I have a connective tissue disorder, Osteogenesis Imperfecta, and one of my doctors tried to prevent my mother getting me a wheelchair because I would "never want to walk" and it would make me "dependent on a wheelchair". No, actually, I was an ambulatory wheelchair user until the age of 13 when the will to walk left me not because I had a wheelchair but because I was in constant joint pain and my knees kept giving out. Having a wheelchair made me realize there was a pain free option to move. I don't get why pediatric physicians believe walking should be the goal. The safest, most comfortable and efficient way to move should be the goal. Disabled kids are going to want to walk, why don't you want to show us that there might be better options out there?
"Dependant on a wheelchair"?? What the actual hell?! What a thing to say! It's a device that is necessary for achieving a decent quality of life, not cocaine. That makes it sound like they think it's going to get better if you don't get "lazy" or "addicted" to it or something. The fuck.
Your mother was stuck in a tough place for sure as that Doctors reigned as a Supreme Being & his word was gospel. To even think to go for a 2nd opinion was blasphemous. In addition, the Dr. was putting you in jeopardy of fracturing more bones by putting unnecessary excess weight on your body plus risking falls. It is good you spoke up. Some children both Abled & Disabled, just can't.
They braced my non walking child toes to waist and gave her a walker- " they" were all excited! She was uncomfortable, couldn't release her death grip on the walker and called the braces " Death Traps" . I listened to her needs, thankfully- but to be honest I got a lot of crap from other people who felt she should be forced to ' walk' .
Sadly that's a lot of people's reactions they think that being "able-bodied" is what's "best" completely forgetting that it may not be best for the person they're forcing it on. They act like being disabled is worse than death, and they must "fix" every disabled person not matter what the cost is to the disabled person. As a disabled person forced to be able-bodied by my family and doctors it really pisses me off.
Okay, I burst out laughing at the *hair flip*! Thanks for the laugh. Perhaps I’m misguided, but I think part of why our society is so obsessed with making disabled people as “able-bodied” as possible is because accidents happen all of the time and people don’t like to think about the idea of themselves not having legs/not being able to walk etc. That fear blinds us from seeing that disabled people have wonderfully fulfilling lives just like more traditionally “able-bodied”people and often figure out other ways to get around that suit them better. What works for someone may not work for another, and that’s okay. I think that’s a big part of the beauty in life. It would be so boring if we were all the same. Thanks for sharing your experience with us 🥰
I think you are hitting the nail very squarely on the head. That and ableism (which I imagine could be largely influenced by fear of injury/differences and acculturation against disability).
@@savfromsopn Ableism is also heavily influenced my ignorance and the dehumanization of disabled people. I for instance have a service dog and people in their ignorance often try to pet/talk to him, stare at him, talk about him, stop me to tell me he's cute, and so on and having anxiety all of those things make me uncomfortable. And honestly it's just downright annoying to hear/see it all the time everywhere I go. And I don't think that's fueled by a fear of having depression/anxiety. It's fueled by ignorance and the fact that they're seeing me as no more than a vessel to bring my dog into their lives not as a human being who they mightbe affectingor puttingin danger. So I think the causebof ableism is very multifaceted but that at the root of all of it is ignorance.
I think you're partly right but it also heavily depends on the disability. Like if youre purely talking about a lack of limbs due to various reasons I can see this partly being true, but I'd also argue that people who do have all of their limbs, or are mentally different also get treated very differently as well. For example its very common for "SOME" teachers to recommend making an autistic kid not stim (flat their arms or other things like fiddling around) in hopes that they "fit in" better and don't stand out. Some people like to think it can prevent bullying in school but I don't think there's a lot of proof that it helps since autistic kids can still do other things that make them stand out besides just flapping their arms. And being treated like you're a freak by the teacher trying to "help" you almost sounds just as bad or ten times worse honestly. I never had to go through that myself but there's videos of it that show how its done. For example if an Autistic kid is mute, or mostly mute, the teacher will yell and punish them over and over until they are forced to talk. I also think there's another side where people are kind but almost "too kind". They have the "Fear of missing out" thing going on but instead of themselves its with other people they want to help. They might not exactly fear the idea of losing their own experiences but they enjoy their own experiences that helping those who cant walk, walk, the deaf hear, the blind see ect feels like it should be an "obvious" thing to them. "I love this, so why wouldn't they". It works for some but when it comes to kids and teens they can get pushed into something they don't even miss and this is a good example of that. In some cases people of the deaf community feel kind of isolated because they can hear enough to kind of talk to people after an implant sometimes, but it doesn't really sound clear enough for them to realize what they were "missing out" on. Someone who can and always could do something might not realize someone that hasn't experienced something before might not care about it at all
I totally agree with what your saying, I've found people and doctors want to make kids with any disabilities be what they call normal. My daughter is deaf and I was actually banned by both doctors and the teacher for the deaf from teaching her sign language as I was told children must learn to lip read and talk to be accepted and look normal even in schools for the deaf they don't teach the kids to sign infact the only kids that do sign are kids brought up in deaf families and sign is their first language !!. This if I'm honest annoyed me as British sign language is such a beautiful language and she was going to deaf club and most the kids there do sign so I wanted her to fit into hoth worlds the hearing and the deaf. My aunt is deaf so I do know a how to sign but since I had not used it since college where I had a deaf friend I was very very rusty and forgot most of it, but after finding out there are no courses where children can learn sign and my daughter was asking to learn I started teaching her simple signs such as hello, thank you, come here, are you alright, and her favourite different animals, one day she was telling her teacher for the deaf all about the new animal signs she had learnt and showed her the signs for dog, cat, horse, pig, rabbit, fish etc I can't remember the others but she was so excited to show her, but she was very upset as her teacher wasnt happy as she expected her to be she was very angry that she was even learning some signs just for fun to the point I received a furious phone call from them telling me I was not to under any circumstances teach her to sign and if I did they would withdraw her support she needed in school. She has mild learning difficulties due to been very premature and the ventilator cause brain hemorrhages which of cause caused some brain damage and her brain had to rewire itself as a result she learns at a slower pace to others her age and understands differently the ventilator is also the reason why she's deaf, as it was the school was doing very little with her as she was often sent to nursery to play with the little kids which she loved to do as she could relate to them more as she always acts around 4 years younger than she is, but because she was behind the other kids and the school wasn't really been much use for example she couldn't read even at the age of 11 she couldn't read simple words like dog and cat it was actually the high school who taught her to read. So I told her she was never to tell anyone ever that she was learning sign I didn't want to take any the fun she was having learning the odd signs but I didn't want her to receive even less help in school due to it either. In the end she lost interest and to this day she still doesn't sign. All her life she was told to act normal she was often told off for decorating her hearing aids in bright colours to show them off and she was told she should hide them so people would think she's normal, she hated this and told them she was normal just because she can't hear very well doesn't mean she's not normal or is any different to others. She used to ask why should she make the effort to live in the hearing world and act like she's hearing all the time and hide who she really is, why can't the hearing world learn to live with the deaf community that never made sense to her and she had many arguments with her teacher for the deaf about it lol. She's 19 now and doing well, however over the years she had to learn that people will treat her differently, many people especially adults can be very nasty towards her, she learnt this very quickly after she got her first hearing aids at age 6 and the parents told their kids they were not to play with her anymore, her best friend was moved to another school as her friend refused to stop playing with her so her parents sent her to another school as they said their child should not be playing with a child like that, some parents even told her that she should be locked away like they used to do in the past as deaf kids should not be around normal kids, we've heard it all over the years, she was the only kid in class that would not be invited to birthday parties when everyone was invited and she stopped having parties as noone came it wasn't till she was in high school and college that she started to be accepted.
Hi Spencer, I’m new here. All the support and love from Syria ❤️ From one survivor of a genetic disorder to another, I’m proud of you. Thank you for sharing your story.
I've seen videos of thalidomide victims in which they told similar stories of being fitted for prosthetic legs and arms. In most cases they totally HATED it. It made them feel worse about their situation-- as if being made into a artificial version of an "average " person was somehow better than being they way they were. Most of these adults had horrific stories of being made to wear them as children and falling. Once grow, they were able to make the decision themselves to maneuver about world in the manner they felt was most appropriate for them. Taking away someone's agency was worse than the disability itself.
Yeah, I remember watching a similar interview with a guy who was born without arms. As a child he was for a while made to use prosthetics. People seemed to imagine he should find it helpful to use prosthetic arms but in reality it seemed more like trying to do things with his shoulders with a long long tool he had to maneuver. He said it was so horribly clumsy and frustrating and heavy and finally he would get annoyed and just do it quickly with his feet the easy way.
I loved the story you told about how much of a difference it made when someone asked what YOU wanted rather than what others wanted. I identified with that a bit as someone with ADHD. What others wanted was for me to take stimulants and go to college. When I finally decided to do what I wanted instead, I quit stimulants and college and started my own business where I built a system that works for ME. School sucked. Bosses suck. I’m so glad you love life. What do you do for work? Do you have any advice for adults trying to advocate/accommodate for themselves?
I'm about to get my first mobility aid (an orthotic) and I'm excited! It is going to help me get around so much easier. I appreciate you and all the various and wonderful disabled folks sharing perspectives and experiences. It has helped me adjust and advocate better than I could have imagined.
Thanks for sharing! I hope everyone watching remembers this when they encounter people with disabilities. Asking what is best for the person you're with is always better than dictating what you think they need. Thank you for another great video!!!
I'm glad you had a doctor that supported your wishes early-ish. Like I get that sometimes people need a little push outside their comfort zone but it really should be a thing of presenting options, interacting with the options available, and allowing decisions to be made.
I agree. I also think kids should be asked to make reasonable decisions as well. I think a lot of people forget that even young children have very strong emotions, even if they can't express them in the same way an adult does. Just because they can't word them in a complex way doesn't mean kids can't have complex feelings, so asking them what they want is important i think. Obviously some life decisions can't be made by kids but i think when it comes to at least some medical stuff, the kid themselves should be part of the conversation and heard yknow? Sometimes doctors try a little too hard to fix things that aren't broken and sadly that happens a LOT with disabled kids, and adults as well.
I love how you blend education with fun and still able to be a relatable icon at the same time. Your empowering self-confidence is the prototype to self-acceptance. ❤️ from your Southern US Neighbor. #Arkansas
*hair flip* 😂 love it! The prosthetics with a bucket sound miserable. There was a guy in my high school born without legs that either used a wheel chair or got around on his hands. He was very active in several school activities. It never occurred to me to ask why he didn’t use prosthetics or how he went to the bathroom and I know you get that a lot. I love your attitude and spirit and enjoy your videos (which I’m still watching from three years ago lol). By the way, was that the shadow of Jake? It’s nice you two see each other still.
I heard the question and was thinking of my granddad's prosthetic leg (mid thigh amputee) and my only thought was "why doesn't he have a prosthetic?! He doesn't have a stump to attach it to... " I had no idea about the bucket type prosthetics. That sounds terribly uncomfortable & tiring to maneuver.
Thanks for telling your story, Spencer! Quite honestly, I don't come across too many people with disabilities on the daily and I try to be respectful, but I'm always afraid of saying something stupid. I'm learning so much and I wish I could be your new best friend and "call you every five minutes" LOL 😆
You made such a valid point for the Differently Abled community: We are who we are, not who others want us to be. Its so important for the parents, guardians, care providers & social services realize this early on in a child's life and allow it to experience life first before throwing "solutions" at a problem that may not even exist. (This does not include certain issues that must be rectified immediately or early on but if not life threatening, then wait.
I'm not an amputee but I have chronic pain and I really relate to your story. I could definitely use a walker or even nothing I guess. It would be different accessibility, different sensation and feeling... Not necessarily worse but just different and it's... It's just not what feels like my body.
Stroll! Thanks for teaching me a more inclusive way to refer to getting outside! I also appreciate your willingness to share; the fact is that your body is nobody's business (you're not a full-time "teaching moment"), but I've learned even more about the importance of advocacy and representation and how we all benefit by sharing our human experiences... perhaps I'll try to share more about myself, too. You're a sweetheart!
Spencer, you have an absolutely magnetic personality! Your storytelling, fashion and video production are all incredible as well. I’ve only just stumbled across two of your videos, but I can’t wait to see more from you.
I'm so glad I found you. You have a zest for life that makes me smile and happy. I love your attitude, your demeanor and your spirit. Thanks for sharing so much about your life. You have a new fan (follower).
I just found your channel a couple days ago but I'm hooked. You have such a great personality and outlook on life and you're just so funny that I'm often laughing out loud.
I find it hard to understand why some people don't like your channel, Spencer. I happened to find it quite by chance a couple of days ago. I've been binge watching your videos since. You're an amazing man. Thank you for all the good work you do around the world. By the way, is Jake still around?
I believe that those who so strongly encourage walking should first and foremost ask the person what he or she prefers.it is nice to try out various braces or prosthetics just to experience how they feel and then,of course,listen to the persons feelings and opinions and proceed from their.in short,i agree with you spencer Have a wonderful week🤗👍
I just discovered your channel today and was instantly blown away by your incredibly positive attitude and openness about everything about you. I love your character and will definitely continue watching your videos. This is so interesting. Instant subscription. Have a nice day, whoever reads this :)
Hey Spencer I’m new to your channel and have been watching and catching up with your videos as much as possible and am also disabled myself and I always say I’m going for a roll or if someone is coming with me who walks I say I’m going for a roll you want to walk with me lol, just wanted to comment saying hi and that you saying the walk thing reminded me of that but not been able to for a while because of living in the uk lol as you might have seen how things have been handled the last year, take care 🦽🦽🦽
Your such an inspiration, when I feeling down, I know you will perk me up. Wish I lived nearby so we could hang out. Need my Spencer fix. Lol. Love ya! Hugs
I had prosthetics until I was 13. I hated them! They made me feel disabled and dependent. One day I told my parents I quit! I wore them once more for senior pics. Otherwise they rotted in the garage. My first set was a bucket seat but I had leg holes as my legs were amputated at the knee.
I just found your channel and I love it! I was having a bad day and you made it better. Your smile is so contagious and your voice is so soothing, I watched a bunch of your videos. Thank you! ❤️ new subscriber :)
I really enjoyed this video! There was an episode on new Amsterdam recently about how Doctors don’t listen to black women in so many situations. Presuming we can tolerate higher levels of pain than others, presuming that we’re ignorant to what our body needs--and it impacts so much! Somehow this talk reminds me of my experiences- I am happy that even as a kid folks finally asked your opinionI have to wear a full business suit to the doctors office to get any respect there.
Hi Spencer, I just recently found your channel and I gotta say two things: One: these videos are so interesting and educational. Thanks for being so open about your life with your dissabilities to educate people who otherwise have no expirience with disabilities. Two: I abolutely love your videos on a personal level you are such a charming person and even though I dont know you brighten my days so thank you ❤ If you don't mind me asking: does using your arms and upper body so mich affect your health in anyway? Like for example do you get back or neck pains a lot? Or doesn't using that much strenght affect you because your muscles just developed like that since you were a kid? I am sorry if that had been answered before but I could not find a video on this topic. In any case I hope you're doing well and I am very happy to have found your videos :) (Ps: sorry for my english I am not native speaking)
Hi Spencer! I just recently found your channel and I've been really enjoying your content - I get to learn about another kind of human experience while feeling like I'm hanging out with a friend. I hope you have a great week!
Just found your channel and you are so awesome. I love your humor and wish i could be your friend. 😂😂 I can't wait to watch your show once it comes to fruition. I'm sure that it will!
Love your vids. I am pleased at your sub count for you! I have been in an out of wheelchairs but now I walk with crutches. I can walk 2 miles per day and am optimistic I will reach more. I almost miss the wheelchair at times.
I am DYING at the hair flip 😂 and oh my god dude you've got the best spirit and the best speaking skills in the world! You could read off your grocery list and have people listen for hours and hours! Have you ever considered doing a podcast? I think you would be really really wonderful at it
In my job I used to work with disabled kids. During my time at the university (i studied german sign language) and even in practical trainings I got in touch with more than one disability. physical or mental. According to deaf people: There is the possibility to make the deaf people hearing. It's called an Cochlear Implant (CI). I don't wanna explain everything, but it is also a kind of prosthesis. BUT, there can occur side effects. And some deaf people not wearing their external CI (One part is in the head, and the other is behind the ear(s). In some cases their are deaf people who regret the surgery. The reasons are as much as stars at the sky. I realized that any kind of disability is COMPLETELY normal !!! ### Dear community: ### Don't reduce people to their disability. The definition 'normal' is absolutely unnecessary. Everyone is individual. And it is not our business to judge or condemn an individual human being
I love your enthusiasm and sense of humor. You've got such a calm and happy presence. Don't change!
I have a connective tissue disorder, Osteogenesis Imperfecta, and one of my doctors tried to prevent my mother getting me a wheelchair because I would "never want to walk" and it would make me "dependent on a wheelchair".
No, actually, I was an ambulatory wheelchair user until the age of 13 when the will to walk left me not because I had a wheelchair but because I was in constant joint pain and my knees kept giving out. Having a wheelchair made me realize there was a pain free option to move. I don't get why pediatric physicians believe walking should be the goal. The safest, most comfortable and efficient way to move should be the goal. Disabled kids are going to want to walk, why don't you want to show us that there might be better options out there?
"Dependant on a wheelchair"?? What the actual hell?! What a thing to say! It's a device that is necessary for achieving a decent quality of life, not cocaine. That makes it sound like they think it's going to get better if you don't get "lazy" or "addicted" to it or something. The fuck.
Your mother was stuck in a tough place for sure as that Doctors reigned as a Supreme Being & his word was gospel. To even think to go for a 2nd opinion was blasphemous.
In addition, the Dr. was putting you in jeopardy of fracturing more bones by putting unnecessary excess weight on your body plus risking falls.
It is good you spoke up. Some children both Abled & Disabled, just can't.
@@notbot2648 There were and still are "doctors" who think this way. (Differently Abled ask Disabled) person)
They braced my non walking child toes to waist and gave her a walker- " they" were all excited! She was uncomfortable, couldn't release her death grip on the walker and called the braces " Death Traps" . I listened to her needs, thankfully- but to be honest I got a lot of crap from other people who felt she should be forced to ' walk' .
Sadly that's a lot of people's reactions they think that being "able-bodied" is what's "best" completely forgetting that it may not be best for the person they're forcing it on. They act like being disabled is worse than death, and they must "fix" every disabled person not matter what the cost is to the disabled person. As a disabled person forced to be able-bodied by my family and doctors it really pisses me off.
@@crystald3655 Very well said! That is exactly what I was trying to express.
I'm so glad you listened!
and this is whats called a good parent
@@lululovesyou7618
You are a fantastic parent!!!
I hope you and your child have happy lives!
Okay, I burst out laughing at the *hair flip*! Thanks for the laugh.
Perhaps I’m misguided, but I think part of why our society is so obsessed with making disabled people as “able-bodied” as possible is because accidents happen all of the time and people don’t like to think about the idea of themselves not having legs/not being able to walk etc. That fear blinds us from seeing that disabled people have wonderfully fulfilling lives just like more traditionally “able-bodied”people and often figure out other ways to get around that suit them better. What works for someone may not work for another, and that’s okay. I think that’s a big part of the beauty in life. It would be so boring if we were all the same. Thanks for sharing your experience with us 🥰
I think you are hitting the nail very squarely on the head. That and ableism (which I imagine could be largely influenced by fear of injury/differences and acculturation against disability).
@@savfromsopn Ableism is also heavily influenced my ignorance and the dehumanization of disabled people. I for instance have a service dog and people in their ignorance often try to pet/talk to him, stare at him, talk about him, stop me to tell me he's cute, and so on and having anxiety all of those things make me uncomfortable. And honestly it's just downright annoying to hear/see it all the time everywhere I go. And I don't think that's fueled by a fear of having depression/anxiety. It's fueled by ignorance and the fact that they're seeing me as no more than a vessel to bring my dog into their lives not as a human being who they mightbe affectingor puttingin danger. So I think the causebof ableism is very multifaceted but that at the root of all of it is ignorance.
I think you're partly right but it also heavily depends on the disability. Like if youre purely talking about a lack of limbs due to various reasons I can see this partly being true, but I'd also argue that people who do have all of their limbs, or are mentally different also get treated very differently as well. For example its very common for "SOME" teachers to recommend making an autistic kid not stim (flat their arms or other things like fiddling around) in hopes that they "fit in" better and don't stand out. Some people like to think it can prevent bullying in school but I don't think there's a lot of proof that it helps since autistic kids can still do other things that make them stand out besides just flapping their arms. And being treated like you're a freak by the teacher trying to "help" you almost sounds just as bad or ten times worse honestly. I never had to go through that myself but there's videos of it that show how its done. For example if an Autistic kid is mute, or mostly mute, the teacher will yell and punish them over and over until they are forced to talk.
I also think there's another side where people are kind but almost "too kind". They have the "Fear of missing out" thing going on but instead of themselves its with other people they want to help. They might not exactly fear the idea of losing their own experiences but they enjoy their own experiences that helping those who cant walk, walk, the deaf hear, the blind see ect feels like it should be an "obvious" thing to them. "I love this, so why wouldn't they". It works for some but when it comes to kids and teens they can get pushed into something they don't even miss and this is a good example of that. In some cases people of the deaf community feel kind of isolated because they can hear enough to kind of talk to people after an implant sometimes, but it doesn't really sound clear enough for them to realize what they were "missing out" on. Someone who can and always could do something might not realize someone that hasn't experienced something before might not care about it at all
I totally agree with what your saying, I've found people and doctors want to make kids with any disabilities be what they call normal. My daughter is deaf and I was actually banned by both doctors and the teacher for the deaf from teaching her sign language as I was told children must learn to lip read and talk to be accepted and look normal even in schools for the deaf they don't teach the kids to sign infact the only kids that do sign are kids brought up in deaf families and sign is their first language !!. This if I'm honest annoyed me as British sign language is such a beautiful language and she was going to deaf club and most the kids there do sign so I wanted her to fit into hoth worlds the hearing and the deaf. My aunt is deaf so I do know a how to sign but since I had not used it since college where I had a deaf friend I was very very rusty and forgot most of it, but after finding out there are no courses where children can learn sign and my daughter was asking to learn I started teaching her simple signs such as hello, thank you, come here, are you alright, and her favourite different animals, one day she was telling her teacher for the deaf all about the new animal signs she had learnt and showed her the signs for dog, cat, horse, pig, rabbit, fish etc I can't remember the others but she was so excited to show her, but she was very upset as her teacher wasnt happy as she expected her to be she was very angry that she was even learning some signs just for fun to the point I received a furious phone call from them telling me I was not to under any circumstances teach her to sign and if I did they would withdraw her support she needed in school. She has mild learning difficulties due to been very premature and the ventilator cause brain hemorrhages which of cause caused some brain damage and her brain had to rewire itself as a result she learns at a slower pace to others her age and understands differently the ventilator is also the reason why she's deaf, as it was the school was doing very little with her as she was often sent to nursery to play with the little kids which she loved to do as she could relate to them more as she always acts around 4 years younger than she is, but because she was behind the other kids and the school wasn't really been much use for example she couldn't read even at the age of 11 she couldn't read simple words like dog and cat it was actually the high school who taught her to read. So I told her she was never to tell anyone ever that she was learning sign I didn't want to take any the fun she was having learning the odd signs but I didn't want her to receive even less help in school due to it either. In the end she lost interest and to this day she still doesn't sign. All her life she was told to act normal she was often told off for decorating her hearing aids in bright colours to show them off and she was told she should hide them so people would think she's normal, she hated this and told them she was normal just because she can't hear very well doesn't mean she's not normal or is any different to others. She used to ask why should she make the effort to live in the hearing world and act like she's hearing all the time and hide who she really is, why can't the hearing world learn to live with the deaf community that never made sense to her and she had many arguments with her teacher for the deaf about it lol. She's 19 now and doing well, however over the years she had to learn that people will treat her differently, many people especially adults can be very nasty towards her, she learnt this very quickly after she got her first hearing aids at age 6 and the parents told their kids they were not to play with her anymore, her best friend was moved to another school as her friend refused to stop playing with her so her parents sent her to another school as they said their child should not be playing with a child like that, some parents even told her that she should be locked away like they used to do in the past as deaf kids should not be around normal kids, we've heard it all over the years, she was the only kid in class that would not be invited to birthday parties when everyone was invited and she stopped having parties as noone came it wasn't till she was in high school and college that she started to be accepted.
Spencer, you could talk about anything and I'd listen with rapt attention...You're such an engaging speaker...Glad I happened upon your channel!
Hi Spencer, I’m new here. All the support and love from Syria ❤️
From one survivor of a genetic disorder to another, I’m proud of you. Thank you for sharing your story.
So glad you appeared on my feed…I am binge watching you now !, what a beautiful soul you are . Another new subscriber from Ireland.
I've seen videos of thalidomide victims in which they told similar stories of being fitted for prosthetic legs and arms. In most cases they totally HATED it. It made them feel worse about their situation-- as if being made into a artificial version of an "average " person was somehow better than being they way they were. Most of these adults had horrific stories of being made to wear them as children and falling. Once grow, they were able to make the decision themselves to maneuver about world in the manner they felt was most appropriate for them. Taking away someone's agency was worse than the disability itself.
Yeah, I remember watching a similar interview with a guy who was born without arms. As a child he was for a while made to use prosthetics. People seemed to imagine he should find it helpful to use prosthetic arms but in reality it seemed more like trying to do things with his shoulders with a long long tool he had to maneuver. He said it was so horribly clumsy and frustrating and heavy and finally he would get annoyed and just do it quickly with his feet the easy way.
I loved the story you told about how much of a difference it made when someone asked what YOU wanted rather than what others wanted. I identified with that a bit as someone with ADHD. What others wanted was for me to take stimulants and go to college. When I finally decided to do what I wanted instead, I quit stimulants and college and started my own business where I built a system that works for ME. School sucked. Bosses suck. I’m so glad you love life. What do you do for work? Do you have any advice for adults trying to advocate/accommodate for themselves?
That hair flip at the beginning...YAAAASS!! 😂love this video!
you have such an amazing smile!! just love your whole energy could watch you for hours! much love from the UK
I'm about to get my first mobility aid (an orthotic) and I'm excited! It is going to help me get around so much easier. I appreciate you and all the various and wonderful disabled folks sharing perspectives and experiences. It has helped me adjust and advocate better than I could have imagined.
Thanks for sharing! I hope everyone watching remembers this when they encounter people with disabilities. Asking what is best for the person you're with is always better than dictating what you think they need.
Thank you for another great video!!!
I'm glad you had a doctor that supported your wishes early-ish. Like I get that sometimes people need a little push outside their comfort zone but it really should be a thing of presenting options, interacting with the options available, and allowing decisions to be made.
I agree. I also think kids should be asked to make reasonable decisions as well. I think a lot of people forget that even young children have very strong emotions, even if they can't express them in the same way an adult does. Just because they can't word them in a complex way doesn't mean kids can't have complex feelings, so asking them what they want is important i think. Obviously some life decisions can't be made by kids but i think when it comes to at least some medical stuff, the kid themselves should be part of the conversation and heard yknow? Sometimes doctors try a little too hard to fix things that aren't broken and sadly that happens a LOT with disabled kids, and adults as well.
I love how you blend education with fun and still able to be a relatable icon at the same time. Your empowering self-confidence is the prototype to self-acceptance. ❤️ from your Southern US Neighbor. #Arkansas
*hair flip* 😂 love it! The prosthetics with a bucket sound miserable. There was a guy in my high school born without legs that either used a wheel chair or got around on his hands. He was very active in several school activities. It never occurred to me to ask why he didn’t use prosthetics or how he went to the bathroom and I know you get that a lot. I love your attitude and spirit and enjoy your videos (which I’m still watching from three years ago lol). By the way, was that the shadow of Jake? It’s nice you two see each other still.
your hair looks so good when you did the hair flip.
I heard the question and was thinking of my granddad's prosthetic leg (mid thigh amputee) and my only thought was "why doesn't he have a prosthetic?! He doesn't have a stump to attach it to... " I had no idea about the bucket type prosthetics. That sounds terribly uncomfortable & tiring to maneuver.
Thanks for telling your story, Spencer! Quite honestly, I don't come across too many people with disabilities on the daily and I try to be respectful, but I'm always afraid of saying something stupid. I'm learning so much and I wish I could be your new best friend and "call you every five minutes" LOL 😆
I LOVE your energy Spencer 😘You have a beautiful aura 🥰
Absolutely!!
You made such a valid point for the Differently Abled community: We are who we are, not who others want us to be. Its so important for the parents, guardians, care providers & social services realize this early on in a child's life and allow it to experience life first before throwing "solutions" at a problem that may not even exist. (This does not include certain issues that must be rectified immediately or early on but if not life threatening, then wait.
*disabled.
I'm not an amputee but I have chronic pain and I really relate to your story. I could definitely use a walker or even nothing I guess. It would be different accessibility, different sensation and feeling... Not necessarily worse but just different and it's... It's just not what feels like my body.
Stroll! Thanks for teaching me a more inclusive way to refer to getting outside!
I also appreciate your willingness to share; the fact is that your body is nobody's business (you're not a full-time "teaching moment"), but I've learned even more about the importance of advocacy and representation and how we all benefit by sharing our human experiences... perhaps I'll try to share more about myself, too. You're a sweetheart!
Spencer, you have an absolutely magnetic personality! Your storytelling, fashion and video production are all incredible as well. I’ve only just stumbled across two of your videos, but I can’t wait to see more from you.
I'm living for that hair flip
The hair flip 😂😂
I'm so glad I found you. You have a zest for life that makes me smile and happy. I love your attitude, your demeanor and your spirit. Thanks for sharing so much about your life. You have a new fan (follower).
I just found your channel a couple days ago but I'm hooked. You have such a great personality and outlook on life and you're just so funny that I'm often laughing out loud.
Flips hair 🤣 love it
Self-determination! I love it :))
Love to watch your interesting life experiences..
I find it hard to understand why some people don't like your channel, Spencer. I happened to find it quite by chance a couple of days ago. I've been binge watching your videos since. You're an amazing man. Thank you for all the good work you do around the world. By the way, is Jake still around?
Great point about listening to children. I love your positivity.
You were randomly in my suggested vids last night, and I clicked. Now I’m several videos deep and subscribed. You’re pretty cool!
Today for me! After the first one I had to subscribe. He is just so fun!
I love this guy’s personality. 🥰🥰🥰
I believe that those who so strongly encourage walking should first and foremost ask the person what he or she prefers.it is nice to try out various braces or prosthetics just to experience how they feel and then,of course,listen to the persons feelings and opinions and proceed from their.in short,i agree with you spencer
Have a wonderful week🤗👍
You are hilarious! I found you by accident, but I’m enjoying you very much!
I think I could listen to Spencer talk about anything! I love how he tells stories.
Spencer you're a delight! God bless you!
That head turn before you got started got me!! 😂😂. You’re awesome 😎☺️
The hair flip!! You're so awesome. Great explanation 👌
thanks to the algorithm I discover you. your video are very relaxing, thank you for all you do! 😃
greetings from Italy 🥳
Your positivity and energy is amazing and adorable and I love it so much
I just discovered your channel today and was instantly blown away by your incredibly positive attitude and openness about everything about you. I love your character and will definitely continue watching your videos. This is so interesting. Instant subscription.
Have a nice day, whoever reads this :)
Spencer the Great thanks a lot for teaching us how to accept and love ourselves. You’re a true hero ❤️
Hey Spencer I’m new to your channel and have been watching and catching up with your videos as much as possible and am also disabled myself and I always say I’m going for a roll or if someone is coming with me who walks I say I’m going for a roll you want to walk with me lol, just wanted to comment saying hi and that you saying the walk thing reminded me of that but not been able to for a while because of living in the uk lol as you might have seen how things have been handled the last year, take care 🦽🦽🦽
I love your content and how you help people
Your such an inspiration, when I feeling down, I know you will perk me up. Wish I lived nearby so we could hang out. Need my Spencer fix. Lol. Love ya! Hugs
Hi spence!!!! Thanks for the great video!
I had prosthetics until I was 13. I hated them! They made me feel disabled and dependent. One day I told my parents I quit! I wore them once more for senior pics. Otherwise they rotted in the garage. My first set was a bucket seat but I had leg holes as my legs were amputated at the knee.
You’ve got charisma!!!
Great content on your channel. Thank you for explaining how life is for you, Spencer 🙏🏻 💕
Hi Spencer! Am loving your channel, I feel a binge watch a-comin'...
You are just so inspirational
Thank you
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
I just found your channel and I love it! I was having a bad day and you made it better. Your smile is so contagious and your voice is so soothing, I watched a bunch of your videos. Thank you! ❤️ new subscriber :)
I love your videos! Your voice is so nice to listen to. You could totally do a podcast or audiobooks or something 😊
I saw you at we day vancouver years ago and was overjoyed to see you pop up in my recommended videos
I literally love you ❤️
I really enjoyed this video! There was an episode on new Amsterdam recently about how Doctors don’t listen to black women in so many situations. Presuming we can tolerate higher levels of pain than others, presuming that we’re ignorant to what our body needs--and it impacts so much! Somehow this talk reminds me of my experiences- I am happy that even as a kid folks finally asked your opinionI have to wear a full business suit to the doctors office to get any respect there.
My GOD I love the sass in this video!!!!!!!!!!! Especially loved the hair flip! LOLOL. Just found your channel tonight so I'll be binge watching!
Hi Spencer, I just recently found your channel and I gotta say two things:
One: these videos are so interesting and educational. Thanks for being so open about your life with your dissabilities to educate people who otherwise have no expirience with disabilities.
Two: I abolutely love your videos on a personal level you are such a charming person and even though I dont know you brighten my days so thank you ❤
If you don't mind me asking: does using your arms and upper body so mich affect your health in anyway? Like for example do you get back or neck pains a lot? Or doesn't using that much strenght affect you because your muscles just developed like that since you were a kid?
I am sorry if that had been answered before but I could not find a video on this topic.
In any case I hope you're doing well and I am very happy to have found your videos :)
(Ps: sorry for my english I am not native speaking)
I love the hair flips!
You always make me smile, so hilarious you are! You could be a good actor and also work in comedy 😃
Hi Spencer! I just recently found your channel and I've been really enjoying your content - I get to learn about another kind of human experience while feeling like I'm hanging out with a friend. I hope you have a great week!
That’s a nice jacket hat combo. Love the orange accents
Love you. Hugs from Argentina
Hi Spencer, thanks for sharing What u went though as a child has made the amazing person u are today.
Loved the stroll xx
That's so good! Typically we know ourselves best, and need the opportunity to be our own advocates.
Thank you, Toronto looks nice.
Just found your channel and you are so awesome. I love your humor and wish i could be your friend. 😂😂 I can't wait to watch your show once it comes to fruition. I'm sure that it will!
That “hair flip” 😂 Made my day
Love your vids. I am pleased at your sub count for you! I have been in an out of wheelchairs but now I walk with crutches. I can walk 2 miles per day and am optimistic I will reach more. I almost miss the wheelchair at times.
You have such a lovely vibe ❤️
I am DYING at the hair flip 😂 and oh my god dude you've got the best spirit and the best speaking skills in the world! You could read off your grocery list and have people listen for hours and hours! Have you ever considered doing a podcast? I think you would be really really wonderful at it
Hello Spencer
Thanks for sharing so much of your life with us
You are very elegant
Always so upbeat
I appreciate your candor and sense of humor!
I'm glad i found your channel, you're such a wonderful person
He brings me so much joy ☺️
Good Morning Spencer. Im a very new subscriber since yesterday.Im happy I found your channel. You're very positive and I love your energy.
😊
Happy Easter, Spencer! You have such a beautiful outlook on life and you have an infectious smile. Sending you lots of love!
You always make me smile ! Thank you for that
Your personality is super charismatic!❤️
Love your videos ❤️❤️
Hiiiii you’re such an amazing teacher, newly subscribed
In my job I used to work with disabled kids. During my time at the university (i studied german sign language) and even in practical trainings I got in touch with more than one disability. physical or mental.
According to deaf people: There is the possibility to make the deaf people hearing. It's called an Cochlear Implant (CI). I don't wanna explain everything, but it is also a kind of prosthesis. BUT, there can occur side effects. And some deaf people not wearing their external CI (One part is in the head, and the other is behind the ear(s).
In some cases their are deaf people who regret the surgery. The reasons are as much as stars at the sky.
I realized that any kind of disability is COMPLETELY normal !!!
### Dear community: ###
Don't reduce people to their disability. The definition 'normal' is absolutely unnecessary. Everyone is individual. And it is not our business to judge or condemn an individual human being
Hold up, didn't he have like 7k a day ago? Wow that support is amazing and well deserved!
You're amazing and I love you.
*"Christmas is over."*
BWAHAHAHA 🤣😂
This makes me want to go and take a stroll too. I forget how nice it can be sometimes outside and now the weather is getting pretty nice where I live
I like the hair flip😁
Your welcome for checking you out, but I'm sticking around because you're amazing - so thank YOU! 😊❤
hi Spencer! much love from Houston Texas😊💕
You are my new best friend 😁 idk how or why this channel popped up but I'm here for it!
Spencer, what frames do you have for your glasses? They look super cool!
Omg your childhood photo was adorable 🥺🥺❤️
you literally have the best personality every like I just want to be your best friend
Love your stories!
I love channels like these
Randomly recommended for me. I love you INSTANTLY!!! 😍