When Jess told me that she had signed us up for a wheelchair fitting, my first reaction was to resist. I thought up several excuses in my head why Mattie didn’t need one. She was too little-she won’t know what to do with it-we will use it as nothing more than a glorified (expensive) stroller. Then I started to think about what it meant. People would know something was wrong with her. More importantly, I could no longer deny that something was wrong with my daughter. It would be a monstrosity – a constant reminder of the difficulties we had faced and the hurdles that lie ahead. However, the fact remained that it was getting more and more difficult to transport Mattie as she continued to grow. Her inability to move on her own was also keeping her from interacting with other kids. It hurts my heart to see her lying on the ground, stuck watching her cousins and her brother run around, squealing and jumping and playing, knowing that she has no way of participating. Jess and I talked about all of this, and I reluctantly agreed to look into buying her a wheelchair.

The day of the fitting, I left work with my head full of negative thoughts and expectations. When I got home, I walked in to find Mattie sitting in a wheelchair wearing the biggest smile on her face! She was happy. Just as important, she was using it correctly-all by herself! She whizzed back and forth until she rammed into a wall or a cabinet. We would then turn her around, only to watch her take off again. It was as if she knew what she was doing. She loved it! Seeing her so happy was a shock and I immediately realized that I had thought about this all wrong. I stopped worrying about what a wheelchair meant and started thinking about all of the things Mattie would be able to do with it. She could play outside. She could play with others. She could chase her brother!

As I sit here now, I can’t wait for the wheelchair to arrive. I’m excited to have it specifically fitted to Mattie and see what she can do! This could really be a good thing for her….Sometimes a little perspective goes a long way. Check out her video from the wheelchair fitting: