Scooting My Way Around…
It is often assumed that the things everyone learns how to do as a kid are possible. These are simply milestones. After you reach one, you’re ready for the next. But how many parents wait for those milestones to happen with excitement only to learn that either they may wait a little longer than expected or they may wait forever.
In my case it was uncertain if I would ever be able to walk on my own. And my entire family, I think, truly believed they would never see me walking. You see my entire right side had shut down due to the loss of oxygen I had as a child. (See “Beginnings” for that story). So figuring out how to use my right side and learning to crawl were two different Herculean tasks I had to take on. Once I mastered the crawling part (we’ll discuss that at another time 🤔) I started trying to stand and walk.
I used sturdy objects to help me stand up and observed my twin as they worked their way around our home with ease. I wanted to be a part of all the fun. So if my twin ran one way, I followed. I would take one step and loose my balance, depending on gravity to help me fall on my booty or my hands. But I never wanted to wait and I’d figure out a way right then. So how else do you get yourself around when you can’t walk & don’t want to crawl? You scoot.
Using my booty I would scoot my way to where I wanted to be. If something like stairs were in my way… who cared. I’d use the railing to lift myself up and use my hands and knees to go up the stairs. Would I fall? ABSOLUTELY! But the great thing about children is that they are extremely resilient. So the fact that I had literal and figurative road blocks in my way for one task didn’t matter. I would get up on all fours and work my way up those damn stairs.
If I had to go down the stairs? Feet first, all fours, and crawled my way down. Why not? It helped me be independent. And I honestly didn’t have a choice in that. Once I reached the end of the climb, my arms were usually the part that were the most tired for me. So I wouldn’t want to crawl. But with scooting I had a way.
Sitting on my booty I let my hands and arms relax and made my way on. This may have been an unorthodox way of doing things but my legs (and let’s be honest, my glutes 😉) were able to build muscle and this later helped me with my progress.
People often thought this way was crazy and would either watch me scoot on in fear or in amazement. I have to give credit where it is due and say my Uncle never failed to be sure of my ability. There were many times my family were nervous or unsure if scooting around was all I would be able to get to. But not him. And I can say this with every physical milestone I had, his positivity in my ability never wavered. Even today.
Did scooting take longer sometimes… yeah. Did it make people laugh? I’m sure. Did it concern my doctors & physical therapists. YES! They would often tell my mom they were worried I would become to reliant on it and never learn to walk. At one point they claimed it had stunted my muscle growth in my right side. But if we’re being honest that had everything to do with the lack of oxygen I had suffered and not me being a human scooter.
I can honestly say I’m glad to have been a former “Human Scooter” 😜 It helped me with the physical abilities I have today. Do I still struggle? Yes. But I can walk now. And I attribute that ability to me finding any way possible to keep up with my siblings at all times. Sometimes scooting your way though life is the best way!
