Katie Paige: Accessibility Week

This week on campus is Accessibility Week. Mind you, I didn't notice until today. Wednesday. Mid-week. I am horrible. Anywho, I was walking through the Wilk, heading to my first class and the Accessibility booth was set up. "Want to participate in a challenge?" Umm, don't ask me that lady, I ALWAYS want to participate in a challenge. "Only if you're okay with me winning" I respond. Jokes on me, there is no winner. I was told to pick a handicap to "live with" for two hours and I would get a free shirt. SCORE! So after I examined my options I saw a wheelchair. During the time my mom was in rehab, I developed mad wheelchair racing skills. Tanner, Riley and I would wheelie down halls, race, shove each other into random rooms, practice cutting corners. My technique is fantastic. "I pick the wheelchair" Never in a million years did I know what I was getting into.

I've been having a hard time finding words to describe my experience. I guess the best word would be humbled. I was completely humbled. Campus is a lot bigger in a wheelchair. The ramps are so steep I found them almost useless. Because the pavement is uneven, my wheelchair kept turning, making it so my strides couldn't be as long because I had to yank my wheel to get going straight again. After making it to one class I was spent. Leaving my Book of Mormon class I think my frustration showed on my face because a cute random girl came up to me and said "Where are you headed? Can I give you a push?" I said "I would love that so much. I'm headed to the JSB" (almost the very end of campus) The girl responded with a "Great that's right where I am headed!" comment, and off we went.Without making me feel like a charity case, she pushed me into the building, told me to have a great day and walked back out of the building. She was not heading to the JSB. Actually, I watched her leave and she ran back the other direction. She went out of her way to get me where I was going. I wheeled into class fighting back emotions and completely grateful.

After my American Heritage class in the JSB I was ready to turn back in my wheelchair. I had finished my 2 hours and I was exhausted. Yep kids. 2 hours. So after pushing myself halfway back to the Wilk another cute girl just started pushing me and said "Campus is so big! Where are you headed?" I told her the Wilk. "Great! I'm going to the library!" So she pushed me to the library and I kept on, heading to the Wilk. I felt so awkward pushing myself in a crowd. I could keep up just fine, but I kept knocking peoples ankles or people would unknowingly walk crooked and I was out of space. When I was approaching the ramp at the Wilk, I paused to get some strength to get up the ramp. A guy came behind me, pushed me up the ramp, and opened the door for me. I was singing his praise and he responded by saying "Oh, its not a big deal, I was planning on holding this door open anyways" So nice! Fighting back emotions again, I wheeled up to the booth to return my wheelchair. I was so excited to turn that thing back in. I was done. I got my shirt, stood up, and left the wheelchair at the booth.

Today I learned lessons I thought I already knew. I know how tricky it is to have a mom in a wheelchair and I thought I knew how hard it was to be in a wheelchair. I thought I could handle this "challenge" with ease. I thought I would be a rock star. I was humbled. The kids that pushed me were angels. Seriously. I didn't have anything left, and without making a big deal they helped me. The people who helped me today showed me what a Christ-like person is. I was shown random acts of kindness, just because. Besides that, I got to understand how amazing my mom is. She is such a champ. She never acts tired, or gives up. I got to get up and walk out, and she doesn't have that option. My mom is such a huge example to me. I never really understood how hard it is not being able to just go somewhere. I know how to load and unload a wheelchair, I can assemble a wheelchair in 30 seconds flat, but being the one in the chair is a different story. I am so grateful to have such an amazing example. I admire her so much. And all the other amazing people I have in my life that get to show me up in their wheelchair (Lisa Paulsen!) I am so proud to know you.