The consultant sent a referral to Wheelchair Services and they issued me with a self propelled wheelchair. I have named this the Skoda model. It is heavy and drives like an overloaded shopping trolley round peak time Tesco! I searched the Internet and came across a lovely lightweight self propelled chair in red....the red ones go faster you know! ;-)
Here is me in my new Ferrari Wheels! Now the wheelchair is by no means me giving into the arthritis. Yes it sucks that arthritis has put me in this situation, but the wheelchair will give me more options for getting out and about with the family. Where I struggled, held everyone back and had to decline going to some places because of mobility issues and ended up in excruciating pain, I can now say Yes! The chair is lightweight and easy to manoeuvre. To be honest with you, me and the Ferrari Wheels are getting on quite well! A little tip for those looking for a wheelchair, you don't have to pay VAT on it if you are disabled or suffer with mobility issues caused by diseases such as OA. There is a very simple form to fill out either online or in the store. The NHS can supply you with a wheelchair after an assessment or they can provide a voucher to the value of what they would have given you. You need to go to a supplier on their list if you chose the voucher option. If you want to go down the NHS route you will need to be referred to Wheelchair Services in your area by either your GP or Consultant at your hospital.
A couple of weeks ago it was my eldest son's 6th birthday and we went to a caravan park in Clacton with 10 other families for the weekend. It was a good weekend and the kids had a fantastic time playing and running about. Saturday was Party Day! It was also another little girls birthday so they had a joint pizza party! Harry wanted a Spiderman cake...so this is what I made for him!!
May has been a bit of a cake month. A friend as me to make her daughters 11th Birthday cake, the guide was pink and black colour scheme, vanilla sponge and 2 tiers! Here is what I created...and I know the little lady was pleased with the cake created for her birthday!
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I was also asked to make a wedding cake for another friends daughter. I am completely humbled to be asked to make a wedding cake because it is such an important day in a couples life. My brief was White, Purple with a little pink. My friend had bought a cake topper so I didn't have to make one. Here is the wedding cake! (without the topper!)
Have a look at my facebook page full of my edible creations when you have a minute! Its called Cake Anyone? https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cake-Anyone/497115613651635
With it being half term and bank holiday all rolled into one we decided to take the kids to Diggerland in Kent for the day. I took the Ferrari Wheels and was pleasantly surprised and pleased that Diggerland is wheelchair accessible. I even managed to go on a couple of rides with the help of the staff and my husband. Diggerland has 4 sites around the UK and it is an excellent family day out. I would give it 4 Stars out of 5, definitely would recommend it.
Tuesday was NOT a good day for me. I managed to get to work in the Ferrari Wheels but it was raining and I got soaked to the skin. The OA was particularly bad and I was struggling. I cried on the PA's shoulders at work because it all got too much. Tara, the PA was lovely and told me that she understood how I feel as her partner has RA and that I shouldn't struggle and should go home to rest. I phone the hubby and he drove to Central London with the kids to pick me up from my office. Wednesday I had an emergency appointment with the GP who examined me and signed me off work for 3 weeks to allow the flare up to subside. Work has been fantastic and I am able to work from home which is great. It means I don't go down as sick, I don't lose any money and I don't have to travel to Central London. I was really worried about how work would react and I am sure that all people with OA or RA who are able to keep working worry about taking time off because of flare ups. It does help to have an understanding employer. At some point I may have to think about either reducing my hours or even giving up work if I am turned down for knee replacements.
I think that support groups are important and I am a member of a number of excellent ones. To be able to talk to people who understand exactly how I feel and what I am going through is great. I don't feel so alone because I know I can log on and chat to people. It also works the other way too, I am there to offer support, advice and help to other people in the group. Sjorgrens Support Group is a friendly group https://www.facebook.com/groups/454589521294750/ with people who have a range of immune disorders and arthritis'. Osteoarthritis Sufferers and Rumatic Arthritis Sufferers group https://www.facebook.com/groups/318063891599818/ is also an excellent group, its based in the US but has people from all over the world. It is interesting to hear other peoples experiences. These 2 groups are on Facebook and are closed groups....just click on the links and request to join. I like closed groups because whatever is posted on them stay on them!
One thing that made me smile the other day was to see on the Arthritis Care page on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ArthritisCareUK?fref=ts my Blog was awarded Blog of the Day!!! How wonderful!! The Arthritis Care page is another excellent page for the latest news on arthritis and treatments. Support Groups and info pages are Social Media and Networking at it's best!
With the warmer weather arriving, and hopefully staying for a while, I hope you are all having a good day and the pain is easing up.
Until next time..... x
What you said about 'not giving in' to the arthritis reminds me of my dad. When he was getting worse and worse with his pneumoconiosis and couldn't walk very far, he resisted the idea of having a mobility scooter as he felt it would be giving in. He changed his mind once I told him that if he allowed the disease to dictate what he did and didn't do, that would be giving in. So, he got the scooter, and got a new lease of life, getting out and about for many more years than he would have managed otherwise.
ReplyDeleteAs for the OA and work, for me at the moment it works out that work makes it 'better' in the sense that it keeps the knees moving and stops them getting stiff/swollen, though it's a fine balance between enough to keep them moving and too much, which causes more pain. Still think that being as active as possible keeps them going longer, though.
Seeing you in that chair makes me think you should start doing some races in it! Maybe a racing chair in a few years?!