New Start. Definitely a New Start.

Have you ever noticed how people only accept sickness from certain types of people? The small sickly child who no one questions about having cancer or the people who make the diseases look like they're fashionable. Kylie Jenner in a wheelchair, the shoot that offended a lot of us. Because people would have seen her in the chair and how glamorous that looked and completely brush off those of us who use wheelchairs for real. Wheelchairs are not a fashion statement. I have been in a wheelchair properly now for 2 years. The hardest thing about going from "normality" to life on wheels was the level of denial I had. I didn't want to accept that now I would need a wheelchair to get around and even the simple stuff leaves me tired and breathless. It isn't ideal and sometimes I find it rather annoying because I can't do things like I used to. At first I kind of felt like I had been robbed of my independence and then as I got myself used to it, I realised that actually the wheelchair means that I have more independence than I have had in years. But with everything that happened when I was little and what we know now, I think I managed well to stay mobile for 26 years and maybe it was for the best that I accepted the help being offered and stopped struggling for the sake of my pride.

Being able to help another person in a similar position as I was in a few years back has been one of the things that has really made a difference. And after all the help they gave to me while moving, it was the least I could do really. Since getting my powered wheelchair my life has been so much happier and then getting oxygen as well has made all the difference in the world. Funnily enough, with the oxygen, I find that I am a lot more lucid and feel less like I have crawled out of a pit backwards. Its been with those and the love and support from friends and family that I have been able to get my independence back from what it was. And it was because of that that I realised my old flat just wasn't right for me anymore.

Don't get me wrong, I did like my old flat and after 5 years it had been made a home. But I don't think I ever made it a permanent home for myself. The place was damp and mouldy, I couldn't get in and out of the kitchen and couldn't prepare my own food or drink. The living room was narrow and always felt cluttered. And I won't even begin when it comes to the game we had with the bathroom! I never really liked the area and never really felt safe or happy there. It's hard to explain but Abbeydale is a bit of a difficult area to live in. I have been in my bungalow for 3 weeks now and I really like it here. It's so much different here that it is like being in a whole other town! I won't say where it is for privacy's sake but my friends know where to find me so thats OK and the people I don't want knowing will never find out because they have no reason to.

I'm still in the process of unpacking which is a bigger job than I ever thought of. I am getting it done gradually and I am setting up my home to be exactly as I like it. I haven't blogged due to being so busy but its a new year and a really good new start for me as well.

Loves
Wendy xx