One Week with a Wheelchair part 2
Experiences the wheelchair has changed in one week (besides the obvious):
🌲Pace & time - Daniel looked at me half way through our zoo trip and said "wow, this is so nice. We aren't in a hurry." We realized that we always had anxiety and a big sense of rush due to making sure Atticus didn't get too tired. If he does too much then that results in muscle pain & damage and metabolic crashes. It's like trying to enjoy yourself when there is a fire in the other room! The new pace was so relaxing and we had an immense amount of newfound peace. This has also allowed us to socialize too since are not in a rush to leave.
🌲Rolling up to the picnic table - the amount of stress we endured due to eating on a picnic bench is unreal. There isnt a comfortable and independent way for him to eat his packed snacks or lunch. Atticus was miserable. This time he just rolled right up! And he was so comfortable the entire time.
🌲This boy is CONFIDENT with his chair. 🔥🔥 Give him a mobility device and he's ready to rock! Its been so fun to see him take charge, lead with excitement, and tell us, "I got this, Mama." This has been good for his mental health and it shows!
🌲His experience changed - this one is so exciting! In the past these outings were so taxing on him that he eventually didn't want to go anywhere at all. And if you have a curious, intelligent kid then you know how concerning it is when your child checks out. The day before we went to the zoo he said he didn't like going there very much (based on last experiences) but after visiting with the wheelchair he said he actually LOVES!
🌲We aren't as tired - Atticus has grown a bit and we are starting to feel the fatigue with holding and carrying him everywhere. We absolutely adore holding him but at the end of the day we became so tired. We noticed we had much more energy when we got home from an outing.
🌲They sleep better because we can go out - Yes!! They are just so happy to explore and do things. I think ultimately it helps Basil regulate too 🥰
🌲People can see our journey - strangers are much nicer and understand if I am overwhelmed in that moment.
🌲When your kids are happy and safe then you can actually enjoy things 🎉