To be honest I didn't even know there was an international wheelchair day until I saw this post on Facebook.
Zebras on wheels! By Sally Ann Livingston
It resonated with me as it is very similar to my own story. When I first had difficulty walking the doctors were dismissive and told me to do physio to strengthen my legs so I could continue walking. I was misdiagnosed with ME at the time and no-one recognised my hypermobility never mind understood how it was affecting me. I only got a wheelchair after I'd been effectively housebound for 6 months and then it was unsuitable for me. I couldn't propel it myself so I had to rely on other people pushing it for me.
Getting a wheelchair on the NHS has become increasingly difficult due to lack of funding and an increasing demand. In some areas if you can stand and walk even one step you won't qualify but that means your world shrinks limited to the distance you can walk. Many people become housebound and that in itself can cause a deterioration of physical and mental health. I know, I've been there. I cannot describe how frustrating it is as a young person having to rely on your parents to push you in a wheelchair so you can get out of the house for a while.
It's easy to tell someone to buy their own wheelchair but they are expensive. A basic manual wheelchair can cost around £200 and electric wheelchairs cost from £1,000 up to £20,000. You can't just go to a mobility shop and try different types because the high ticket price and low turnover means they can't afford to keep them in stock but without an assessment you could be making an expensive mistake if the chair isn't right for you.
Mobility comes at a high price for disable people and many people don't appreciate the reality of the struggles we face just to get out of our front doors.
