My powerchair speaks...
[A photo of my Pride Jazzy 1121 powerchair with a piece of paper with what she wants to say handwritten on it.]
Happy International Wheelchair Day!
I am a powerchair usually loved but currently in disgrace. I broke down twice in 2 days, taking Emma's freedom, making her housebound. I'm not lucky enough to be an NHS chair. Call out and labour will cost £70 + parts - most of a weeks DLA (note from Emma - likely more if parts are needed), financially difficult. One month ago I had new batteries - nearly £240. Emma would spend that in a month of taxis if she didn't have me as she's not allowed to drive. I hope she can get me fixed soon.
My manual chair speaks...
Happy International Wheelchair Day!
I am a much loved manual chair, a fact that makes me happy inside. Before Emma got me she she took a lot of codeine for hip and back pain. It would knock her out. Her old manual she bought herself and it wasn't supportive enough after six years. I'm an NHS chair and they made me extra supportive with a £400 specialist backrest. Emma still takes codeine but hasn't needed it for weeks (note from Emma: probably two or three weeks). That's how much of a difference the right wheelchair can make, I'm proud I was that chair for Emma. Being an NHS chair a lovely wheelchair guy comes to fix me for free. He came about 6 times in 2010 even for just cosmetic damage. Powerchair is jealous of me - free repairs mean I'm better looking! I'm jealous too though. Powerchair's batteries mean she goes out with Emma. As a manual I'm mostly a house chair. I'd like to see more of the world than this flat and Emma's Dad's car.
2 comments:
Hah! I love this Emma! I wrote a very different post for International Wheelchair Day if you're interested here: http://t.co/2L9J5gk
There was an international wheelchair day, darn, I missed it. I think my wheelchair is still angry at all airlines and airline workers who don't know that the FCC requires that space for TWO wheelchairs be available onboard and thus the broken axle, crushed wheel need not have happened.
My manual says that I am a nut case and I should not be allowed to do the things I do just because I see someone who can do them ONCE in California and Chicago and stuff. But that it has always been there for me, but no, doesn't really get why wheelchair cushions cost so much.
Thanks for your entry, I enjoyed hearing for your wheelchairs. I would say what I tell others, 'you aren't housebound, you are simply a 'women of leisure' who is living beyond her mobility - haha, okay true that is makes me and thee sound a bit like sex workers but I prefer to think of it as those women who linger around with martini's and say 'darling' a lot.
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