What A Week

 

 

I didn’t plan on writing another blog this week, but after the things I’ve experienced I feel I need to share the sort of obstacles I come up against.

My week started with a visit to the flat our daughter used to rent. SMD will soon be starting her new job and she will be going into nursing accommodation. I have had a tough couple of weeks and have been feeling sorry for myself so I put my foot down (metaphorically) with hubby and daughter and told them I was sick of feeling left out because I am in a wheelchair and cannot get into her first floor flat. On Monday after I had had physiotherapy we went to Surbiton in my WAV sat in my manual wheelchair. About sixteen years ago I took part in the MS Challenge so I didn’t see why between hubby and daughter they couldn’t bump the wheelchair up the twelve steps to the flat. Delighted that we got into the flat without a hitch spent a couple of hours tidying it up and meeting the letting agent. I had been told when I first mooted the idea that it wasn’t safe but if it was what I really wanted then they would make sure it happened. Unfortunately when we left hubby tilted me backwards to start bumping me down the stairs in the wheelchair but he tripped on a loose piece of carpet and the bottom line is he had to let go and our daughter who was in front had to try and slow the chair down. As it turned out I feel that it was the quickest way to the bottom it proved two things 1. Always have a headrest attached to your wheelchair (you never know when you might need it) 2. Listen to your daughter. I am glad I did it, yes I’ve got a couple of bruises but I can’t feel them so that’s okay. More importantly it gave a chance for our daughter to prove me wrong.

After the excitement of Monday I went to Hampshire Wheelchair Services where I met two lovely people from a company called Delichon who are performance seating specialists. It’s time for me to have new seating. I will be doing a whole blog dedicated to them, this in itself took three hours of manual handling and hoisting, by the end I was knackered.

Wednesday came and I hoped it would be a quieter day as I only had a couple of things on my to do list. The first was all about booking an appointment with the breast screening clinic, after the disaster of referring me in Buckinghamshire my doctor here in Hampshire thought she would have a go. The problem comes with an electric wheelchair and the mammogram X-ray machine. Hopefully the online referral appointment request has worked, I now have an appointment for the end of November. Once that appointment had been made I received a request to book my booster jab. As soon as I have been told with any of the jabs I can book that’s exactly what I do. Once again though once a wheelchair has to be factored in to the equation walk in centres etc are not always available and I have to wait until the beginning on December before an appointment is available.

On Thursday we were fortunate to go out for lunch with hubby’s stepmum, we went to a pub that we have been to before and know works with the types of tables and an electric wheelchair.

Another visit today from the Occupational Therapist who is currently doing a review of the moving and handling again there is too much to go into and maybe in a few weeks time when things have settled down I might write another blog all about it.

I am so looking forward to the weekend especially Remembrance Sunday and for the first time I can be part of the Hayling Island Parade. My Dad who is 96 years young will be marching with his colleague who was also in the Merchant Navy and will be carrying the Standard of the Prince of Wales Sea Training School. I think it is very poignant at this time of year to tell you about my Dads blog that he wrote a number of years ago. http://www.pwsts.org.uk/edwardford.htm