[KathyUK]

Hi everyone

I hope this is the right place to post this as I don't see an equipment subforum anywhere. I have a decision coming up and could use some practical and experienced advice to help me make it.

For the last 2 years I have been a part time wheelchair user thanks to lower limb weakness from DDD, arthritis in my spine and CRPS. I have (fairly impossible to control) chronic pain so even without the limb weakness it is painful to walk for more than a few steps. I also have achilles tendon issues caused by the neuropathic problems. On good days I can manage half an hour in the town on elbow sticks as long as I'm prepared to forfeit the next 2 days in a lot of pain and laid up. I'm missing out on socialising and shopping, walking the dog, just normal everyday stuff.

Social services were kind enough to loan me a normal self propelling wheelchair (they skipped giving me the necessary assessment, which was disappointing and totally ignored that my husband is visially impaired) but as my arms are starting to weaken from the spinal problems, I can't push myself. To top this off, my husband is having to push me around when he himself is registered blind (he does have some vision but even a quick trip to town involves a lot of direction and it's way too much pressure on him).

So, I am hoping I will recover but at the same time this is 15 years down the line from my first major problems and I'm running out of options to get fully mobile again. I need to get on with deciding whether to go for an electric wheelchair or a mobility scooter.

The issues I have with the decision after reading online are these:

1. If I were to have a mobility scooter, I'd want a portable/foldable one for storage reasons (small house, no garage, no car) and this brings problems surrounding independence as they won't do kerbs. Also having to have my arms extended for longer periods would be difficult. This is however the favourite choice of my teenage kids who expect me to "pimp" it up like Dizzee Rascal (lol).

2. Electric wheelchairs can have a kerb climber, making me more independent, but won't be able to be lifted into the house and are very expensive. Also I already get funny looks when people realise I can physically stand and walk and am not paralysed, so I feel a bit wrong/offensive/rude for even considering one. I'm also not sure how much battery life they have compared to a scooter (eg. if we wanted to head off to the Metro Centre for the day).

What I need out of either is independence from supervision without a high risk of falls, to be able to go in the shops and yet still be able to do things like kerbs or slightly uneven paving. Ideally I'd like it to be public transport safe (not just on limited networks). Where I live there are problems in the street such as cobbled joins between paths with a fair bit of unevenness, dropped kerbs only on one side of a crossing, etc. We don't have a ramp. I don't know how I can save my hubby from having to push me around or lift me around kerbs.

This won't be for everyday use but I think I'm at the cusp of having to have one regardless because it's just too much for my husband to do when I can't walk. It's a shame we've got to this point as I was able to use my wheelchair as a rollator of sorts then sit in it when I'd done enough (ok more like too much) but it's just not fair on him now my arms are getting worse.

I would really appreciate some ideas and advice.

Kathy
xx