Comments on: Falling In Love With A Wheelchair http://transabled.org/thoughts/other-thoughts/peters-thoughts/falling-in-love-with-a-wheelchair.htm Talking about Body Integrity Identity Disorder - Just another disability! Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:39:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7-beta2 hourly 1 By: Brice http://transabled.org/thoughts/other-thoughts/peters-thoughts/falling-in-love-with-a-wheelchair.htm/comment-page-1#comment-18390 Brice Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:31:21 +0000 http://transabled.org/?p=2611#comment-18390 Peter, you're a perfectly normal BIID-er. I, too, have put my braces on in the car, quite the struggle. The need to be polio-impaired has been with me all my life, and I had many little ventures on crutches in the first fifty years, but the urge really whipped up when I found out about Bob the brace-maker and had my braces made. Unfortunately I was never in a place while relatively young to go full-time, as I've said many times if I knew in my twenties what I came to realize, thanks to the internet and folks like Susan and Sean, I would have got into my braces and on my crutches every day, and eventually to the wheelchair when the shoulders gave out (as they now have) and never looked back. Bonne chance to you, friend. Peter, you’re a perfectly normal BIID-er. I, too, have put my braces on in the car, quite the struggle. The need to be polio-impaired has been with me all my life, and I had many little ventures on crutches in the first fifty years, but the urge really whipped up when I found out about Bob the brace-maker and had my braces made. Unfortunately I was never in a place while relatively young to go full-time, as I’ve said many times if I knew in my twenties what I came to realize, thanks to the internet and folks like Susan and Sean, I would have got into my braces and on my crutches every day, and eventually to the wheelchair when the shoulders gave out (as they now have) and never looked back. Bonne chance to you, friend.

]]> By: Cath http://transabled.org/thoughts/other-thoughts/peters-thoughts/falling-in-love-with-a-wheelchair.htm/comment-page-1#comment-18389 Cath Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:35:58 +0000 http://transabled.org/?p=2611#comment-18389 That's me too! If you're round the bend, Peter, then so are we, lol. That’s me too! If you’re round the bend, Peter, then so are we, lol.

]]> By: Chloe http://transabled.org/thoughts/other-thoughts/peters-thoughts/falling-in-love-with-a-wheelchair.htm/comment-page-1#comment-18388 Chloe Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:18:26 +0000 http://transabled.org/?p=2611#comment-18388 I can usually relate to something in most posts. Once in a while somebody writes such that I think "Oh, that's me!" This is one such. I have been thinking about leg braces for my entire life, but never had much interest in wheelchairs until last year. Things started to change early last year when a physician told me I should try a week in a wheelchair to see how I liked it (assuming I wouldn't like it). Then I had my interview with Michael First and started reading about Claire's wheeling adventures. The balance was tipped. I figured I should give it a try just to see. Well, I think I experienced something extremely close to what you are experiencing. Yes, the wall-to-wall BIID; sudden urge to wheel; falling in love; thinking I must be crazy. It all took some processing. My eventual interpretation was that it showed that the issue wasn't about leg braces at all, and it wasn't about wheelchairs either. The issue is simply that I need that impairment, and it would be there regardless of the existence of leg braces or wheelchairs. Anything that aids in conforming my presentation to my self image is good. It took me a fair bit of psychotherapy last summer to sort through all my feelings on becoming a wheelchair user. Good luck Peter! I never tried putting on leg braces in a car. It sounds horrendous! Now that the left leg brace is part of my usual morning routine, it all goes very smoothly and I don't give it much thought. I can usually relate to something in most posts. Once in a while somebody writes such that I think “Oh, that’s me!” This is one such.

I have been thinking about leg braces for my entire life, but never had much interest in wheelchairs until last year. Things started to change early last year when a physician told me I should try a week in a wheelchair to see how I liked it (assuming I wouldn’t like it). Then I had my interview with Michael First and started reading about Claire’s wheeling adventures. The balance was tipped. I figured I should give it a try just to see.

Well, I think I experienced something extremely close to what you are experiencing. Yes, the wall-to-wall BIID; sudden urge to wheel; falling in love; thinking I must be crazy.

It all took some processing. My eventual interpretation was that it showed that the issue wasn’t about leg braces at all, and it wasn’t about wheelchairs either. The issue is simply that I need that impairment, and it would be there regardless of the existence of leg braces or wheelchairs. Anything that aids in conforming my presentation to my self image is good. It took me a fair bit of psychotherapy last summer to sort through all my feelings on becoming a wheelchair user. Good luck Peter!

I never tried putting on leg braces in a car. It sounds horrendous! Now that the left leg brace is part of my usual morning routine, it all goes very smoothly and I don’t give it much thought.

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