Make a Way for Us

Finally heard back from a member of the family we'd been expecting to hear from for quite a while, and learned the reason for the long "internet silence" was accessibility related! The location we've all decided on isn't EXACTLY barrier-free; in fact there are stairs galore all around it:( As for me, I'm braving the inconvenience for the reward of being there, but I can absolutely see why for a newly elderly lady who has difficulty with stairs--it would be an issue. Maybe this is subconsciously why I didn't go to the concert last night. I know the venue is very amphitheater-like, and the idea of doing stairs, even though I CAN, after the day I'd had, was just too much to handle. It's important for me to quit while I'm ahead and know my limits, so I don't fall in public, causing everyone around me to "oh!" or anxiously gasp and stare, and meanwhile I have to ask somebody who doesn't look too shocked by the situation to give me a hand back up:( It's really the best thing for everyone. Which is why I empathize with the problem faced by our family and his little family. THEY know what their elderly mother can and can not handle, and stairs are definitely one of them. Heaven knows when I get to be this lady's age--if I even make it that far although I fully intend to try--I myself will most likely be either wheelchair bound or bedridden:( So good on them for doing what they have to do to make sure Mother is cared for and included, even if it means a little more planning. It's an important part of lessening the burden on a disabled person to make her feel like her limitations are worth taking into consideration. I don't mean to single anyone out by this entry; PLEASE if you're reading this and tempted to take offense--DON'T. It just means a lot to me to say what I see about the experience of the Disabled in this world, and to comment on how I'm affected by it. Know that this entry is just an observation of life as I know it, and that it is in no way meant to make anyone feel attacked. Got another busy second half of the day planned so, I'd better get going! Everyone take care:)