Last Saturday I was dancing away quite happily when ping! something went in the back of my leg, followed by a really bad cramp! A visit to the hospital confirmed I had torn a ligament, no walking for at least two weeks! No dancing for a month!
When my lovely daughter suggested a trip to my favourite fabric store which has just moved to bigger premises. We thought we would try out the shop mobility, as I could not walk far! They were fantastic, the guy wanted me to try a mobility scooter, but the wicker basket just wasn't me! I opted for an electric wheelchair with a joystick! After cursory form filling, the exchange of a fiver, and some relatively easy manoeuvring challenges, (pretend you are in a lift) I was waved off with the the guys kind words ringing in my ears
"you are covered by insurance if you break anything!" I was now in charge of an electric wheelchair with a top speed of 5 miles an hour!
Pretending you are in a lift is actually easier than actually being in one! Following my mentors advice I went in forwards and attempted to exit the lift backwards. However, i hit the side of the lift and went forward for another attempt, when the lift doors shut and I was taken up to the next floor! After going up and down a few times, I managed to get out of the lift, a kind lady risked white finger by pressing the open door button for a full five minutes!
If you ever want to take up shop lifting, an electric wheelchair makes a great accomplice, in a clothes shop I caught the handles on a couple of dresses and a bag! Fortunately Lucy came to my rescue, a five mile an hour getaway vehicle was no match for a security guard.
I did not realise how difficult it is trying to get round the shopping centre, people walk right in front of you, so I got very good at emergency stops. I now realise why it is important to have ramps and wide doors, it is nearly impossible to get round some shops!
The new store was great, I bought some fab red polka dot fabric for a fifties inspired dress from the sew magazine. At least I will have time to make it!
Showing posts with label disability. Show all posts
Showing posts with label disability. Show all posts
Friday, 11 September 2009
Tuesday, 8 September 2009
A different perspective!
I was dancing away Saturday night, just asked a really nice guy to dance when suddenly i felt a ping followed by a cramping pain in the back of my leg. We spent a couple of hours down at casualty on Sunday morning, to discover I have damaged a tendon! No dancing for a month! No driving for a couple of weeks! So I am consigned to the shed for a couple of weeks!
Lucy very kindly turned up around lunchtime today, and offered to take me into Southampton as they have a great wheelchair lending service. They couldn't have been nicer, a lovely chap helped me to learn how to control an electric wheelchair, and then I was set free to roam the shops.
I have often seen people getting around in these, often secretly thinking they look a lot of fun, and I was right they are! We had quite a laugh when I did not get out of the lift quick enough and ended up going up and down for a while! Maneuvering it was quite challenging at times, as the shelves in shops can be quite tight!
What did surprise me was the attitude of other shoppers! One girl who was walking towards me texting nearly tripped over me as she spotted me in front of her at the last minute, but rather than apologise, she swore at me! Another group of girls decided to stop right in front of me and I was able to perform an emergency stop, but they would not move! Another woman stood blocking a whole aisle was really annoyed when we asked her, very nicely, if she wouldn't mind moving so we could get past! As for the shop assistant in the fabric shop, she actually sighed and rolled her eyes when I asked if I could use the lift for the second floor!
Fortunately, it did not stop our enjoyment, we spent most of the afternoon laughing at my attempts to steer straight, navigate lifts and aisles! By the end of the afternoon I had become quite talented!
I hope this experience has made me more aware of disabled people, and I am more willing to help them. Just as soon as I stop being one myself!
Lucy very kindly turned up around lunchtime today, and offered to take me into Southampton as they have a great wheelchair lending service. They couldn't have been nicer, a lovely chap helped me to learn how to control an electric wheelchair, and then I was set free to roam the shops.
I have often seen people getting around in these, often secretly thinking they look a lot of fun, and I was right they are! We had quite a laugh when I did not get out of the lift quick enough and ended up going up and down for a while! Maneuvering it was quite challenging at times, as the shelves in shops can be quite tight!
What did surprise me was the attitude of other shoppers! One girl who was walking towards me texting nearly tripped over me as she spotted me in front of her at the last minute, but rather than apologise, she swore at me! Another group of girls decided to stop right in front of me and I was able to perform an emergency stop, but they would not move! Another woman stood blocking a whole aisle was really annoyed when we asked her, very nicely, if she wouldn't mind moving so we could get past! As for the shop assistant in the fabric shop, she actually sighed and rolled her eyes when I asked if I could use the lift for the second floor!
Fortunately, it did not stop our enjoyment, we spent most of the afternoon laughing at my attempts to steer straight, navigate lifts and aisles! By the end of the afternoon I had become quite talented!
I hope this experience has made me more aware of disabled people, and I am more willing to help them. Just as soon as I stop being one myself!
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