This Stinks....

Not so long ago I would go to an amusement park and stay all day. Every ride would be ridden, I could walk the entire park 12 hours - on my birthday( which is in 26 days by the way, August 27!) My friends and I went to Disneyland! My friends may not have really enjoyed it, they were great sports and faked it; we had this rule - on your birthday you selected what you wanted to do and everyone participated - When my friend Trish turned 30, we went on a 30 drinks in 30 bar tour - I drank a lot of Coke that day - so on my birthday it was off to Disneyland! We would ride all the rides many times, we would walk the park from one end to the other and back again. I would get one of those stickers from the hospitality center; "It's my birthday!" They must train their employees because everyone would wish me a happy birthday! It was grand. Two years ago when we went I had to have a wheel chair. Since my industrial accident I can't walk long distances, short distances are a challenge, but walking Disneyland - no way! The world is not made for people in wheel chairs. Stuff is up high, try putting coins in a soda machine slot from your knees - or using your debit card to check out of a store from your knees - just meandering through Target is an obstacle course - Anyway, it was my birthday and Disneyland was our destination - as hard as it was to accept sitting in a wheelchair, I wasn't giving up my birthday at Disneyland - so I swallowed my pride - it is humbling being pushed around, losing your independence - feeling guilty because someone else is working twice as hard pushing you around 

Again, it is something I had to accept - I have gotten better about it, and when available I use the electric scooter chair - that gives me a little more independence - though stores should consider individuals with disabilities just a little bit more - Lost my point - Oh yeah, yesterday we went to Six Flags - I got a wheel chair, Six Flags is not disability friendly - at Disneyland they have made all the rides wheel chair accessible - some even have elevators - and your entire party can go on the ride at the same time - yesterday, at Six Flags many rides were not accessible unless you could walk 25 stairs or stand in line for an hour - well I can't do that! Disneyland allows the entire party to ride together - at Six Flags, they only allow the person in the wheel chair and one other person to use the handicapped entrance - well that stinks! There were four of us, so two people could stand in line for an hour while one person and myself could get on the ride through the handicapped entrance - That stinks! Six flags has hills everywhere - having someone have to push me up those hills - that stinks! Parking was shameful - miles away - (maybe not miles, but you know those parking lots are huge) there was not a tram or cart - no just walk the walk to the park - shoot I was tired by the time we arrived at the park. It Stinks losing the active life I once had - I am adjusting! There are times I would like to scream, I don't bother - losing independence really stinks - for the most part I get through all of that - having someone push me in a wheel chair around an amusement park really stinks - you know how many rides I could go on? 3! Only two of them were really accessible, the other one had a short line and no steps - it isn't right - I am going to write a letter to someone somewhere - because I needed to use a wheelchair our party could not ride together and that stinks. Because they have not made their park handicapped friendly there were rides I could not go on, that stinks. And because they have not altered their grounds, my poor friends are aching people today, that stinks! Since I was injured at work I have had to make a lot of adjustments; I am pretty good at adapting - been doing it my whole life - I find a way; Now I see the world needs a little adjusting - having spent my whole life working with people with disabilities I have always known there were changes to be made; now as a person with a disability I want to scream at the world - Hello, I am down here on these four wheels, stop looking over my head, stop bumping into me, put the little credit card machine a little lower so maybe I could see the numbers. I reckon my amusement park days are over - that stinks! Perhaps I will become an active member of a one person revolution - pay attention to everyone. I'll get over this, adjust - adapt - never explain, never complain (Terms of Endearment) but it does stink, losing a part of who you are or I guess who I was - I'll reinvent myself - pick the pieces up and find another great birthday activity - this year I am having a big party at the house; I hope someone shows up - no matter - Know what though, I'll miss my Disneyland trip - That Stinks!