- 2016, acceptance, argh, attitudes, awareness, CP related, frustrations, things people say, Uncategorized, wheelchair
“She’ll run you over”
There are a lot of allegedly jokey comments that people make about or to me as a wheelchair user. Usually well meaning and perhaps an attempt at being funny. They aren’t funny. Most of them never were but one or two may have been if not for the fact that I hear them all the time. I’m talking about the “women drivers” comments. The people who say “do you have a license for that thing?” Those who randomly see me and go “no speeding!” And many others. I often roll my eyes at that sort of thing and let it go because it’s usually strangers and theres no point getting…
- 2013, freedom, frustrations, NaNoWriMo, powerchair, Quickie Salsa, so you had a bad day, trains, Uncategorized, writing
A Properly Poorly Powerchair
I’ve got a poorly powerchair. I’ve known for a fe weeks that it didn’t feel right but I couldn’t put together what was wrong with it. Then mum and I went to Oxford to see The Mousetrap and on our way to the station afterwards (I had gone in early for drinks with a friend) she said the back of my chair struck her as wrong. When we got back to the station she had a properly look as we had time before the train and said she wasn’t sure. But I mentioned that I’d thought it felt off and had had a feeling it was something on the front…
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You Know You’ve Got CP When…
…the shoes you call your ridiculously impractical shoes are the same sort as your able-bodied sister and mother frequently wear as sensible everyday ones. For years I’ve lived in trainers. But only a specific sort. So much so that the pair I have now is at least my third identical pair but come to think of it is probably actually my fourth. And I should probably buy a new (but still identical pair) because no matter how many times I look for something different I can never find it. The idea that Skechers might one day discontinue them secretly fills me with horror. Because no one else does shoes which…
- 2013, acceptance, access, awareness, blogging, campaigns, courage, CP related, current affairs, difficulties, disability, disability normal, disability rights, freedom, frustrations, hopes and dreams, I want to change the world, identity, Uncategorized
In which I ramble and am grouchy when it comes to “awareness”
(I was going to title this “why I’m not blogging about CP awareness day” and then I realised that by writing this I pretty much was blogging about CP awareness day just not in the way most people are and that would be a pointless title) So. Word on the street the internet is that 25th March is CP awareness day. i.e. that tomorrow is CP awareness day. Except, to me, it’s not, really. It’s national CP awareness day in the US. I’m not in the US and I sometimes feel like the entirety of the fucking internet resolves around people from the US and that those of us not…
- 2013, acceptance, access, argh, attitudes, CP related, difficulties, disability, drama, frustrations, powerchair, Quickie Salsa, ranting, sarcasm, so you had a bad day, things people say, Uncategorized, wheelchair
A word of advice
For those who don’t know me. Don’t try offering me unsolicited advice or helpful suggestions about my wheelchair and then go off on me when I tell you’re wrong and calmly explain the reasons why I do what I do and/or can’t do anything else. Telling me where you saw me cross the road is dangerous is one thing. Repeatedly screeching at me that I’m going to get myself killed when I tell you its the only place I can is upsetting. And talking to me like I’m stupid and telling me that I do have a choice and could cross the road elsewhere is another that shouldn’t happen. Suggesting…
- 2012, acceptance, access, discrimination, freedom, friends, frustrations, I want to change the world, influences, Life, mental health, nano group, personal, powerchair, Quickie Salsa, quotes, Uncategorized
Rekindled
I’m reading a good book at the moment. I hope to finish it tonight and I’ll review it for my blog in the next few days most likely. When I flicked to the back to see how many pages it has I noticed that on the page after the end of the story there is the following quote. “Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into flame by another human being. Each of us owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light.” Albert Schweitzer I’ve had a tough year I think it’s fair to say. And things are greatly improving and I feel like I’m not in…
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>Don’t Look Back In Anger
>I went for my wheelchair assessment on Wednesday. And it went really well. The details and all that are for another entry as I’d like for that to be a positive entry. For now lets just say that I’m trialling a new seating configuration and the question of whether I need a new chair as well is on the backburner at present. So far I like my new seating but I think there maybe a few niggles which need ironing out in the long run. The thing is though I can’t help feeling a little frustrated and even angry. I was assessed there in 2009 and I told them certain…
- botox, disability, friends, frustrations, language, Paralympics, physio, serial casting, spasticity, Uncategorized
>Interesting Times
>Lately I feel like I live in Interesting Times as in the Chinese saying. It’s certainly been an interesting week. Monday my powerchair broke down with no warning. In the middle of Sainsbury’s car park. In the drizzle. Although luckily it wasn’t raining as such at that point in time. I tried to talk a Sainsbury’s employee through putting my chair into freewheel but he couldn’t do it (whether my instructions weren’t right/clear enough or he didn’t force it hard enough I don’t know) so my plan of getting a taxi back here fell through. I called my parents house on the off chance someone was there not expecting there…
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>A Thing A Day and Password Woes
>I deleted and then reinstalled my Creatively Emma blog last night. And I put the same layout (obviously with a different header) up there as I did here. There is officially no content there yet… I have stuff I want to put up but currently I am waiting for my password to be sent to me – i must have mistyped it when I set it up because it doesn’t like what I chose but it didn’t ask for confirmation so that’s very possible. It’s only the second time I’ve had to have a password reset and sent to me since I redid the damn thing less than 24 hours…