[frogga]

Heya

Hope you all are ok.

You all know how useless i am with wheelchairs and how often they end up in the bone yard..

Well... 2 weeks ago I was in my manual chair when a wheel fell off. In Ikea, (a swedish furniture store). Since then I haven't been able to track down any other wheels to fit that chair - also it is one that I use very rarely because the support isn't really adequate for floppy old me. (It doesn't hold my head or chest securely enough and I end up flopping out of it, or my spasms kick in and I end up with my feet underneath the cross bracing and attached to my bum and then fall through the wheelchair.)

Well.... today, Leah and I went off on a mission. I am learning braille at the moment because I am planning on volunteering for a deaf/blind scheme over the summer - and because my arms don't work well enough for finger signing I have to learn braille to communicate with the clients (braille boards - they point to the letter etc and you soon build up a word). So, we were on the third floor of the library seeing if we could borrow a braille book for me to practise with. There weren't any. So, we went back to the lift and got in it. The lift went down, and then my wheelchair exploded.

I know.

not good.

My wonderful does everything magic, singing, dancing, tilting, reclining, bouncing wheelchair which I can actually sit up in. is dead.

So.. I am stuck in a lift with my carer and a dead wheelchair. Leah couldn't move my wheelchair and so she had to climb over me to get to go and call security. After much talk they ended up deciding that they would have to pick me up to standing and then lift the wheelchair ( a good 200lbs!) out of the lift before getting me. So two of them lifted me and slung me over leahs shoulder... (don't you love this? my starring role is as a piece of meat hung over someone's shoulder). They then lifted my wheelchair out. However, when moving the wheelchair the lift sensors re activated - and suddenly Leah and I were being taken up to the top floor.

Oops....

Anyway, I might be quite light, but I'm not nearlly light enough to be hanging over someones shoulder (at 5 "10 and 12 stone.. it's not easy especailly when i am totally non weight bearing and have no balance to remove any weight off her). so she ended up dropping me (gentlyish) onto the floor. So the lift re-opened to find me....

.........spread across the floor of the lift.

It then took 4 security guys to lift me and shove me in my wheelchair. Which. Was still. BROKEN. As I was in absoloute agony by now they agreed to push me back to Brendon (where I live) and shove me in to bed.

BUT with no tilt and no recline on the chair (as the electrics don't work) and I had to be out of tilt to get in the lift) and no power (so have to be pushed), I am STUFFED. I can't sit without tilt/ recline without MAJOR pain and loads of floppying.... so really, I am now stuck in bed. until further notice really.

it is SO frustrating. But I thought you all could do with a laugh!

So;.... I now have NO wheelchairs, but lots of slaves (Ben!! Nick, Si, Laurie, Deano etc) who carry me on request - just not sure about the suitability of them carrying me to the toilet).

Loads of Love to you all
and hope you have a lift free night

FRxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx