Wheelchair users

Ah yes the well known " does she take sugar " syndrome.

Yes, sodapop I remembered that saying. There was a series on BBC Radio 4 for many years entitled that, exploring the treatment of people with disabilities.

Sadly my husband is now in a wheelchair following a severe stroke and we even get receptionists in hospitals addressing me rather than him.

Thanks for your input. I hadn't thought about it affecting other people who weren't in a wheelchair, but might also be (I don't know quite how to put it) be adversely affected in some other ways. Sorry, that still doesn't sound right.

I worked as a carer for many years and saw some carers talk over the heads of people who were either in a wheelchair or in bed. When I was in the unfortunate position of being bedridden in hospital and needing care, I knew exactly how that felt. Horrible.

There’s still an assumption that the disabled really shouldn’t have a life. We bumped into the lady A (no names, although I’m tempted) who ran DD2’s wheelchair clinic, at a wedding fair in a 5* hotel.
‘Good grief L’ she exclaimed, ‘what on Earth are you doing here?’ I was so proud, when DD2 said ‘I’m making last minute checks, as I’m getting married here in June!’ It left A speechless.

I can only add to previous posts, from my DD being 13 to now, at 41. It’s par for the course, unfortunately.

Ah yes the well known " does she take sugar " syndrome. Not just wheelchair users who are affected GoGo84 I worked with learning disabled people for many years and it was frequently assumed that they couldn't answer for themselves or hold any sort of opinion, Even people who should have known better made these assumptions. Left me so frustrated at times.

Whenever I need to use the wheelchair MrB and I have both noticed that people only make eye contact with and speak to him. Even when it’s me they actually need to talk to

My mother- in- law who used a wheelchair in the last few years of her life, just looked up at the person and said in a loud voice ' I'm doon here'. I miss her, she was a force to be reckoned with and people did not ignore her for long. You know, it taught us as in myself and other family members to always address the person sitting in the wheelchair.