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Trick-or-Treating While Disabled
Chocolates, sleepiness, and little brothers.
My daughter, Emily, loved Halloween. In her eyes, there was much to love about this day of endless candy. She didn’t have a sweet tooth per se, but rather, a love of chocolate. In fact, she disliked most candy that wasn’t chocolate, but she brokered a deal with her brother that would guarantee her all the chocolate. She would do anything for chocoloate. Then, there was the excuse to wear makeup. Once the outfit was donned and makeup applied, she took the part of the character….transformed into whoever she decided to be that day, until it was washed off before bed. And finally, the kids! All the kids who came to our door, ringing the doorbell excited to see us, made Emily over-the-moon happy.
Emily had a few obstacles to overcome with this day, though, as she did most days. She walked with a limp and had balance issues; she would need a costume that didn’t impair her walking. She also wore glasses and had a phobia of any mask on her face (traumatized from oxygen masks strapped to her face during countless medical procedures for a brain tumor). This meant a lot of homemade costumes — better in my book anyway. Plus, Emily loved a crafting project.
She also needed a hand to hold onto if she was walking on uneven ground (such as a street or sidewalk — never mind stairs). And, she only had use of…
