It's NOT Laziness, It's A Spinal Cord Injury

I have been thinking about this for quite some time now, but a comment a couple of weeks ago prompted me to write about it and hopefully shed some light on those who are in the dark. And to be on the safe side, if you don't know/aren't sure what you're talking about keep your mouth closed, bite your tongue, do whatever you need to do to keep your opinion/suggestion/motivational tactic to yourself.

A few weeks ago I heard someone say that I'm not walking yet b/c I'm lazy. That's the most ridiculous thing I've heard in my life. The truth is, I'm not walking because I have a spinal cord injury. Meaning that the messages that my nerves are sending are not getting to brain. My spinal cord injury is not fiction or something I made up, it's real and just because YOU feel like or think I should be doing something based on your "expertise" or someone else's SCI condition and progress, doesn't make it true. Every one and each situation is unique and people must remember that. And I do understand that people want to help and only want the best for me, but you don't help by making fun of the adaptive equipment and things designed to help me. When I already have to deal with and adjust to so much, I shouldn't have your insensitive remarks added to that and be forced to handle that too. So, just understand, that as much as you want me to walk, know that I want it twice as much. But, I can't just tell my legs and fingers to work, I've done that on more than one occasion and got nothing. If you want to help, REALLY think about the things you say before they come out and imagine how you would feel if those same things were said to you.