one moment I would love to have a wheelchair is when I go to visit a castle or a museum or anything where you have to stand for a long time and not walk. I cannot enjoy them as much as I want because even with my cane (which is compulsory if I want to be able to do any visit anyway), I will start to feel like I'm going to faint very quickly. And it's even more important as it's usually when you're doing touristy stuff where you end up walking a lot. While it would be so useful for a hike, I enjoy going in small paths and places where a wheelchair doesn't fit so I just push through and spent a day in bed afterwards. :P
A lot of places you can visit will have wheelchairs you can borrow definitely try it out if you think it will help I was in your position a long time ago I could walk but not far and a wheelchair seemed like a step too far I wish I'd gotten one sooner I'd probably have been walking longer and I wouldn't have missed out on so much
I TOTALLY get it. I used a wheelchair for a while after I had the triple fracture on my ankle, even after I was allowed to be full weight bearing, especially if there was shopping involved. Pain free, easy, totally independent, and no aftershock from overuse of the ankle. It made me feel stronger because I got to wheel around, and use my perfectly capable upper body for it, instead of limping around feeling like I'm 90, and in horrible pain. I don't get what's so hard to understand! You rock man!
a minute thirty in, and I'm already tearing up. Independence is my number one priority as well. My wheelchair helps me accomplish that. Thank you for your videos. I'm new to my custom chair and I have learned more wheeler life skills from you than I have from anywhere else. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Your channel has been so helpful for me in my journey with paralysis... I can get around on two crutches but it's also extremely painful and tiring. It's been tough to accept the fact that I need a wheelchair, but seeing channels like this has made me confident that it's the best decision for my well being and independence 👍
Duuude!!! that is what I keep telling people, but they just don't get it. Stairs however are the worst for me. With FSHD you get severe drop foot. I can do stairs if I really, really need to but climbing and going down usually ends up in a bad stumble or worst fall. So, so glad I found your channel. Keep up the fantastic videos. Oh yeah gonna share this on my Facebook FSHD group and post to my wall. Thank you so much.
I normally use a cane (or a long hiking stick when outdoors/hiking), but there have been so many times that I've thought that I'd be able to do more with people if I just had a wheelchair. I think this video finally gave me an excuse to get one. Also, 1. I'm going to show this video to ANYONE who tries to talk me out of using a wheelchair or my cane, and 2. I have GOT to try that multiple-steps down the stairs maneuver with my cane now. Thanks my dude!
Just six months ago, I became paraplegic (incomplete) due to spinal cancer. I've beaten the cancer now, and am facing the new struggle for mobility and absolute independence. Thanks for the videos. It's inspiring! I can't wait to show the world what I can do.
Oh my god you are a sweet patient angel for taking the time to explain this to the idiots who didn’t get it from the first video. You rock! I wish people weren’t so judgemental and let people live their lives. My disability is much less visible than yours but I feel like you kind of share some of the issues of the invisible disability crowd-people thinking you’re faking it, getting dirty looks for using accessible areas, etc. It’s such a pain in the ass.
I use a brace but sometimes I’m in so much pain, I bomb around in my electric scooter. People don’t understand how we have to conserve energy & manage pain . Thanks for making your educational and funny video!
I’ve just discovered your channel. I really like it. I’m not a wheelchair user but I find interesting to discover this world through other people’s perspectives. Send hugs from Spain.
@Wheels2Walking I know the chance that you will read this is verry smal. But I want to says "Thank you!" Because you're videos are helping me! I had a serious accident 2,5 years ago where I was scooped up and than ran over by a car. I had a real difficult time adjusting myself and trying to realise my old life is behind me. The things that are normal, aren't normal anymore. I can walk with crutches for a little time, but i'm killing myself that way. Only 2 months ago I gave in and bought a wheelchair to make life eaysier on my and also on my girlfriend. Now we can go away for longer times and enjoy things again. But I really had problems with people looking at me while i'm a wheelchair. Because there is nothing wrong with to see. But I had in my mind that people are judging while they look at you. Since you're latest videos I dare to say more that I will take my wheelchair when we go away! So 'thank you!" for helping me to learn that I don't need be irritated what people "maybe" are thinking or judging about me! I also made a few checks for myself, what I want to do. But I still need to learn for me making that move also.
I'm currently *living* in a wheelchair inaccessible house which uhhh really sucks when I need my wheelchair 😅 usually I end up walking out (or using some combination of wheeling, my spouse pushing me, and walking small bits) and in the house on those days and needing to ask my spouse to get things from the kitchen etc. I'm excited to move soon and be in a first floor apartment where the only concern is the little lip of the door (and they're a lot more roomy too, so I'll be able to wheel out to the kitchen and from my bedroom to the front door etc)
Brilliant video! I’m a new chair user who can also walk but like you I experience a lot of pain and I’m not that stable on my feet. The amount of people who assume that I can’t walk because I have a chair is unreal. I just wanted to say your videos are an inspiration to me and others, keep up the good work 😁
42 years a T12/L1 incomplete and I back you up completely. Key words are 'Quality of Life' !! I've seen and known so many people doing it unnecessarily hard and struggling through life, because they have a mental block about using a chair. I can't walk anywhere near as good as you, but still always have people not understanding why I use a chair. Walking isn't all it's cracked up to be when you can't do it well or safely.
I can walk, but I call it my "not very" walk. not very far, not very often, not very pretty and not very safe. it causes me a LOT of pain, I fall often, and after about 60 yards, every step is slower, more painful and more dangerous. for me to be able to walk at all I need braces on both legs, and on good days, a cane, bad days a pair of forearm crutches. part of my injuries include my left shoulder, so I also can not use a manual chair. The VA gives me a power chair, and I use it when ever I am going to be out of my house. I do not have a proper wheelchair van, so loading and unloading is dangerous and painful. people often give me a hard time because they see me stand to load my chair, I fully understand why you use the chair. inside my house, which is NOT chair-friendly, I use canes, and have grab bars and other hand holds everywhere. I move slow, but I get it done.
You are so skilled with the wheelchair! It’s true that I’m depending on others having to use two crutches to go (short) distances, so I regularly risk the pain for very short distances. Walking without them means risking losing my balance, so I will not step aside for other people. I still have to get used to this. So that means getting into the wheelchair for longer distances, especially in warehouses and such. As for all else, I’m thankful I have a car, since I’m not very skilled in using the wheelchair for longer distances. Being able to walk still, specialists have been discouraging me to use the wheelchair, but fortunately I’ve had some lessons from a friend, so when I was stuck in the airport in Spain, I uses the wheelchair and went on a bus to go downtown... lol... So you my friend are inspiring! Thx!!!
I get a lot of this because I can move my legs. I love your channel. Thanks for sharing. It’s so helpful and just good to see someone being so open. Much love ❤️
I accidentally found your videos today and I love your spirit. I am gradually loosing the use of my legs from a car accident . I have been fighting the process starting with the 4-wheeled walker and now the power chair I just purchased with lift for my car. My first day out was Thanksgiving with my hubbie. It was the first time out with him I didnt have to lean on him or stop to rest 50 times or look for a close parking spot (and I have a placard for the hanicapped). We parked way out in th far parking lot and someone still ran into the lift with their car and we came out in the pouring rain to an unusable lift to put my chair on. Thankfully the back of my SUV was empty and Hubbie took the chair apart and put it in there. I was so discouraged. You are encourgement to keep trying! Thank you!
I am on crutches myself. Waiting for the resonance images to see if there is something to do about it. Anyway. I can relate to the pain and the awkwardness of crutches. So I have considered buying a wheelchair. But because of the limitations I would make a holder on my wheelchair so that I can bring the crutches. That way I can use the best tool for each situation.
for every 100ft I walk in need an hour or 2 of laying down, the rollator is good for short stop store visit but big stores & mall- well I just got a lightweight wheelchair and now I don't sit in the car while she goes shopping. I'm in the newbie stage so a lot to learn and balance in P.T., body healthy maintenance , getting social again.....and as far as people not understanding, well I'm happy they are walking/running/skating and I pray to GOD they never find out the pains of multiple operations, lack of mobility & strength, the discomfort levels to pain levels of being awake LOL and may GOD always keep them healthy.
Fortunately...my rollator is the cross brace type so when it's a narrow doorway...it can fold 50% and still roll. So I can do that function 100% independently. Just takes time.
If people stare when I stand up in my chair (to reach something on a high shelf, for example), I like to shout "It's a miracle!" before falling back down and saying "nope, false alarm." People generally leave me alone after that.
lmao !! that is beautiful, i might have to use that one !
😂
omg I need to do that!! (I have a form of severe full body juvenile arthritis caused by lupus rip)
I'm a PE teacher and my students, specially the young ones ask me all the time "why are you not using your wheelchair this time" or "why are you using your wheelchair today, something bad happened?" And I'm like "Kids common it's been months you can not always ask me the same things, there is no way to please you if I'm on the wheelchair you ask if I'm not in my wheelchair you ask too, now let's focus on enjoying the class!" XD
Omg... that's fabulous!!
I have been using a Walker for FOUR years. Today I used my new wheelchair for the first time and what a blessing. Everyone can call me speedy !
I have a different disability, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, but I completely relate to this video and the points you've made. My wheelchair gives me the freedom to enjoy life and see the world that my legs don't provide me with.
I also have (suspected) hEDS (dx HSD), though I didn't know it when hubby & I bought our house.
I'm more grateful than ever that the previous owners had a household member with MS & made accessibility improvements. 1 of the 2.5 bathrooms is fully wheelchair accessible (but no raised toilet seat), there are ramps from house level to street level in the garage & backyard deck.
Same!🖐
I just was diagnosed with POTS and EDS, and can't wait to hear back from my doctors on getting a wheelchair
toby crow to be 100% realistic, if you were just diagnosed they might want you to try PT and other aids before going to a wheelchair. I hope they’re supportive from the beginning and that the stigma is starting to change however
Same here. It’s good to have a video like this to show people when they don’t get it coz it’s amazing how many don’t, even some of those closest to me who really should understand don’t!
I have a foldable cane I tuck away in a bag on the back of my chair. If I run into the small bathroom problem, I use my cane and hobble in and out. And yeah, I've had people, even friends, ask me why I use a wheelchair if I can walk. I keep the answer simple: walking even a few steps is extremely painful and extremely dangerous, due to the very real risk of falling.
Thats exactly what i do
@@Oliver-qq7ux Same here!
People are so obsessed with other people's health.
@Martyr4JesusTheChrist I meant people diagnosing others without any medical training and only seeing them once.
Why do I use a wheelchair when I can walk? Bcos I want to! So many ways to reply depends on what mood I'm in! I'm usually stuck in the house so I want a good experience when I go out.
The troll comments are sad, especially those coming from other wheelchair users... we all need to understand that at the end of the day, a wheelchair is just a mobility AID. It moves a person from A to B. It doesn’t symbolize a competition of who’s more disabled. Spinal cord injuries can be complete or incomplete and then there are plenty of ambulatory disabilities that can necessitate a wheelchair, especially for long distances. Yes those of us who can pick and choose our aids are lucky, but if a wheelchair is the best/safest option, we’re ALLOWED TO USE ONE. Stop being the disability police.
I’m WAY more mobile and in WAY less pain in my wheelchair than when I’m walking. I need it for long distances otherwise Im in too much pain to walk even a very short distance later in the day. I also save a ton of energy using my chair and it’s safer because I don’t have to worry about falling.
THISSSS omg we talked about this a lot on the recent Wheels2Walking podcast coming out next Monday.
I agree, I actually been in more situations with disabled people. It's almost as if your not as disable as that one disabled person then they wont consider you disabled. I used wheelchair for two years, then learned to walk on crutches for 23 years. Now, I have to go back to wheelchair. For me it started when my state allowed other disabled to basically write a ticket for people parking in handicap. I would get all these tickets, when I have a license on my car. Some people only see shit that fits their agenda. Imo
So well said thank you. I am in a wheelchair but can walk a tiny bit. I literally face some sort of discrimination every single day. I found the troll comments disturbing.
@@addieloveswheelies5672 I totally get this, they make me feel so ashamed
@@Pugsrus I know and its so wrong that we would have to feel like that us Wheelie Boi's (and girls) go through enough. I think channels like this will help make the future better for the next generation. And hopefully us to.
I tried for years to just walk instead of using a wheelchair. I ended up never leaving the house and being too tired and in too much pain to move after noon. I could never walk as fast as my friends and had to constantly look at the ground due to my poor balance.
lease u can walk.. you have to push urself if you keep complainning that moving around hurt den you my friend will never catch up to ur buddy again... gotta push urelf let the inner self come out beat it up dont let ur inner take out. if there a chance there a will.. that mean will power..
@thanh phan And how is that a good quality of life? The risk of injury is so high too due to my poor balance and crappy knock knees.
thanh phan Just hope you never have to be in Amanda’s shoes. I never thought anyone could understand how I feel but now I’m so thankful to have found this page. Many people tell me to push myself but they have NO CLUE!! Ty for sharing Amanda!! I don’t feel so alone anymore!! Ty to all who understand 🥰
amanda z I’m sorry for you
@@thanhphan-zc7mx clearly you are someone who doesn't have a disability. It's really easy for people who don't have issues to talk. I know what Amanda is going through because I am too.
It makes me sad you have to explain this.
Wisegal99 why? If everyone wheeled and then only some people walked, wouldn’t you have questions about why they don’t run all the time if it’s faster?
I understand it sucks that people just ask disabled people very personal questions out of nowhere, and that for sure is not cool. But he is doing this to hopefully stop that kinda behavior, right?
People ask me al the time and i gett sick off to expsplain evry day
@@DryBooks I have no problem explaining my disability to anyone. It's the people that judge and dont ask I have a problem with. My guess is you never parked in a handicap parking place to understand. Imo.
Wisegal99 Really! This is his job he happily does this don’t be sorry! Because he’s said before he’s fine!
Two moms argue... FIGHT!
You should like attach your crutch onto your wheelchair so you can switch if you have problems like that.
Not a bad idea 🤔
I have a collapsible quadcane that I use, and I can hang it off the push handles on my chair.
@@Wheels2Walking My friend has a nifty slot attached to the back of her chair for her crutch--looks kinda like a cup holder.
big brain
Pretty cool
It is disgusting that you have to explain this. You did it in good humour anyway. Well done!!
Not disgusting, how is an enquirer disgusting, if you looked long enough at me you might have seen me smile, I’m shy!
@@doveseye.4666 might have been referring to the comments he showed at the beginning of the video, people accusing him of faking etc. he had already explained why he uses a wheelchair (which he shouldn't *have* to explain in the first place--it should always be the wheelchair user's *choice*) and it wasn't enough for some people
@@raphaelmorgan2307 there is an easy way to tell if he is faking it, look at how he places his teeth when he clenches his jaw, its placed full and balanced so as not to break his teeth with that much constant strength, all his teeth are placed together for maximum comfort against such strength, eventually his teeth will shatter if he doesn’t do this. I have severest form of AS with peripheral damage in the extremes that cause me greater pain than childbirth all day, one thing you learn 30/40 years+ on is how to place your teeth when you clench your jaw with true power.
@@doveseye.4666 I was just gonna go and assume he's not faking his disability, as a disabled person myself who knows how infuriating that is. I was just including that comment someone made as an example of 'disgusting"
@@raphaelmorgan2307 I also must say I may be thinking this is a comment video I’m commenting on where people are calling a guy in pain faker, I can tell.
YESSS!!!! I'm an ambulatory chair user too and most of my family, former classmates, and even my doctors don't understand why I rely on my wheelchair most of the time. My wheelchair = my independence! I actually keep a cane attached to my chair with a bicycle flashlight mount so I can switch between the two.
That’s a really smart idea!
I'm at the point of having to consider using a wheelchair and this has put me at ease that it's ok to use both crutches and a wheelchair!! Thank you woman for helping me learn how to cope with my disability xx
For my situation-
Wheelchair is better:
-museums
-big cities where we'll be out all day without the car (e.g. D.C.)
-state/national parks
-airports (except on the actual plane itself - I can walk well enough that I don't need an aisle chair)
-anywhere with paved sidewalks/no stairs that's too long for me to walk without sitting down to take breaks
-anytime I have to stand/walk in the heat for more than a few minutes at a time but it's still paved
-anywhere accessible that I'm not sure how far I'll need to walk (just in case it's further than what I can do)
-when I don't have enough energy to walk
-when I need to conserve energy for walking later on in places that won't be accessible
-when I need a portable chair and it's the only one I have
Walking is better:
-anywhere a wheelchair would be unable to go/where it would be extremely impractical: friends' houses, fields/unpaved trails, at camp, geocaching, at church (even though the main part is accessible, there's no elevator to the choir loft, but there's a railing the entire way up), first responder training scenarios, my choir concerts, etc.
-anywhere it would be unsafe to use a wheelchair: working around horses, etc.
-anywhere I don't have to stand still for long periods nor walk very far without breaks
-when I have the energy and walking won't do more harm than good
I walk when I can (which is most of the time), but I use my chair when I need to.
LONG MESSAGE❤❤❤❤
This me. My cancer has it made harder for me to walk farther.
So informative. It’s helping me learn the options I have with my deteriorating health.
Martyr4JesusTheChrist that’s counter productive for me
Hey man I'm proud of you for looking for options,
I'm an ambulatory wheelchair user and the amount of times I have had to explain that walking hurts, dislocates my joints, makes me nauseous and dizzy and requires me to have help which I DONT WANT AT AGE 20 is remarkable. My chair enables me to go out alone for more that 20 minutes and actually have hobbies outside of my house.
I live with chronic illness and the points you made are so relatable and frustrating! I'm trying to get a loan out to get myself a chair so I can find my independence instead of being trapped in the house for days on end - would be fab to see an advice video on finding the perfect wheels to suit you - your videos have helped so much and when I finally get my chair I know I'll be using many of your tips and tricks to help me feel more confident getting back out in the world again!
I strongly advise against taking out a loan for your wheelchair. The last thing you want to have happen is because of unforeseen circumstances you are unable to make payments and they take your wheelchair away from you. That would be tragic! It's better to swallow a bit of pride and find a charity to help you get what you need. Trust me there are many charities out there that do this. I got mine from the VA. Of course when I served in the USAF I had no clue how valuable the VA would later become.
@@rtlamb Thankyou for the advice especially coming from personal experience. Luckily I have plenty of family support around me should I decide to go through with a loan but will certainly be taking more time to see what charities and grants are available to me.
I have been looking at decent chairs for about 2 hundred,I cant just order one right now either but in a matter of time its not that far out of reach..
This is SO true. I have Spina Bifida, and I made the decision to be in a wheelchair full time due to stamina and falling risks. I decided after I was intentionally shoved by a fellow student at my High School. Sadly, I was also ashamed of walking because I had a noticeable abnormal gait due to my spinal birth defect. My suggestion to others who may be thinking about making the transfer; make sure you do have a plan when it comes
to diet, exercise, and strength training. All of that needs to be modified once your mobility is limited.
Unfortunately, I neglected those things as I got older, and I am suffering from the effects of not planning for the future when it came to my health. I wish I would have done things differently, but I am now working from the bottom up. Learn from my mistakes and don't take your health, independence, or your abilities (despite how limited they may be) for granted. Only you and your doctor can decide what's best for your health and independence. Be proud of your abilities and who you are. If walking or using a wheelchair is easier and provides independence, don't be afraid of what others are thinking. You know your limitations and how to better the quality of your life; don't listen to ignorant fools.
Good advice that I need to take, I do have a deteriorating condition and I've let my weight get a bit to much (I'm overweight, not obese, I think it's less than 40lb to get me back to a BMI of 25) and I haven't found a way to work out (whole body condition where currently my lower body is worse). I've just moved to a flat where I could use my wheelchair inside, though I will need to get the bathroom adapted, it's accessible via a lift. I'm about to get a new car and this one will have a hoist for my chair as I'm finding it increasingly difficult to lift, despite it being light. The future does scare me as if my condition gets worse in both my upper and lower body I may need an electric wheelchair, which makes being independent much harder. I also use hand controls to drive, what if I find I can't use them?
Pinky I also have Spina Bifida and use a wheelchair
Everything you said is 100% what I’ve dealt with as someone with spina bífida. I also made the switch to wheelchair for the same reasons! It can suck at times, but I definitely have more energy. I’m currently in college, so I’m glad my mom convinced me to stop using the walker 😂 But anyways I know exactly what you’re going through and I wish you the best 💕
I also have Spina-bifita, and am currently checking in to having to start to use a wheelchair part time. I'm glad I found these postings, it makes me feel better about the decision after seeing I'm not the only one that is going through this.
Bevan Biggs I’m glad dude I hope everything works out for you! I was really trying to avoid switching mainly because I didn’t want to give up walking and I didn’t want people to think of me differently. But people generally don’t pay you any mind and u still occasionally walk when I do something like just going out for dinner. It’s just important to know your body and it’s limitations. Don’t over exert yourself just for the sake of walking. Having a wheel chair is a great choice even if you have to use it to get to your location so you can have energy to walk around the room.
In Germany we say "Besser schlecht gefahren als gut gelaufen" this means "Better drive bad than walk good"
(sorry for the bad translation)
We have a similar saying in the UK a 3rd class ride is better than a 1st class walk
Cool how they are essentially the same but from different places
I'm America we say,WHY ARE YOU USING A WEELCHAIR WHEN YOU CAN PERFECTLY WALK NORMAL!!!??
Orly *proceeds to crash into house*
FNAFfoxyfan_9000 • the guy in this video fell 50 feet and broke his spine, you don’t know what ur talking about.
Well, he did say he can walk just fine
I STILL cannot believe that people STILL needed further clarification as to why some people need to use a wheelchair 🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️. Your other video explained it pretty well. People are so dense it's ridiculous.
I love how your videos are useful for people who use wheelchairs and for people who don't!
This has been one of my biggest obstacles to overcome. Yes I can walk but I pay for it later with all the pain I end up having. I have hated it because I feel like it's giving in but I am trying to remember it's what is better for me to use my wheelchair and it will help me keep my pain under control. I am having a hard time getting over the mindset that my wheelchair is somehow giving up on walking. Even though eventually I won't have a choice but use my wheelchair 24/7. I have only been using my wheelchair on a regular bases for the last few months but have known for a long time this was inevitable. (I have an inoperable nerve sheath tumor growing on the L4 and L5 of my spine and growing into my sacral due to Neurofibromatosis type 1)
so i can walk and stairs as well and not use a walker if needed but i like my wheelchair because i get around faster and it lets be so much more independent. its like a non stop workout that helps me get strength back in my life. You are one great example for many people and i thank you for it so much. “My disability does not defines me, it’s my hard work and never giving up that shows who I am”
Due to my deteriorating health, I’ve recently given in to the fact that I can no longer navigate a large store or event on foot. Just grocery shopping puts me in tears from the pain. I hate the looks that I get when I walk from my truck and go get into an electric cart. People have even made rude comments about the chairs being for people who “need” them. I’m starting to get bitter towards those people. How dare they make comments like that, when they don’t know me (or my health struggles) at all. THANK YOU for doing such a great job trying to educate not only those in similar situations as yourself, but also the general public. It is much appreciated. 💕
Stay strong Jen!
I’m just waiting for someone to tell me I don’t “look” disabled when I use my handicap tag or use an electric cart. I’m sooooo ready!! I’m gonna tell them....YOU DONT LOOK LIKE A DOCTOR EITHER!! 😂😂😂😂🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳
Delia Dee, that’s a perfect answer! I may have to steal that one. 😊
You know what? Let people think what they wanna, Let them stare! They are NOT living in your body, & they sure as hell NOT your doctor. They have NOTHING to say.
My sister gets dirty looks when she parks in a disability spot then walks around the shop. So many people don't seem to get that she can walk around the shop or the car park (not both) on an average day; she uses crutches on a bad day and in a really good day can walk a full mile (much like when I forget I can only drink 3 pints of cider, she regrets this the next day). The dirty looks rarely became conversations after I brought her a bumper sticker that said "I don't look disabled? You don't look stupid".
I love the video game concept!! Thank you for making these videos to help educate and inform others and effectively making the world a better place!! 😃
The transfer in the bathroom when the door won’t close sitting in the chair is brilliant!
I wish I had seen your videos when my dad was still alive. He was in a wheel chair but had the ability to take 2-5 steps with a walker. The tips and techniques you share would have opened a whole new world to him.
My sister's goddaughter has a little boy (three years old this month). When I first got a wheelchair, J was afraid of how he'd react when he was used to seeing me walking or in a hospital bed. I was afraid the wheelchair would frighten him or make him see me differently.
The first time he saw me in it, his whole face lit up. He loves anything with wheels. We had a race, which he won in his buggy. First time I had laughed in a long time.
My new, all terrain wheelchair arrived today. Looking forward to showing little Jude my new wheels.
I feel so much more mobile in my wheelchair. Yes, it limits the places I can go, but it enables me to go other places I'd probably never go because I can't stand for long periods of time.
This is fantastic. This is very much my life. People get annoyed with me that I can walk... see what happens to me if walk around for an hour. I’m screwed. I need a chair. Simple. Thanks for making this!
Thank you for posting this. Back surgery 6 months ago left me in a wheelchair. Like you, I can stand and walk a little. Everyone in my world wants me walking but 1) I have osteoporosis and falling is a terrible risk and 2) when I'm in my chair, I don't hurt. Your video confirms what I know to be true and I will stick to it. Thank you!!
As a parent, this video has really put things into perspective. Our eldest has sever scoliosis and kyphosis but is still "not severe" enough for intervention according to the doctors and no help was provided regarding the reduced mobility she's been suffering. She's been using a walker and forearm for crutches for the last couple of years but she was still left mostly immobile for the exact reason you've mentioned. This video helped us make the final decision to get a wheelchair. We were nervous about how she would react about us when we proposed the idea of a wheelchair, we showed her the video, she is really excited and since she's a gamer, the videogame twist helped so much THANK YOU for sharing your strength with others!
I've just started watching your videos and they are so validating. I've had a non-traumatic spinal cord injury for 8 years and I'm now an ambulatory wheelchair user. It's great to see people like myself represented, and especially embracing wheels the way you do. I know my new wheels (hopefully getting them next week, current wheelchair is awful!) are going to lead to me being so much more active and adventurous!
I’ve been thinking about it. Thanks for your comment
Thanks for this! Sadly in UK, being able to walk even 10-20 metres with a crutch, I am deemed to not be a fulltime user, so had to take peace with a heavy chair I can’t propel, let alone lift in and out of the car. I was working for wheelchair services as a senior therapist when I had my stroke. I so fully agree with your reasons why a wheelchair is better than walking. My gait is also very painful and costs me a lot of energy. I’m going to share your video to my colleagues to get some more understanding about pacing out my energy and avoid pain where I can.
Thanks for this! Sadly in UK, being able to walk even 10-20 metres with a crutch, I am deemed to not be a fulltime user, so had to take peace with a heavy chair I can’t propel, let alone lift in and out of the car. I was working for wheelchair services as a senior therapist when I had my stroke. I so fully agree with your reasons why a wheelchair is better than walking. My gait is also very painful and costs me a lot of energy. I’m going to share your video to my colleagues to get some more understanding about pacing out my energy and avoid pain where I can.
Also I don’t personally have an injury where I have to use a wheelchair but I still enjoy watching these videos just so I can be more educated about wheelchair users. Your videos are also very informative to non-wheelchair users also I love your personality. It’s sad to see people being so insensitive, I love how positive you are about it too! Keep it up man
i’m so happy i found your channel. i’m chronically ill with POTS and EDS so i’m finally having to come to terms with needing a wheelchair in the next few years as i can barely make it through an hour of walking even with my walker. you’ve given me confidence that i’ll find independence even with the thing i thought would mean my life would be over. thank you so much for having your channel and uploading your journey to independence.
I feel you on this. I also have POTS and suspected Marfans Syndrome. I just started using a rollator and wish I’d done it years ago. Now I’m starting to look into wheelchairs. I’m out of the house more than ever and now I don’t let the fear of others opinions stop me. Hang in there ❤
I was laughing so much during this, my partner came over and was like WTF?! He loved it too. I use crutches at home because it isn't accessible and I can hop (I only have one leg that works). It's exhausting, I've fallen a few times and it just sucks. The crutches are helpful for stairs (I have 3 flights to get into my apartment - hopefully moving in a year or two!) and the city that I live in isn't really accessible. When I get into my chair, it's a totally different story. I can move, go places by myself, keep up with others. Speaking of amusement parks, I recently went to one in my chair and had a blast. I never would have been able to do it on crutches. I bought a free-wheel and now I can go off-road, I camp, hike, etc.
At the end, when you were talking about how your chair means freedom and independence, my partner was like "That sounds familiar!"
Loved the video game, you're really doing great things with your channel, I'm totally envious of your skills :)
Do you have any tips for the freewheel? I just got one and I'm going on a camping trip next week (that's why I bought it actually). I'm super excited but the fear of messing up with it is so huge
@@laetusCantus Sorry I just saw this!! I had mine installed by a wheelchair company that was local to me, which made things a bit easier. It doesn't look too hard to install on your own though. I had issues because I have a TRA so my footplate is adjustable and kept slipping down so the Freewheel didn't lift my castors. A strong boyfriend later, it was good to go. I have him tighten the footplate area every few weeks or so, just to make sure it stays put. It's honestly a problem I had with the chair before the Freewheel, so not that surprising.
My big caution would be don't get overconfident. It's so easy to roll on grass, gravel, dirt, etc. I've nearly landed on the ground a few times because I wasn't paying enough attention.
It also makes wheelies much harder. I'm not great at them, to begin with, and it's extra hard with the FreeWheel on. I can pop up the front a bit but I can't balance with it - but the Freewheel also eliminates most times I would need to wheelie anyway (except curbs).
I just hope it's as good in the snow (I"m in Canada), but I will find out in a few months :)
I was born with Spina Bifida
Oh my gosh! I just realized reading this that I haven't been able to go to an amusement park for years because of this! I LOVE amusement parks and have wanted to go for so long!! I'm getting fit for a wheelchair in the coming weeks and I'm really excited because I think I might actually be able to go to an amusement park!! Thank you for reminding me of things I'm going to be able to do again with my new wheelchair!!
Man that was one of your best videos yet in my opinion! 😂
This also happens to me I live in Brazil and always get these looks when someone sees me walking, I have incomplete spinal cord injury l3 and l4 but I can stand with crutches use for short distances but also use wheelchair, people think that to use chair wheelchair should be 100% paralyzed from the legs.
This is the BEST video I've ever seen on being an ambulatory wheelchair user. I have cerebral palsy and I can walk limited amounts independently, with crutches, or a walker. But my power wheelchair is what allows me to work, have a social life, and do all the things I want to do. Stamina and pain are my big issues too and able bodied people never realize how much walking is involved in day to day life. Love this so much!!
I cannot thank you enough for making this. Lets spread this as wide as we can!
Dude, this is legit my life exactly. I'm so happy you put it in a video!
same here, i agree
The coffee cup shade at 1:23 😂 Also, love the video game concept. You should do exactly what you need to do and people should mind their business. 😉
Hahah I’m stoked you noticed 😂 I’m expecting a huge wave of hate for this one. Had to take preemptive measures ✊🏻
@@Wheels2Walking Well, I hope you don't get hate. This is your life and your journey and your body. Just because you're putting yourself out there doesn't mean that others get to try to tell you what to do or presume to be in your body or to tell you how you should feel or what you should think or do. You're absolutely right...you have to think about the future, and how you can best remain independent for the longest time, not just, "What is the absolute maximum I can do right now?"
@@Wheels2Walking yeah thats a good text on a coffee cup
@Martyr4JesusTheChrist Well, this is his channel and his platform, so no, I am not saying anyone is not entitled to their feelings or their opinion, but those opinions and feelings don't make Richard's perspective wrong. He gets to decide what is right for him personally, no one else gets to decide that, nor should he get hate for it. That is what I am saying.
Thank you so much for getting this information out there. I have been an amputee (left ak) for almost 29 years and have used many types of prosthetic's. My last revision was a few years ago and I thought this would finally let me get into a prosthesis that fit and was comfortable. Well it fit very well and was comfortable to wear but it just was not giving me the mobility I needed. I have always used a wheelchair since losing my leg and only used it in house or sparingly outside. However, I have finally switched to a wheelchair for everything I need to do in my daily life and just don;t miss using a prosthesis all that much. So again thank you for being an inspiration that it's okay to live your life on wheels.
When i use my wheelchair:
-School
-Work
-Outside
-My house
-Friends house
When i walk:
-whenever they find a cure for SCI
xxii same lmaoo i can walk but i'd put me in some much pain that at the end of the day i'd collapses
I don’t know how you can’t just smile and love this. This guy just understands how to communicate. Love it
This was really encouraging for me. I am a L4,,5 recovered spinal core. For years I have pressed through the pain of walking. But lately it is so painful I have stopped doing anything, I have been thinking about a wheelchair or a walker. Because I have been loosing my balance a lot more. Thanks for sharing.
I’m not someone who uses a mobility device, but I have severe asthma and it’s very hard explaining to people how some days I can walk long distances (on flat surfaces) but on the same day climbing stairs to my building leaves me completely out of breath. It’s been especially hard the past year because my lung function has gone to shit and walking any distance especially up hill basically makes my chest feel like it’s being crushed in a vice.
I WISH I could use a wheelchair more, but I'm not strong enough and struggling to develop my shoulder muscles. The explanation of the decision between crutches and chair is spot on.
I spent the first 27 years of my disability exactly as you describe when you were out “walking” in nature. Since becoming wheelchair bound full time, I have gained Independence like I have never had in my life. The only thing I cant do that you can is stand to reach things. It was a shame that I had to wait until I was 42 to get that independence Thanks for sharing your experiences.
I had never considered the levels of mobility in relation to wheelchair use before, so thanks for this video and the information. Much appreciated.
Your trick of changing the crutch over to the other side going up stairs is so smart! I’ve been stuck like that so many times but just did one step at a time to combat it! I’ll 100% do that from now on!
This is a great video and very educational. Thank you! I'm not in a wheelchair, but I want to educate myself so I don't do anything offensive or judge people. I've learned a lot from your videos! I wish you a lot of success!!!
I'm not in a wheelchair either but I sympathize and relate to your reasons for watching :)
Thank you for explaining! The idea of comparing it like this was really good!
Your videos helped me realize that wheelchairs are just tools people use to get around and helped me see the person instead of " the wheelchair user" whenever I see a person in a wheelchair.
Couldn't have said it better myself. #AmbulatoryWheelchairUsersExist is a really great hashtag on social media to find other people online who are also ambulatory wheelchair users.
There are so many variables that determine what mobility aids I'm using in a given day. I'm glad you are educating people on this topic! Hopefully the younger generation won't have to face as many ignorant comments and stares for just existing.
@Martyr4JesusTheChrist it's never other wheelchair users who make comments. It is always able-bodied people who make ignorant comments. Because they are ignorant to the reality of actual disabled lives. But thank you for your loving response, "Martyr for Jesus The Christ." You are really doing the Lord's work. I'm sure he is really proud. 😘
Martyr4JesusTheChrist They never said any such thing, but nice reach. Go take your outrage posting elsewhere you dense fuck.
Brought tears to my eyes bc I have a spinal tumor and I'm just now needing one for more than distance in order to enjoy life more. It is a hard choice but I want the independence. You have a new subscriber! Oh and thank you for your candidness about the bladder leading issue. 🥰
Thank You so much for this video. I no longer fell strange. I broke my hip a year ago and I can do about 700 steps a day before I fall apart. I am sending the link to all my friends you explain this so well.
Also an ambulatory wheelchair user and this is the best explanation I’ve seen :) Thank you I will try and use it to educate!
Thank you so much for this.. I was really worried about explaining to people why I have started using an electric wheelchair after 7+ years on crutches. I don't have an SCI - I have pain, low energy, dislocations and back weakness from Ehlers Danlos Syndrome - but all of these points also apply to my wheelchair use so I just shared this video on my facebook. Hopefully, some of my friends will watch it and understand. Keep up the good work - I love your channel :D
im so glad u did this video. ive been using two forarm crutches for a while now and still in alot of pain, dose make me think more about getting a wheelchair. thank you.
There are days when I can walk for a few hours with minimal issues (though I will probably need a couple days to recuperate afterward). There are days where I wake up and my caregiver has to carry my sorry butt to the toilet that is literally ten feet away from my bed, because I don't even have the strength to crawl.
There have been a large number of instances where I thought I was in good shape that day, decided to go out with just my cane, aaaaand collapsed on the sidewalk halfway to my destination. Or in the parking lot outside my apartment. Or on the floor at work. Or in the third aisle of the grocery store during a relatively short errand run. You get the gist.
I don't go anywhere without my wheelchair anymore. Even if I think I don't need it, I know there's a massive risk involved if I need it later and don't have it. And I'm terrified of being stranded wherever I happen to fall. And anybody who wants to tell me I should just walk until I can't, can go suck an egg.
ALL THE EGGS
@@Wheels2Walking ❤❤❤❤❤❤I Love you
My reasons for using a wheelchair are different from yours, but the daily struggle is the same. I too can walk/stand, but not for very far or long. Not at all. I LOVE your guest bathroom transfer hack!! Freaking brilliant! I try to not stand up in the grocery store. It really warps people's brains and I don't like dealing with all that at all. To be honest you walk better than I do. I always tell people that I very grateful that I can walk, even if it's just a little bit. I must have an attitude of gratitude!
Thanks for sharing a bit of your life with us! I really appreciate it!
This came out at a perfect time! Really reinforces to me that I need to take my chair on my camping trip next week. I have the freewheel attachment so hopefully that'll make it easier but I'm still a new chair user. It feels weird taking it on a camping trip since I can walk but my pain levels get so absurdly high and my patellas dislocate and hips sublux if I'm walking around too much. My crutches do help but they're moreso the temporary use ones and you can't exactly carry anything with them and holy shit the wrist pain from my cane.
So I guess this whole ass ramble is just: Thank you for reminding me how much good I'll be doing for myself by taking my chair.
Yoo!! This video is so good! The editing is so fun and the education on your Specific injury is really informative. Keep making videos!
I promised I would watch your vid and here I am :))
GREAT VID LIKE ALWAYS!
As a new wheelchair user after 55 years of life I have no problem with this guy, or anybody using a wheelchair. Especially to avoid debilitating pain. When you NEED one for any sort of mobility such as myself (above knee amputee, fully paralyzed same side arm) the benefits are clear. They are fantastic devices. But for the able bodied but pain afflicted they are also useful. "Toughing it out" does nothing for a person except cause more pain and more need for assistance while robbing you of simple mobility. Being newly disabled is strange because I even have a few people who EXPECT me to walk with a fake leg. Yup. Just put one on and walk though the entire left side of my body is gone and my right side is greatly weakened. Its ridiculous. Its one thing to overcome a disability and an entirely other thing to be enslaved to a disability out of pride, ego, or the ignorance of others. For myself and others more or less disabled using a wheelchair IS overcoming disability. And a great way of doing it. It can also help prevent further injury and use of painkillers. Independence and freedom or pain, struggle, suffering, disability and painkillers? Easy choice. Kudos to this "walking person" for showing us the full and true value of wheelchairs, erasing stigma, and truly helping himself live better.
I am 19 months into my paralysis, and I have just started to trying walk again, and I tell people all the time that I'll always have a wheelchair. I get told that I'm being negative or pessimistic. I try to explain that I'm being a realist. I'll never walk "normal", and that I have to do what's best for my body.
I won't use the crutches to go out with friends or go to events. I will slow people down, and no one will enjoy themselves. My wheelchair will be what I use for those situations.
I'm planning my first flight soon, and I'm excited to be able to be able to get up to use the restroom in the plane. That's a benefit for sure.
I have really enjoyed your videos, and have told both of my physical therapist about your channel for other SCI folks they have.
I can't thank you enough for all of your videos, and the way you put things in a way able bodied people can see it.
I was talking about going on a SCUBA trip in the next couple years to my mom. She then asked..."How are you going to go SCUBA diving if you're in a wheelchair?". Needless to say, I explained to her that just because I need a wheelchair for long distances doesn't mean I can't do things I love. SCUBA is the only thing I can do that takes away all of my pain! I love it so much just for that. Not to mention all of the cool things you can see down there! It really helps me to see other people who are ambulatory, but need a wheelchair. My family just doesn't understand.
what a perfect video! You explained your situation clearly and in an entertaining way. Glad I came across your channel - keep it up!
Excellent video man! As an incomplete T12, this is almost exactly my situation and i can completely relate to your perspective. And the way that you conveyed the information was interesting and informative. Great job man, keep the videos coming!
I just found this channel and Im impressed over your ability to educate/explain. I subscribed :)
Most of the time I wouldn't need a wheelchair. I only need my cane half of the days and I can walk fine for the others. But one moment I would love to have a wheelchair is when I go to visit a castle or a museum or anything where you have to stand for a long time and not walk. I cannot enjoy them as much as I want because even with my cane (which is compulsory if I want to be able to do any visit anyway), I will start to feel like I'm going to faint very quickly. And it's even more important as it's usually when you're doing touristy stuff where you end up walking a lot. While it would be so useful for a hike, I enjoy going in small paths and places where a wheelchair doesn't fit so I just push through and spent a day in bed afterwards. :P
A lot of places you can visit will have wheelchairs you can borrow definitely try it out if you think it will help
I was in your position a long time ago I could walk but not far and a wheelchair seemed like a step too far I wish I'd gotten one sooner I'd probably have been walking longer and I wouldn't have missed out on so much
I TOTALLY get it. I used a wheelchair for a while after I had the triple fracture on my ankle, even after I was allowed to be full weight bearing, especially if there was shopping involved. Pain free, easy, totally independent, and no aftershock from overuse of the ankle. It made me feel stronger because I got to wheel around, and use my perfectly capable upper body for it, instead of limping around feeling like I'm 90, and in horrible pain. I don't get what's so hard to understand! You rock man!
a minute thirty in, and I'm already tearing up.
Independence is my number one priority as well. My wheelchair helps me accomplish that.
Thank you for your videos. I'm new to my custom chair and I have learned more wheeler life skills from you than I have from anywhere else. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Your channel has been so helpful for me in my journey with paralysis... I can get around on two crutches but it's also extremely painful and tiring. It's been tough to accept the fact that I need a wheelchair, but seeing channels like this has made me confident that it's the best decision for my well being and independence 👍
Duuude!!! that is what I keep telling people, but they just don't get it. Stairs however are the worst for me. With FSHD you get severe drop foot. I can do stairs if I really, really need to but climbing and going down usually ends up in a bad stumble or worst fall. So, so glad I found your channel. Keep up the fantastic videos. Oh yeah gonna share this on my Facebook FSHD group and post to my wall. Thank you so much.
I normally use a cane (or a long hiking stick when outdoors/hiking), but there have been so many times that I've thought that I'd be able to do more with people if I just had a wheelchair. I think this video finally gave me an excuse to get one. Also, 1. I'm going to show this video to ANYONE who tries to talk me out of using a wheelchair or my cane, and 2. I have GOT to try that multiple-steps down the stairs maneuver with my cane now. Thanks my dude!
Dude, the vidio game grapichs are awsome!! 🎮
Just six months ago, I became paraplegic (incomplete) due to spinal cancer. I've beaten the cancer now, and am facing the new struggle for mobility and absolute independence.
Thanks for the videos. It's inspiring! I can't wait to show the world what I can do.
Oh my god you are a sweet patient angel for taking the time to explain this to the idiots who didn’t get it from the first video. You rock!
I wish people weren’t so judgemental and let people live their lives. My disability is much less visible than yours but I feel like you kind of share some of the issues of the invisible disability crowd-people thinking you’re faking it, getting dirty looks for using accessible areas, etc. It’s such a pain in the ass.
I use a brace but sometimes I’m in so much pain, I bomb around in my electric scooter. People don’t understand how we have to conserve energy & manage pain . Thanks for making your educational and funny video!
Longer the outing the more I need the chair... pain, weakness, balance is my worse enemy...(transverse myelitis t5 level)
I’ve just discovered your channel. I really like it. I’m not a wheelchair user but I find interesting to discover this world through other people’s perspectives. Send hugs from Spain.
@Wheels2Walking I know the chance that you will read this is verry smal. But I want to says "Thank you!" Because you're videos are helping me! I had a serious accident 2,5 years ago where I was scooped up and than ran over by a car. I had a real difficult time adjusting myself and trying to realise my old life is behind me. The things that are normal, aren't normal anymore. I can walk with crutches for a little time, but i'm killing myself that way. Only 2 months ago I gave in and bought a wheelchair to make life eaysier on my and also on my girlfriend. Now we can go away for longer times and enjoy things again. But I really had problems with people looking at me while i'm a wheelchair. Because there is nothing wrong with to see. But I had in my mind that people are judging while they look at you. Since you're latest videos I dare to say more that I will take my wheelchair when we go away! So 'thank you!" for helping me to learn that I don't need be irritated what people "maybe" are thinking or judging about me! I also made a few checks for myself, what I want to do. But I still need to learn for me making that move also.
I'm currently *living* in a wheelchair inaccessible house which uhhh really sucks when I need my wheelchair 😅 usually I end up walking out (or using some combination of wheeling, my spouse pushing me, and walking small bits) and in the house on those days and needing to ask my spouse to get things from the kitchen etc. I'm excited to move soon and be in a first floor apartment where the only concern is the little lip of the door (and they're a lot more roomy too, so I'll be able to wheel out to the kitchen and from my bedroom to the front door etc)
Bruh he’s obviously disabled I say what ever helps, him helps him don’t hate on my mans
Brilliant video! I’m a new chair user who can also walk but like you I experience a lot of pain and I’m not that stable on my feet. The amount of people who assume that I can’t walk because I have a chair is unreal. I just wanted to say your videos are an inspiration to me and others, keep up the good work 😁
1:08
My mind filled “My main goal...” in with “to blow up, and act like I don’t know nobodaaay hahahahahahar”
#
42 years a T12/L1 incomplete and I back you up completely. Key words are 'Quality of Life' !! I've seen and known so many people doing it unnecessarily hard and struggling through life, because they have a mental block about using a chair. I can't walk anywhere near as good as you, but still always have people not understanding why I use a chair. Walking isn't all it's cracked up to be when you can't do it well or safely.
I can walk, but I call it my "not very" walk. not very far, not very often, not very pretty and not very safe. it causes me a LOT of pain, I fall often, and after about 60 yards, every step is slower, more painful and more dangerous. for me to be able to walk at all I need braces on both legs, and on good days, a cane, bad days a pair of forearm crutches. part of my injuries include my left shoulder, so I also can not use a manual chair. The VA gives me a power chair, and I use it when ever I am going to be out of my house. I do not have a proper wheelchair van, so loading and unloading is dangerous and painful. people often give me a hard time because they see me stand to load my chair, I fully understand why you use the chair. inside my house, which is NOT chair-friendly, I use canes, and have grab bars and other hand holds everywhere. I move slow, but I get it done.
You are so skilled with the wheelchair! It’s true that I’m depending on others having to use two crutches to go (short) distances, so I regularly risk the pain for very short distances. Walking without them means risking losing my balance, so I will not step aside for other people. I still have to get used to this. So that means getting into the wheelchair for longer distances, especially in warehouses and such. As for all else, I’m thankful I have a car, since I’m not very skilled in using the wheelchair for longer distances. Being able to walk still, specialists have been discouraging me to use the wheelchair, but fortunately I’ve had some lessons from a friend, so when I was stuck in the airport in Spain, I uses the wheelchair and went on a bus to go downtown... lol... So you my friend are inspiring! Thx!!!
You teaching disabled people to like there wheelchair. This really good.
I get a lot of this because I can move my legs. I love your channel. Thanks for sharing. It’s so helpful and just good to see someone being so open. Much love ❤️
1:07 “my main goal is to blow up and then act like I don’t know nobody hahahahaha”
I accidentally found your videos today and I love your spirit. I am gradually loosing the use of my legs from a car accident . I have been fighting the process starting with the 4-wheeled walker and now the power chair I just purchased with lift for my car. My first day out was Thanksgiving with my hubbie. It was the first time out with him I didnt have to lean on him or stop to rest 50 times or look for a close parking spot (and I have a placard for the hanicapped). We parked way out in th far parking lot and someone still ran into the lift with their car and we came out in the pouring rain to an unusable lift to put my chair on. Thankfully the back of my SUV was empty and Hubbie took the chair apart and put it in there. I was so discouraged. You are encourgement to keep trying! Thank you!
What kind of pain do you have?
Nerve pain, skeletal, or both?
Very awesome video! 🙌🏼
I am on crutches myself. Waiting for the resonance images to see if there is something to do about it.
Anyway. I can relate to the pain and the awkwardness of crutches. So I have considered buying a wheelchair. But because of the limitations I would make a holder on my wheelchair so that I can bring the crutches. That way I can use the best tool for each situation.
I love the different "characters"
for every 100ft I walk in need an hour or 2 of laying down, the rollator is good for short stop store visit but big stores & mall- well I just got a lightweight wheelchair and now I don't sit in the car while she goes shopping. I'm in the newbie stage so a lot to learn and balance in P.T., body healthy maintenance , getting social again.....and as far as people not understanding, well I'm happy they are walking/running/skating and I pray to GOD they never find out the pains of multiple operations, lack of mobility & strength, the discomfort levels to pain levels of being awake LOL and may GOD always keep them healthy.
Mom :” pick up the groceries
Kid : 2:51”nah ,cant try this at home”
Hahahahahahah
Haha😂😂😂😂
the conserving energy thing is so important! it enables you to stand up and walk when you need to!
Fortunately...my rollator is the cross brace type so when it's a narrow doorway...it can fold 50% and still roll. So I can do that function 100% independently. Just takes time.
Not sure why RUclips brought me here but I’ve watched a few of your videos and they’re awesome! Well done!!