Out for a few hours today

jaspercat

Hi, went out today to do a bit of shopping, I only went because Malcolm, my hubby, promised me a cream cake, I usually have my shopping delivered. I ended up getting really upset, people are so ignorant when you are in a wheelchair, they loiter about, getting in the way, and I hate the way they look at you all sympathetic and feeling sorry for you, sorry about the moan love Jaspercatxx

julie47

Hi jaspercat

Hope you got the cream cake,

people can be ignorant or just have tunnel vision.

I would rather be on my scooter as I have a bit more patience than OH when he pushes me in my chair. He nearly takes their ankles off if they don't move after the first Excuse me.

I have let people past me to go through a door only for them to let it go in my face, and that happened twice in one day at the DOCS.
I was on my own on my scooter otherwise OH would have had something to say.

Hope you have a better time next time,
Julie PF x

speedalong

Hi Jaspercat, sorry it wasn't the tonic it was meant to be. Next time don't go food shopping - do something nicer!!

People do get in the way don't they, I don't think they do it on purpose, they just don't think. I struggle with some of the really heavy shop doors especially if they are at the top of a few steps. Managing the crutch, door and whatever I'm carrying ... our local garage in particular. On several occasions I have really struggled with the door and usually there is someone the other side browsing and it never occurs to them to just grab hold of the door and hold it open. The other day this woman behind me did - I was dead impressed and thanked her. She came to my aid again on the way out - I turned round to see who it was and it was her again - I said something about how most people let you struggle ... and she said she had two sons on crutches at the moment (explains everything) and she had noticed that too.

As for people looking at your sympathetically - I think you need to develop your own stock response - could be a broad grin or ignoring them or something you retort. Maybe it is worth posting a thread asking other wheelchair users what works for them.

Don't let it put you off, get Malcolm to take you somewhere else - you can always bribe him with a cream cake!!

Speedy