Why do some people think I’m “brave” or “amazing” for daring to go out in public on my scooter? I was at “Drama tots” with my daughter yesterday and was told how amazing I am and I was so gob smacked it took me the rest of the day to decide the comment had offended me!

“Drama tots” is about 10 minutes walk down the hill from me and if the sun’s shining my daughter and I walk down together, chatting and singing as we go. There’s one nasty bit where there’s no dropped curb so I have to venture onto the road but other than that its a pretty easy trundle. We always walk back up after the session, sometimes stopping off at the park on the way. If it’s raining The Husband drops us off or I get help with the scooter in and out of the car from the other Mums. I’m getting a hoist fitted to the car in a few weeks so I will be totally independent (yay!)

Please see the picture of the hill below. Hardly Everest!

 

Anyway, I like “Drama tots” as the venue’s accessible, the other Mums are friendly and my daughter loves it but yesterday there was a new lady with her grandson who pounced on me in the break.

“I’ve seen you going up and down the hill” she said with a concerned expression on her face, “I think you’re amazing! Do you go all the way home on that thing?”

Erm, yes.

I know she meant well but what , exactly, does she find amazing? I don’t even get off my bum for 2 hours! What’s so amazing about that? My Son often reminds me of this when he moans about walking back up the hill from the park, “it’s alright for you sitting on your scooter!” and although I’d love to be able to power walk up the hill it’s also pretty cool driving!

We had a discussion on Twitter last night about walking aids and scooters and MSers usually love them. I hate the term, “confined to a wheelchair” because it couldn’t be more wrong! I am liberated and freed by my scooter as it gives me the chance to do a million things I couldn’t do before. Without it I was confined to my house or car.

Am I being harsh to find her words patronising then? It depends what she means by “amazing” doesn’t it? Does she mean I’m amazing and brave for daring to go out in public? Why shouldn’t I? I can’t walk very well so what else can I do? Does she think I’m amazing for being able to drive it so well? It’s not difficult so I can’t imagine it’s that and I have been driving a car fairly successfully for years!

It took me 2 years of struggling to finally accept and embrace the need for a mobility scooter and that comment could have knocked my confidence and made me doubt myself. It’s lucky I’m a confident, pig headed kind of person who will carry on regardless!

I’d love to hear what other MSers think. Do you ever get comments like this? Am I being harsh?