It has been a while since I wrote a post that highlighted the mish-mash of fairly dull issues that us wheelies (part-time or otherwise) face each day as we try to negotiate a largely non-disabled world. The last couple of days have given me some thoughts. I wish I'd taken photos but I didn't, so you'll have to use your imagination.
Some negatives
1. Dog poo! I know, I'm a dog owner and she poos... sometimes whilst out for a walk... but the key thing is, I PICK IT UP! Even though bending down to scoop poop is difficult and painful, I wouldn't dream of leaving it there for someone else to walk in. Recently, it feels like everywhere I go, there are piles of poo and if it's difficult walking without treading in it, it's ten times more difficult to avoid with four wheels and four paws to manage. A few weeks ago, I got a huge pile on my wheel and only noticed when I put my hand to my face to push my glasses up my nose and smelt it on my thumb. GROSS!
2. Broken glass. I understand how dog poo gets on a path but broken glass? How many people walk around with glass bottles in their hand or pocket. And why do they throw them on the floor so that they shatter everywhere? The dog poo is laziness but broken glass is downright spiteful! Yesterday, on the riverside path into town, there was loads of it. Again, it would be a pain if I was walking but tyres and paws can get seriously damaged by broken glass. I'll be honest, Liggy is more valuable than my tyres, so I realistically have to get her as safe as possible and just hope and pray that my tyres really are kevlar-lined as advertised.
3. Poor surfaces. I'm sure that when we first moved here, most of the footpaths had been fairly recently resurfaced and were lovely for wheeling on. Now, there are some that can best be described as a job creation scheme for the spinal injuries unit! Our normal walk into town, whichever of the two routes we take, shake me up and rattle my bones so much that they are increasing my pain levels, every time I go out. It annoys me for two reasons. Firstly, we are being continually encouraged to leave the car at home and walk short journeys, and I subscribe to that, even though I don't actually walk. But I am easily capable of wheeling myself into town and back. It's only about a mile each way. Secondly, the argument for not resurfacing is probably financial, but I'm sure that the cost of two discectomies would outweigh the cost of resurfacing the paths that are really bad.
Some positives
1. I've now been in my new workplace for just over 5 weeks. I was really nervous about leaving my old job because they had been fantastic with reasonable adjustments and I usually felt completely normal at work and rarely felt disabled there. That's a huge thing to risk losing. However, I have found my new workplace to be equally accessible, inclusive and helpful. I haven't had any major teething problems and I'm loving the job! It's in the news all the time about how difficult it is for disabled people to find work, and I know this to be true... but it is possible. There are good disability-friendly employers out there. That fills me with hope.
2. Liggy. Yes, she is a sentence in her own right. Going out with her is so much better than it was pre-Liggy. There have been a few occasions in the last few weeks, where we've gone to Starbucks for lunch. It's that time of year when it's cold out (hoodie weather) but warm in, and usually the first thing I want is my hoodie off. She just knows. As soon as we get to the table and I put her mat down, she knows the hoodie needs to come off. Then, one day last week, we went clothes shopping. Cotton Trader doesn't have accessible changing rooms and I didn't want to stress her out with being squished, so I left her with Neil, just outside and shut the curtain. She immediately realised it was a getting undressed moment, stuck her head under the curtain and got on with the job. If she could talk, I wonder what she was saying? "Mum, don't worry about me, I'm fine. It's my job to help you and I'm not scared of small spaces. Here give me a mouthful of that sleeve and we'll soon have you undressed."
3. The weather. Today has been pretty wet and miserable but I have to say, we have had weeks of wheelchair-conducive weather. It's been really easy for me to get out, walk Liggy and get on with stuff. It looks like we might now be in for some wet days but I have to remember that half empty reservoir that we hiked round in October. We really need to fill them up, so I won't moan about getting wet.
I remember when I first brought Liggy home, it was fun and she was helpful, but it was seriously hard work! I'm so glad we stuck at it though, because now I cannot imagine my world without her. She has worked so hard and learned so many tasks in a relatively short space of time. And one thing that I hadn't really noticed until people at work keep mentioning it... she is so attentive. She watches me all the time and is just waiting for me to tell her what to do, where to do, or just that she's a good girl!
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