Rear view of a wheelchair in the snow, with the focus being the wheel of the chair absolutely covered with snow to a point where the push rim is no longer visible.

Snow days…

I don’t like them any more.

I used to love snow. Did I get old? Did I get boring? Or did I just see snow from a different perspective?

Snow for many wheelchair users just means being stuck at home. Or really cold hands, despite the best gloves!

And mess.

Lots of wet mess, which just keeps going long after you think you have cleaned it all! The ramped access was well salted, so we could at least get outside, but coming back indoors was messy.

Even after clearing up the snowy piles, and then the puddles of water, the floors dried to show the salt crystals, which then needed to be cleaned.

And the reality of our time outside was that it actually wasn’t that much fun. It was cold and my son feels things in quite extreme ways, compared to some of us. He didn’t like it, he wasn’t really happy and wanted to come it pretty quickly. Autism, sensory processing difficulties and having quite poor circulation make it all quite an intense experience.

I did get a few smiley photos but they don’t really reflect the reality.

I keep seeing happy posts on social media of families having fun and “making memories”. And I felt bad for letting my son come inside and console himself by watching You Tube videos and zoning out of real life.

But that is what he needed to do.

It is really hard to see your child so anxious and upset at something which other children see as an amazing joy.

And that might be the real reason for my misery at snow.

Mess can be cleaned. But a hurting heart just keeps hurting.

 

Published by Ordinary Hopes

Cape-less Crusader, changing the world one toilet at a time.

23 thoughts on “Snow days…”

  1. I totally get this, Archie was watching from the sofa out of the window smiling away and showing me he might 8f led it out there but actually he didn’t and hated the sledge as I couldn’t or wouldn’t take the wheel chair out and he certainly wouldn’t like to try walk in it , he hates Un even surfaces at best of times. xxx

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    1. I love watching it fall, but as soon as I can see it on the ground I change my mind. Hope Isaac has a good day indoors.x

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  2. Reblogged this on ExtraOrdinary Cornwall and commented:
    Ordinary Hopes has a wonderful blog. Today on my Facebook page, I sent out a big hug to all those that are struggling with the weather right now. This is a very valid point and backed up by this lady’s very honest words. Snow can be beautiful and bring so much joy. It can also bring physical and mental pain, exhaustion and stress to some. We all experience differently; let’s respect that.

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  3. I joked to Isaac “don’t eat te yellow snow” … Instead of laughing he just basically told me he would never touch any of that white stuff!
    He was fasinated with watching the snow in the comfort of his own home but as soon as it landed on him outside he really started to scream! Plus a powerchair doesn’t move easily through snow. He can’t reach the ground to play even if he wanted to. I hate the snow too. What it can do to his (and my mums) health. I used to love it and be out in it (even as a teenager) but then my brother started to struggle more with sensory issues and OCD.

    He is now 21, I think the last time he built a snowman was pre PANDAS. (Age 13)

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    1. I didn’t dare risk the powered chair yesterday. Early in February we had just a little bit of snow and the powered chair coped fine with that, but this lot is a whole extra level of snow.

      I look back fondly to the days when I could bundle Adam up warmly and prop him up in my laundry basket with blankets and towels so that we could pull him around in the snow. Long gone days now.x

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  4. Personally I have never liked snow, not ever, not as a kid, teenager, adult, mother (well briefly for about 10 minutes when Andre took them out in the snow when they were little). Too cold, too wet & too much like hard work for my heart.

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  5. Ah I’m sorry to see this. It is very very cold out there. We brought a bowl of the snow in to play with and mould. If Adam would enjoy something like that so you or he doesn’t feel like he’s missing out enjoying the snow. Or use some spray bottles or pipettes filled with dye or food colouring and water and make patterns in the snow/snow bowl. Paint it. Just some ideas. There are quite a few bits on Pinterest. I’ve just written a post of ideas to do in the snow although they may not all be disabled friendly.

    Fingers crossed it melts soon for you and you can get out and about a bit easier again. Much love. X

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    1. It has been hard physically and emotionally. Everything has seemed heightened and harder to deal with. Spring is coming!

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  9. Struggling here too..Jonas has a burnt looking mouth and surrounding face following a cold, it has become cracked, bleeding, afraid to move mouth so not eating, crying, clawing at face, can’t stand lipsalve, coconut oil or anything that might help..but this morning I woke up with the words Epsom salts, out of the blue, and have managed to get him to bathe in the bath, it’s lessened the burnt effect..so out to buy more later hopefully! He can get like this in any season but think the extremes of weather are harder. So our time has been a bit isolating..despite the magical scenery that the snow brings. Sending hugs to our friends.x

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    1. I hope he is feeling better soon. He must be so fed up with it all. Hope to see you on Monday, we have some trays with seeds to plant together and that he can take home to watch them grow. I have some new gardening gloves for us all too so nobody has to worry about getting messy!

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    1. After watching the short videos we took it was clear that he didn’t like the snow on his wheels. Which makes sense really, as he hates people or animals touching his chair, so why should the snow get away with it!

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  14. My daughter and enjoyed one day in the snow, but the next two days we were stuck inside. I can completely understand why you wouldn’t like snow. Thank you so much for linking up with #kcacols and we hope to see you next time.

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