Getting There: Traveling With a Disability — September Series

I’ve never really been someone who travels a lot.

But when I was younger and able to move around more freely on my own, traveling looked different for me.

I remember taking the train into New York City with family and friends. We could get off the train and spend time walking around the city. There was still planning involved because I had cerebral palsy, but physically, I was able to do more.

In my twenties, I would also travel down to Washington, D.C., to visit family.

Those are experiences I’m grateful I had.

But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve had to recognize something:

The way I travel has changed because my body has changed.

I Have to Think Differently Now

Cerebral palsy has been with me my entire life, but the way it affects me today isn’t exactly the same as when I was younger.

Today, if I’m thinking about going away, I have to consider how much walking will be involved. I have to think about how tired my body might become. I have to consider who is going with me and who can help me if I need assistance.

I can’t necessarily plan a trip based only on where I want to go.

I also have to ask:

Will this trip work for my body?

That’s not always an easy question to ask yourself.

But I’ve learned that accepting what my body needs today doesn’t mean I’m giving up on traveling.

It means I’m learning how to travel differently.

Finding What Works for Me Now

Nowadays, one of the trips I enjoy is going to the casino for a weekend about once a year.

For me, it works.

It’s far enough away that it feels like I’m getting away, but it isn’t so far that getting there becomes overwhelming. A PCA, friend, or family member can bring us there.

Once we’re there, I also don’t have to do an enormous amount of walking to enjoy myself.

That matters to me now.

I’m learning that a good trip doesn’t have to be the farthest destination or the biggest adventure.

A good trip is one that allows me to enjoy myself while still respecting what my body can handle.

Different Doesn’t Mean Less

There may have been a time when I could walk around New York City more freely or travel farther without thinking as much about what my body would feel like afterward.

I have wonderful memories of those times.

But I don’t want to spend today wishing my body still worked exactly the way it did in my twenties.

I’m 48 now. My body has carried me through cerebral palsy, surgeries, injuries, recovery, independence, and so much more.

It deserves to be considered when I make plans.

Maybe my adventures look different now.

Maybe I choose places that require less walking.

Maybe I stay closer to home.

Maybe I need someone with me.

But I’m still going somewhere.

I’m still making memories.

I’m still experiencing life.

And I’m learning that adapting the way I travel isn’t allowing cerebral palsy to take something away from me. It’s another way of working with my disability so I can continue doing the things I enjoy.

My destination may have changed.

My body may have changed.

But my desire to experience life hasn’t.

— Marie W.O.W.C.P.
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