It seems the USA is at a critical crossroads. Tuesday we will choose a new president and decide who will make laws and policies in the congress. These men and women who are on our ballots are often called “representatives.” And here’s my question for you, do they truly represent you?

Do you feel like your elected representatives know the kinds of things you deal with? Or do they look at the Americans with Disabilities Act and think they’ve done everything they need to do for people in wheelchairs?

If you had 5 minutes with your senator or congressman, what would you say? What would you ask him to do for you? What perspective about life in a wheelchair could you share with him or her?

And have you studied the healthcare plans from the Obama and McCain campaigns? Do you feel that those plans accommodate your needs? Which do you prefer?

Obviously, if I could wish away my need for a power wheelchair, I would. But that’s not what this list is about. Life is what it is. My life includes a need for a motorized mobility machine. And so this list is my wheelchair wish list.

1. I wish I was obscenely wealthy and could not only own an iBot, but could give one away to all my wheelchair-bound friends.

2. I wish my bank thought about access more than just a ramped curb and a wide parking space.

3. I wish my son’s elementary school thought more about accommodating those with limited mobility when they set up the room for a school program.

4. I wish people who passed me on the sidewalks of my neighborhood noticed me the person before they noticed my chair.

5. I wish there were no such things as pressure sores.

7. I wish the gigantic rechargeable battery that sits right under my butt all day was more eco-friendly.

8. I wish clothing racks at department stores and malls weren’t so darn tall.

9. I wish I could control the weather.

10. I wish my elected representatives could spend one day seeing life from my vantage point.

So you were probably just like me a couple of weeks ago. It seemed as if I couldn’t pull myself away from the TV. Michael Phelps’ quest for 8 gold medals (among other mesmerizing story lines) completely dominated my life for two weeks.

But now with a much smaller portion of the world watching, China has kicked off another Olympic games. It’s time for the paralympians to take center stage. Once every four years, I become completely inspired by what can be accomplished by those who have suffered significant disabilities.

A one-legged Chinese athlete climbed a 40-meter rope using only his bare hands to light the Olympic torch to begin the Paralympic Games. Afterward he said, “When I climbed up the rope, I knew that the whole world was watching and I wasn’t alone. It was a journey to show the indomitable spirit of mankind, and I want to send the message to the world.”

And what about Oscar Pistorius of South Africa. He was turning in sprint times earlier this year that forced track and field’s world governing body to rule whether he could compete in the non-disabled Olympics. You see, Oscar was born without bones in his lower legs. In the end, they banned him. They considered his prosthetics an unfair advantage. Seriously. I’m not making this up. (You can read about it here: www.nytimes.com/2007/05/15/sports/othersports/15runner.html.)

I hope that I can follow the Paralympics a little on the internet. It certainly doesn’t get the coverage of the regular Olympics. And I hope to find a few new heroes. Heroes in wheelchairs.