Can I just ask?

Today is International day of persons with disabilities (I always find the “persons” bit weird…) and I thought I’d answer the most common questions I get asked, mostly by strangers, at least once a month, just for the lols

*note: this blog may contain wit and sarcasm

How old are you?

23

Have you always been small? (I find this weird, do people think I somehow shrunk over night?) 

Yes, well I suppose I grew a bit but from birth obvs not much. I don’t really know the science but my bones didn’t grow as big and strong as others’. Something like that… 

Is your family small too? 

Mum’s 5’7, Dad’s 6’2, Jack’s 6’3 – So I don’t really know what happened there

You have brittle bones?

Yes I’ve broken over 200 bones
Does it hurt?

Yes it still very much hurts but I’m tough, so don’t worry

How do you charge your chair? 

Every other night whilst I’m sleeping, every night if I’ve done some kind of marathon day/ night out

Has your chair ever just ran out of battery?

No, never. It crawls when it’s low and I’ve always managed to get to my charger in time. Although I did stop after a night out once in the middle of my room. *thanks to dad for coming to Leeds to save me at 6am*

Oh and I did loose my buttons on my controller one night which was a bit confusing.

Do you have friends? (yep, I get this a lot too) 

Yes I have different groups of friends from primary, high school, college, university and work. They’re all really great and I value each and everyone of them

Can you drink and drive? *wink wink* (cringe)

Just check my social media

Do you wear kids clothes?

No just kids shoes (size 11 if you’re buying)

Do you want your coat on?

Probably not but I’ll ask if I’m stuck.

As witty as this is, these are questions I usually get from people I hardly know. They can be from taxi drivers to staff at a spa (in the middle of a massage- yep, the do I have friends one. It was awkward as it sounds)

So if you are thinking about asking a disabled person a question, really think about it. Would I ask anyone else this question? Do I really need to know? Am I asking it in a non intrusive way? Disabled people are just getting on with their life, just like you are too. And I’m probably either shopping or having a glass of prosecco.

Cheers to that