Disability

Letters from France
Disability
By Robert Thompson
Jun 27, 2008, 11:23

Having lived a full and active life with no serious physical difficulties to a reasonably advanced age, it was humbling for me suddenly to find myself totally dependent on others for the simplest tasks of daily living following a serious fracture of my left leg.

Like many others, I had often been pleased to be able, in various little ways, to help others suffering from major or minor disabilities, but full understanding of their possible feeling of helplessness never came upon me until I found myself, very fortunately temporarily, almost immobile, and a considerable time flat on my back, and forbidden to put even the slightest weight on my broken left leg.

During my period of immobility, visits had an enormous importance, and I am not sure whether or not the friends who came fully realised, despite my strong expressions of gratitude, just how much good their kindness did to me. I was, of course, able to discuss such feelings with my fellow inmates when we met at lunch-time, and several of them had, like me, never before found themselves in this dependent situation.

To get around (including using the lift to the ground floor), and to go to the dining-room for lunch, I had the use of a battery powered arm-chair, and I became accustomed to its use and its limitations. Effectively, I came to spend most of each day in this chair, since it was preferable to lying on my back twenty-four hours a day.

I am one of the lucky ones, since my restrictions were not permanent, and I am now back in the comfort of my own home with all the joys that this brings with it. However, this experience has led me now to think deeply about those who have no possibility of seeing a light at the end of their tunnel, and who know that they are condemned to severe limitations on their quality of life for as long as they remain on this earth.

This same experience has also had the wonderful effect of showing me how many good and kind people there are around me, which is encouraging when I look around at the mess created by the worst criminal leaders in our world. Looking at so much evil could easily lead anyone to despair, but the kindness of so many individuals from which I have benefited has given me enormous grounds for hope when thinking of the future of the world, obviously not at my stage in life for myself, but for our younger generations.

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