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The Struggle is Real
Yesterday I watched a YouTube video where a wife and friend help a gentleman with quadriplegia into a hot tub. I think they were showing their audience a couple things. Not only that it can be done, also that the struggle is real. Despite the effort they seemed to enjoy themselves. For me 15 minutes in a hot tub isn’t worth it. Just like flying on an airplane. It’s too much of a struggle. Do you find certain things not worth the effort? At what point do you decide I’m not doing that?
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6 Replies
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Absolutely. Flying became a hassle getting my chairs broke I stopped. Plus the discomfort & other fuck arounds getting transferred – no thanks.
My mates used to lug me up nightclub stairs – everywhere & anywhere – but unless its got proper access you can count me out these days.
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Some days just getting outta bed is a bridge too far as well.
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This one hit me because I’ve had to fight off family and friends to get what I wanted. Swimming in a pool or the ocean isn’t worth all the hassle and, more importantly, the fear involved. Really getting in any body of water meant for recreation is not something I’m willing to do. I’m terrified of getting in the water and fear my head will go under. I don’t even like the handheld shower squirted in my face. Everyone is always telling me it will be ok, they’ll hold me perfectly. It’s not that I don’t trust them; I just don’t think they envision all the possible pitfalls that could happen. Unfortunately, I feel like I’m disappointing them when we go over to a friend’s house who has a pool, but the fear is far greater than any potential fun, and it’s just not worth even trying. At least I’ve learned to put my foot down and stand up for myself!
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People who “over encourage” get told in no uncertain terms to stop. I know what I want, its not to be submerged & helpless in a body of water!
You’re only disappointing yourself if you don’t do what makes you comfortable. Everyone else’s feelings about you having a swim don’t mean shit mate.
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Kelly, I could tell there was an element of fear for this gentleman as well. His spinal cord injury was from a water accident, so I’m sure that added to his apprehension. It can be scary, especially when you’re relying on others. I had an incident with a wave pool that still haunts me.
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I think I skip out on things because they’re not worth the effort more than I realize. Everything mentioned above— flying, swimming pools, hot tubs— are all things that are not worth it to me as well. Large crowds where I need accommodations or have to worry about simply getting from point A to point B through a sea of people— not worth it. I’m sure there are many others that I can’t think of right now. At which point do I tell myself I’m not just an easy-going person and that my disability actually requires a lot of work for some things that aren’t worth the return?
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