You don't always have to walk!

[Deleted]

Delete.

[allenuk]

Not keen on wheelchairs (certainly not in London, which doesn't have a good name for its disability 'awareness'), but point taken about walking.

My alternative to legs is my bicycle - what a marvellous feeling to be able to push the pedals a little and wooosh, find you're hundreds of yards down the road! I do miles on my bike, whereas I'm down to about 500 yards on my legs.

I also enjoy driving, although that pleasure is soon to be a thing of the past when my 'good' eye gets a little worse and the licencing authorities take away my licence. Ah well, all things pass, I suppose.


A.

[cherylm]

I've always figured that using "whatever I need to get around comfortably" was a good idea. The vast majority of the time, that means my prosthesis and, perhaps, a cane. But I also have a walker that comes in awfully handy in some situations, and I keep a wheelchair for those times when (a) I have to be legless for a period of time or (b) I prefer to wheel on a day when I've been up and running for too long and I'm just too darned tired to keep walking. If I had any talent at all for using crutches, I'd probably keep a set of those around, too!

They're all just "tools" and they can all serve to keep you going at a time when it might otherwise be "easier" to just sit around and veg out in front of the tube. I think Allen's bike would also fall under that category. So, whatever works to get you "out there," go for it!

[ann-]

Interesting, as this is something I have had to get my head more around as the years have gone on.

When I first started out on this journey, the emphasis was always on walking, fitting in with the norm, this is over forty years ago and I can understand this attitude given how society was at the time, with practically no provision for people with disabilities. So apart from probably my first year as an amp., I never had a wheelchair until about seven years ago. I'd been having problems with my legs for a few years,which caused a huge change in lifestyle, I was doing things in the house on my knees, or hopping on one prosthetic leg which crutches, which is really not advisable, and for a while quite housebound. Then a short stay in a specialised amp rehab centre to try and get my problems sorted out, made me realize that I was missing out on life and that a wheelchair would give me back some independence.

So you might think having made the decision it would be quite simple, but I knew nothing about the wheelchair situation and was advised to apply to the NHS wheelchair dept., though what they eventually came up with was too big to be any use in the house and too heavy etc for me to take out in the car. Eventually I went down the voucher line and got myself a Kuschall chair, that was the best at the time compact enough to use indoors. By the time I got it I was a little bit more mobile and it got mainly used as a computer chair as it was a bit intrusive in the house and I think a bit difficult for my family, but my youngest lad broke the ice with it really and used to say it was cool.

A few years later I had a revision and it was invaluable, since then I do what I call 'mix and match', am walking again now but have to watch how much time I spend wearing the legs, so I juggle things depending on what I am doing, like J, I still walk but nowadays use the chair normally to when I take the legs off to give them a rest, and by doing this juggling act I find its actually keeping me more mobile than if I just wore them and tried to keep walking 24/7/ .... I do see it as part of my toolbox, as Cheryl says.

Am now actually looking again at wheelchairs as I need something compact enough to fold down more than my present one does when am getting in and out the car, as its quite a work out assembling and disassembling from the drivers seat!

[ann58]

Have a sore on bottom of my leg now...nothing any worse than trying to walk w/a sore leg. Have been using my walker in house mostly {{hate that}} Guess I will have to break down and buy a wheelchair. Does anyone know if ur limited to a special kind on medicare? Thanks, ann

[ann-]

snap ... Ann58 ... have the same at the moment ... was so pleased had lost some weight but gone way down in my sockets .... not good

[ann58]

Had a new liner made & that's how it started....DARN....now I can't even try the next one they ordered for me. Doesn't that just make U furious?

[Deleted]

Delete.

[ann-]

Keeping to the same socket ... if things are going well is probably the best route to take. One of mine I've also been wearing for a number of years, though now slightly too big but still been doing the job .... two years they have been trying to replace and can't get it a pain free replacement ... at christmas we tried again and I thought we'd cracked it ... I had a few problems and got it adjusted ... and after wearing for a few months got problems again on the end of the stump ... when I switched back to old faithful it didn't fit!! so been the last week off the legs ... trying again this morning ... wish me luck

[allenuk]

Ann - I can't imagine a worse way to spend a week than 'off the legs'. Must drive you mad!

So best of luck with the re-try.


A.

[ann-]

yeah ... slightly Allen. Always happens at the wrong time of course. Though the weather as it is not a bad time to be staying indoors.
Have got it on this time, though am using my wheelchair and not putting weight through it .....reckon its a bit bruised so .... perhaps one more day !!