There was a time when I saw assistive technology as a symbol of everything I had lost.
After having a stroke at 24 years old and being left with a significant physical disability, I spent years trying to prove to myself and others that I could still do things “normally.” I resisted equipment and aids because I thought accepting them meant accepting defeat. I worried they would make me look like I had given up on recovery.
In the beginning, I would often decline equipment recommendations due to pride, fear or exhaustion from feeling different already. I think part of me believed that if I accepted the equipment, I was accepting limitation.
I
write in my book:
.”.. I was against any permanent modifications and equipment the OT recommended. Not only would
it unnecessarily damage my parents’ home, it would also imply that I wasn’t going to improve…”
Reinventing Emma, page 151
But overtime, I’ve learned there is a massive difference between limitation and adaptation. I learned that assistive technology is not about “giving up,” it is about finding my independence and moving forwards.
Twenty years on, I can honestly say these supports have transformed my life.
A walking frame doesn’t mean I’ve failed to walk, it means I can keep moving safely and conserve energy for the things that truly matter. Automatic blinds don’t make me lazy, they allow me to manage my environment independently when fatigue or mobility challenges make simple tasks difficult. A larger keyboard or adaptive tech doesn’t mean I can’t work, it enables me to continue writing, communicating, and contributing professionally despite physical barriers.
These tools simply remove the obstacles that disability places in the way. Many of them make life easier for everyone, not just disabled people.
I’ve also realised how much internalised stigma exists around disability and equipment. Society often celebrates independence, but only when it looks a certain way. We admire people for “pushing through,” yet sometimes the bravest thing you can do is accept support.
Because true independence isn’t about doing everything alone. It’s about having the freedom, confidence, and ability to live your life in a way that works for you.
Now, when I look around my home, I no longer see symbols of loss. I see solutions, creativity and countless ways I’ve adapted and continued building a meaningful, full life.
“Assistive technology hasn’t made my world smaller, it’s made my world possible”.