My Love for Light Up Sneakers

The other day my life changed forever (I don't think I am being overly dramatic). I discovered happiness I never knew possible (Still not overly dramatic). I was lying in bed, although it was not yet bed time. I was simply not feeling well and took the chance to have a rest, when my Mum came home. She came into my room to say hello and show me what she had bought. I never guessed she had bought something for me.

Out of a box came these gorgeous, sparkly, velcro-tabbed, purple, pink, blue and silver sneakers. I could not say a word. I only gasped and smiled, my love of these shoes knew no boundaries.
Suddenly, Mum turned off my light in my room and threw the shoes on my bed. When they landed, they flashed and lit up. I squealed and squealed. It was like Christmas, Easter and my birthday all in one.

After squealing, squeaking and thanking Mum profusely, I proceeded to text almost everyone I knew to tell them the good news. My conversation with Luke went like this...

She Types Things: LUKE!!! I GOT SNEAKERS AND THEY LIGHT UP AND THEY'RE SPARKLY AND ARE VELCRO TABBED!

Luke: Haha, that's awesome. That's like 5 year old you dream come true.

She Types Things: No. It's more like 20 year old me dream come true.

And it is true. It is a dream come true. I want to wear the shoes to work (I do sometimes, depending on the client), I want to wear them on dates (haha - what dates), and I want to wear them to my 21st birthday (Mum's disapproving look means I probably won't).

I love things like that. I love little things that make me happy. True enough, the other day I went to the shops just to buy some red cordial (I also bought a Scooby Doo toy for $5 because it was just too good not to). I have my nails painted pink. I like to laugh.

Life is too short to be grown up all the time, but that is not the only reason I love my new shoes. I think they should be a physiotherapy tool.

The sneakers light up when they have enough weight on them. They light up on most steps, but if my weight is in the wrong place then it won't. The other thing about it is that it makes me look at where I am placing my weight.

When my sneakers only light up on the right side, I know my centre of gravity is too far to the my right. This isn't uncommon for me - I don't often realize I am doing it. But now, thanks to the most awesome sneakers in the world - I do. I am able to fix my walking and bear my weight more evenly.

Therapy is most effective when it is in the form of play.... or fabulous light up sneakers.

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Disability Perks

Disability perks is a phrase that I really stole from John Green, from "The Fault in Our Stars". He talks about cancer perks in it - about the things that people give to children and young people because they have cancer. It's an interesting concept, disability perks - especially when it comes to children.

The other day I went with one of my jobs to Seaworld, with 8 children and 7 workers. Two days later, one worker and I went with two children. It was exhausting. It was great.
It certainly wasn't the place for all of our kids - one of them really had a bad day. He didn't enjoy himself. Others weren't too fussed on Seaworld, and some of them absolutely loved it.

When I talk about disability perks - I am not talking about equal rights. I am not talking about accessible parking or accessible bathrooms. These are not perks - this is equality and basic rights. I'm talking about those little things extra.

I am talking about the people who give the children an extra bag of sweets, because they're in a wheelchair.

I am talking about the people who stop the characters in dress up to take photos with our kids, and shoo away all the "able-bodied" children.

I am talking about the fact that the children with the wheelchairs got the pathways parted for them like the red sea (but not those without the visible disabilities.)

Some people think those perks are sweet and kind. Disability perks kind of get under my skin a bit. I think it is just another marker of society not knowing how to treat people with disabilities and not simply seeing them as children.

But, am I going to actually say no to them?

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