What I hate about being in a wheelchair

AS one of the country’s disability rights campaigners I feel in the mood to write about the few things that I hate about being in a wheelchair … So here goes.

1 - I hate the constant staring and judging. I’m officially a woman now, I can go out and have fun with my friends so please when you see me, don’t judge me, I’m just like you. People always ask me why I hate going out. Well, because if I’m seen with a drink people immediately assume I’m gonna topple over and die. I am sensible, (I think, I know what I’m doing)

2 - I hate the lack of access. Yes, I’m repeating myself from previous articles, but if I see steps going into a nightclub that’s a turn off and, as I will be celebrating my end of school life soon, it’s hard for my friends to organise something huge when half the places aren’t accessible. Also, steps in a nightclub are dangerous, think of the drunks that could potentially harm themselves and sue — don’t say I didn’t warn you!

3 - I hate the fact I’ve to plan all the time. You can get up and decide ‘I’m going for a jog’. Me, I have to call my mother to get me up, she has to get me dressed and I have to then tell her I’m going out and can she drop me there. It’s outrageous. I always have this dream that someday I can hop on a plane and just go travelling and let loose.

4 - I hate the fact people in wheelchairs don’t meet up often. Look, I know we are all out there — why don’t we all just choose a place and have a humungus meet-up? Personally, I think it shouldn’t be an organisation that organises this, well, because, charities aren’t being projected well. I would love to do it, but I hope these people won’t mind holding off until July or maybe August!

5 - What I hate the most? Nobody, in my mind, understands me. Yes, I do have a great understanding friend I can tell everything to, but realistically, I think people in wheelchairs have huge problems that only our kind can understand.

Nobody understands the awkwardness with dating, social life, daily simple tasks that everyone takes for grand.

Oh, and one more thing, park on the footpath and you are tempting fate — you might have a cute little scratch on your car from wheelchairs trying to get by.

Just sayin’.