I dub thee Xavier: My friends have a tradition of... - LUPUS UK

LUPUS UK

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I dub thee Xavier

Silvergilt profile image
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My friends have a tradition of giving their mobility devices names: Davros, Calypso, Ben-Hur, etc.  The mobility scooter I had was called the Chairiot. I decided the name of my new wheels would be Xavier, after the X-men professor. It took aaaaaages to get this chair (first one delivered was wrong size, second had a mechanical fault, third one delivered by an engineer on his day off with his family and dog in tow). 

There's still problems; there's no drop kerb in my area for a wheelchair and the council will charge me £1,200 to install one (equal opportunity, HA! I may have rights, but that doesn't mean I won't have to pay for them). I use a temporary ramp which the neighbours are already complaining about (step around it, people...), the car and car hoist for the chair isn't ready yet and won't be for another month, and there's no where for the chair to go, so it sits outside under a tarp. 

The Dutchman is getting a crash course is how frustrating disability stuff can be, and while he's normally so laid back he's horizontal and you need to check that he's still breathing from time to time, he's on the verge of storming various offices in a rage. Calls to check on car progress never get returned, no one could even tell me who owned the land to get a drop kerb put in, and the process to get one one on a Disabled Facilities Grant is so drawn out and arduous I can't even face it (it's taken a year since the last one to even get the accessible wetroom installed).

BUT...with all the headache and wondering why I even bothered trying to get more accessible stuff now I've got expensive equipment I can't even use yet, the promise is glorious. New legs! To be able to go into areas with the boyfriend and not worry about how exhausted I am from trying to stand up for five minutes is brilliant. I took Xavier for a spin round my village and it's a beaut to sit in, hardly feel a bump (and rural roads aren't known for their smooth surfaces). I went to hobble along with the Dutchman in a bluebell wood a couple of weeks ago, and wasn't able to make it 15 minutes before I had to turn back, and I was useless the following day - but with the chair I could have been there as long as I liked.

So fingers crossed, once all the dust settles and the not-accessible-accessibility headaches are sorted out, I'll be riding in style. But I still want lasers.  And a button for a shark tank to throw my enemies into.  Maybe laser-sharks. Because I'm greedy.

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Silvergilt profile image
Silvergilt
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2 Replies
littleeffie profile image
littleeffie

Well it's great you have Xavier but leaving him out in the cold or for sending him undercover hmm not so great.

Bluebells in wood sounds so beautiful if only for a few minutes.Sorry you couldnt make it longer but just the mention conjured up lovely pictures for me so thank you for that and hopefully it won't be too long before the eejerts in charge of nothing sort it all out to make life easier and enjoyable for you.

Take care and glad you and the boyfriend are working out 

Effiex

Silvergilt profile image
Silvergilt in reply to littleeffie

Thank you thank you! Yeah it's a drag Xavier has to be outside but this isn't new in the UK apparently - inaccessible houses are inaccessible, no widened doors, steps up to the house, etc. May eventually just get a shed!

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