r/SmallWins

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I’ve just been feeling a bit stuck and overwhelmed the last few days, and scrolling through standard social media is honestly making it worse. I wanted to step away from all the noise and just hear some real, everyday good stuff from regular people. Did you finally clear out that messy closet? Did you cook a really great meal? Get a small compliment at work?

No win is too small. Please brag to me, I genuinely want to celebrate with you guys today and lift the vibe a bit.

TW: mention of EDs/abuse

**TL;DR: I (19F) have POTS and almost passed out at a park. After months of thinking I didn't "deserve" a wheelchair and fearing my boyfriend would feel like a caretaker, I finally started using one for outings. It's been LIFE CHANGING. We can actually enjoy shopping and hanging out without me crashing. My boyfriend and his friends have been incredibly supportive, making jokes and having fun with it. My previous abusive relationship delayed my diagnosis and made me terrified of judgment, but my current boyfriend is amazing. If you're on the fence about getting a mobility aid, this is your sign to do it.**

I wanted to post this in hopes that maybe someone who thought that they shouldn’t get a wheelchair will consider it after hearing my experience.

I (19F) have dysautonomia/POTS and my fatigue has been awful. Recently my boyfriend and I were at a park and I almost fully passed out. Like I went completely limp and he had to hold me up. Which is the first time that has ever happened to me.

About a week ago I met someone at a death metal concert (Cattle Decapitation) and we spoke about mobility aides. I’ve always felt as though I shouldn’t get a wheelchair bc my condition isn’t ‘that bad’ (it is) and I would feel insanely embarrassed being in public with one/scared my boyfriend would feel like my caretaker. But after the park incident, that same day we had to go to the store. I brought it up to my boyfriend and he said yeah that would be cool with me, if it helps you then I’m all for it. So I got my mom’s old wheelchair out of the garages and we finally started using a wheelchair for outings like shopping, and it has literally changed everything.

Normally shopping means rushing, feeling sick, going quiet, and needing to leave early. But that day when we went to the store, he was making jokes, running around with me, telling people I had Alzheimer’s (omfg😭😭) and we actually had fun and took our time.

Then last night we went out to a game/anime store with his friends, and we could actually just take our time!!!!!!!! I pushed myself through the aisles, he pushed me when we needed to move faster, and he is totally happy loading and unloading it from the car. His friends were super sweet and supportive, making lighthearted jokes and treating me totally normally. One friend even pushed my wheelchair around while I went to the second floor to look around (no elevator).
I was in an abusive relationship for three years (up until almost a year ago) which was a part in my diagnosis being delayed(21M would force me to go to the gym, eat keto/put me back into an extreme eating disorder), so I was terrified of what my bf would think, but he’s so supportive.

I can’t wait to go out more and do more things now that I don’t have to worry about my body shutting down on me. And I cannot wait to pimp out my wheelchair to look all emo and cool🫶🏻