When I was a kid, I used to imagine what it would be like to be in a wheelchair like Professor X from X-Men: The Animated Series. His chair was so cool; it floated and had buttons on the panels for other stuff. But that chair was too futuristic; I wouldn't be able to get one. Now the chair from X-men: Evolution. That was possible.
I spent hours as a kid imagining what being in the chair would be like, even pretending to use the dining chairs like a motorised wheelchair. They didn't go anywhere, but that's the purpose of imagination.
Then I had a stroke at 16. Out of nowhere, I'd never thought it was possible to have a stroke at my age. I mean, strokes are for people over 30 or with serious medical conditions. As far as I knew, I was healthy. A spinal stroke, they said. It was caused by a blood clot in my spine, which unfortunately led to me being paralysed from the waist down. Now I'm stuck in a wheelchair.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not really pissed about it. I don't think the gravity of the situation really sank in then that this would be the rest of my life. Honestly, I was a little happy at first. I finally got a wheelchair!
Unfortunately, my first chair wasn't motorized, so I had to lug myself around or get my parents to give me a push. Now in the back of my mind, the most pressing thought was how to get a chair like Professor X's. I nagged and complained to my parents that the wheelchair was not practical for me. I came up with so many reasons why I needed a motorised chair.
But motorized chairs were a significant expense and would be a big inconvenience if the power failed. Still, pester your parents long enough at decent intervals, and you might get what you want. I'll never forget how over the moon I was when my chair was delivered. I was disappointed too. It looked nothing like Professor X's chair. Still, I had my chair and I was going to have fun with it!
And it was fun. More speed, less arms training, and less assistance from others. The fun quickly wore off, then it became just another chair I'd be stuck in for life. It's one thing to wish for something when you don't have to live with it every day, and another when it becomes your reality.
I've been using motorised chairs for the last 7 years. This one's a new one. The company was taking forever to repair the old one, so I got a used one as a replacement. It's not as fast as my old one, but it works. Though I recently found out about tank chairs, those look cooler and more durable. I'm considering getting one, but the price...
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