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Amanda – What’s the hardest part about having a disabled family member?

Amanda – What’s the hardest part about having a disabled family member?

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When he was in his wheelchair? Accessibility. Over here, there’s a restaurant that, I won’t name the name, we couldn’t get through the doors in his wheelchair, and they would not make any accommodations for us. And it was when he was still in p... Show More

When he was in his wheelchair? Accessibility. Over here, there’s a restaurant that, I won’t name the name, we couldn’t get through the doors in his wheelchair, and they would not make any accommodations for us. And it was when he was still in patient. And it’s hard, especially when your family member feels singled out. Then they feel like, “well, I’ve ruined everybody’s day.”  “I’ve ruined dinner, or I’ve ruined lunch.” Or they feel like everybody is staring at them. When he was waiting for his actual wheelchair, for his permanent chair, he was in a loner chair. So, it was bigger, and it was modified. So, I would stand to feed him because he didn’t have use of his arms, and he would be like, “sit down!” I’m like, “but I can’t, you’re tall.” And he was like, “they’re staring at me.” I’m like, “let them stare. You know what, just let them stare. That’s them, you’ re amazing. Let them stare. I don’t care, you shouldn’t care either.” You know, and the boys would be like, “dad, don’t worry about them. If they have a staring problem, I’ll go tell them, ‘don’t stare at my dad.’” I’m like, no, don’t tell them not to stare at your dad.”  You know, we feel like you’re on defense all the time, and I will defend that man till the day I die.

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Amanda – What’s the hardest part about having a disabled family member?

Amanda

Partner or spouse injured in 2010 at age 27, quadriplegic
More Videos by Amanda
Transcriptadd

When he was in his wheelchair? Accessibility. Over here, there’s a restaurant that, I won’t name the name, we couldn’t get through the doors in his wheelchair, and they would not make any accommodations for us. And it was when he was still in patient. And it’s hard, especially when your family member feels singled out. Then they feel like, “well, I’ve ruined everybody’s day.”  “I’ve ruined dinner, or I’ve ruined lunch.” Or they feel like everybody is staring at them. When he was waiting for his actual wheelchair, for his permanent chair, he was in a loner chair. So, it was bigger, and it was modified. So, I would stand to feed him because he didn’t have use of his arms, and he would be like, “sit down!” I’m like, “but I can’t, you’re tall.” And he was like, “they’re staring at me.” I’m like, “let them stare. You know what, just let them stare. That’s them, you’ re amazing. Let them stare. I don’t care, you shouldn’t care either.” You know, and the boys would be like, “dad, don’t worry about them. If they have a staring problem, I’ll go tell them, ‘don’t stare at my dad.’” I’m like, no, don’t tell them not to stare at your dad.”  You know, we feel like you’re on defense all the time, and I will defend that man till the day I die.

Amanda – What’s the hardest part about having a disabled family member?
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