The Elephant in the Room Has Four Feet

I arrived in my hotel room and wasn't surprised to see a big green bag, left as a gift by the conference organizers. Every time I come to work here, they buy a gift and there's usually a bag or a box waiting in the room. They know me well and usually fill it with all sorts of teas and treats. It took a second to get things organized in the room. Both Joe and I like leaving the gift until everything is settled and we aren't rushed in enjoying the sheer pleasure of discovering what little treasure we were to find.

We looked in and found two boxes, each containing 'bed risers' or 'elephant feet'. The note with them said that these were to make our travel on the road more comfortable. They must have really listened about us being in rooms with low beds  or me being unable to use the chairs in a room because they are too low for me. When on the road, I'm in my wheelchair all the hours that I'm not in bed or in car. I get wheelchair weary. I love my chair, but occasionally a sofa would be nice.

So we've set about putting the elephant feet under the chair in the room.

Bliss.

In a hotel, sitting up, getting up and down without help. Independently sitting. Sitting without fear of rising. Relaxing in a chair with a pillow.

I think that this might be my very first, ever, gift that took my needs as a disabled person into consideration. It means that my disability is not something that can be 'gifted' in the same way my being a reader can be gifted, my being a tea drinker can be gifted. It's now just another thing about me that makes shopping for me easy. You know that you are fully out of the closet and fully identified as a disabled person if you can open a gift and scream, 'Oh My God, Elephant Feet, just want I wanted. And, ultimately, that's very, very, cool.

Yes, oh, yes, got elephant feet.

And I'm thrilled on so many different levels.