The Elephant in the Room

"If you get a scooter, you'll stop walking and it's just a downward spiral from there."

Why is it that there are so many well-meaning loved ones with unreasonable fears of the use of mobility aids? Why do they think they understand what it's like to be in our bodies better than we do? No one should be in constant pain when they're walking.

The common experience here is that once we started using our TravelScoots, we realized how we had limited our lives, usually without even realizing it was happening. It's not that we weren't doing anything, because as a whole this is an active and accomplished group of people. This is the 21st century and using the technology that's available to us expands our lives. We're able to do more for ourselves and our families, whether it's working, grocery shopping, going to the zoo with our grandkids, riding through a forest, feeling the breeze in our hair, getting to the airplane, going bike riding with our child, getting across campus, touring the Smithsonian, taking a cruise, going to the camp, shopping the mall, riding to the clubhouse for lunch with the girls, vacationing at Disney, traveling to Australia (or just down the street!), or taking a long "walk" with mom while pulling her wheelchair.

We are not people on a downward spiral. We are people looking for ways to live our lives more fully. Who gets to decide that the only acceptable way to get from point A to point B is to walk? If grabbing every ounce of gusto out of life that we can means using a TravelScoot to do it, then so be it.

If you'd like to share how your experiences with people objecting to you using a scooter (cane/wheelchair/walker/crutches, etc.), post in the comment section or send me an email (elizabeth@ifisher.com).

Lynn Ellen's comments (made through Facebook):

Hear hear!!

I got such positive support from my spine doctor for using the Scoot, and she is always encouraging me to move move move as much as I can. But she could see how it will help me get out, do more, and how this particular scooter requires dexterity, strength, balance and fortitude.

But I like what you say about folks thinking they know what it is like to live in our bodies. Bah!

Now let's get that elephant onto a scooter already!!!

Another thought: My health status is not immediately apparent by looking at me. There are a lot of assumptions made about people of my size (super) in terms of my strength, balance, flexibility, fitness, cardiovascular health, eating habits, self-esteem, emotional health, sexuality - just to name a few.

Darlene's comments (made through Facebook):

Darlene is a large woman and she uses a power chair.

I stayed at home for years because I couldn't handle the pain in my back and knees. Once I became mobile with my power chair, my quality of life improved drastically. Now I can go just about anywhere since my power chair fits through most doors. So what if you become dependent on the scooter or chair......better than living a boring existence!