The moments of innocent misunderstanding triggered by others who are less aware of the complex nature that my situation entails can often provide the best comic relief for a reality that is not always pretty.
While the perils of being in a wheelchair and on a ventilator can be challenging at best, it has many memorable moments.
One night, while my parents were out of town, my sister, her husband and I decided to have some friends over for a game night. My brother-in-law’s best friend (for the purpose of this story we will call him Danny) had met me before and interacted with me on several occasions. About two hours after the start of the game, Danny looked at my sister and asked, “Who has been vacuuming this whole time?” My sister looked over at me and we both erupted into uncontrollable laughter.
The vacuuming sound he was referring to was actually the sounds coming from my old LTV ventilator. Danny was mortified beyond belief. Despite Danny’s embarrassment, I found the entire exchange hilarious.
I do my best to accept the reality that is my life. While striving to find my place and purpose in the world, I have had interactions with others, that when looked at from an outsider’s perspective, might seem depressing or heart wrenching. That said, I have been able to find the humor amidst the underlying reality of my situation.
The moments of innocent misunderstanding triggered by others who are less aware of the complex nature that my situation entails can often provide the best comic relief for a reality that is not always pretty.
The views expressed by Loa are not necessarily the view of the Ventec Life Systems, its members or the clinical board. These blog posts are the personal experiences of Loa. The blog posts are not intended to provide clinical advice or training related to VOCSN. Always consult a physician or trained clinician prior to using VOCSN. Please refer to the VOCSN Clinical and Technical Manual for detailed instructions, including indications and contraindications for use. VOCSN is available by prescription only.