I don't know how other people living with illness or disability see their 'bond' with their aids. The past few days it became clear to me again, that to a degree, I am dependent on my mobility aids to get around.
dependency - the state of relying on or being controlled by someone or something else.
I can move around the house without an a walking aid. I know every step in my house - I know the distance between chairs - I know the height of steps and uneven slabs in the garden. I feel relatively safe.
Outside my gate I rely on the support of a walking stick. Not always needed when I start off on a short (10min) walk, but always greatly appreciated on the way back.
To go past the end of my street, I rely on my mobility scooter.
I wrote before (I think) about the emotional challenges of using this form of mobility aid. People have laughed at me- or at my scooter. I think/or say, "if it wasn't for this aid, I'd be stuck at home," and go on my merry way.
But... what if this aid is suddenly as immobile as I am...
The past few weeks, the charger for my scooter's battery was misbehaving. A week ago I 'dissected' the charger and found one of the wires had come loose. I was confident this could easily be remedied by soldering the two part back together again.
Simple.
This happy event took place a few days ago.
But...
The charger didn't work- although the light came on, the batery was not being charged.
Dan- who has the same thought as me - don't throw anything out until all possibilities have been tested- tried again.
No go.
I started to panic. Life without a scooter is at this stage unthinkable. Especially now I have booked a ticket to go to Holland for a week and sooooo enjoy my freedom there when I can go where I want to go...
I found a shop that could sell me a new charger. Not that easy an option in my neck of the woods. The shop wouldn't be open today, but the girl in the shop left the charger for me in a next door cafe. Thank you both!
Mariela drove me to the shop. I was relieved to have a charger again.
But...
The same thing happened- the light comes on but the battery is not charging.
To tell you the truth, I was nearly in tears. I can't be without my scooter.
As there was still a bit of charge in the battery I took myself to town on it. "I might as well have one last trip out." I thought.
I don't know if I can have it fixed - or where. This scares me.
The realisation I am dependent on a mobilty scooter
is a very 'sobering' thought indeed.
as always, I love to read your comments,
and please do feel free to forward this post, if you like.
7 comments:
oh corina that is a sobering thing to be sure , first we depend on our bodies ,and when they don't work properly , we work so hard to overcome the deficiency , We find help , we feel more in control .But it can fail us too .Life in many ways is so fragile.My feng shui spider is only one step away from the plug hole .My robin is so tiny against the force of Nature ,But --- We overcome .Challenges are met . adjustments are made , problems are solved , we move on .Here's to you moving along and a correct diagnosis for those scooter problems
Dearest Di. you are such a good friend to have. From across the globe- down under- you help me lift my spirits and trust that all will be well.
best wishes to you too my friend!
XX
oh corina...feeling for you and thinking of you. i realise at times just how dependent i am on certain things simply to get me through a day, and the emotions at the mere thought of being without them can be overwhelming. hope so much you can get it fixed, or hire another or some solution comes your way without too much extra stress in time for the trip. XXOO
Thank you Kp. I just visited your new blog. Best wihes with that, it is good to have an outlet to share your thoughts. warmest wishes. XXX
My wheelchair's wheel died last year and I remember how scary it was!
It sounds like the battery itself on your scooter might need servicing or replacing. Is there a mobility repair shop or similar in your area? Worth checking online or in the yellow pages (or equivalent depending on which city you're in)
I hope it's fixable!! :)
Thanks Susannah, scooter fixed and brought it to Holland with me.
By trying to fix the plug, a fuse was blown in the scooter itself, The fuse was rahter hidden, but thank goodness found!
Oh I'm so glad to hear that!! Yikes these things can be complicated! They should really come with lifetime maintenance of some sort. :p
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