Nearly 20 years ago, I had “work done”. Not the usual type of work that this statement conjures up, (plastic surgery !!) but work on my feet. It involved several surgical procedures and had me in a wheel chair for 6 weeks, on crutches for 6 weeks and a walking stick for another 3 months.
There were extraordinary lessons learned from that experience. Not least of all is how “unfriendly” our society is to people who have disability or mobility aids. For example, people allow doors close on a wheel chair or lift doors not being held open or taxis zooming off when they see a wheel chair will be put into their boot.
Fast forward 20 or so years and I still have an obsession observing how we, as a society, still do not consider how to make sure environments are disabled or mobility aid friendly. Have you ever got into a hospital lift and observed the height of the buttons? Have you ever thought about what happens when a person in a wheel chair goes into the lift, they are on their own and they cannot reach the buttons? …. Worth pondering, let me assure you.
Nevertheless, this has all been bought back to me, acutely and super sensitively recently. 2 weeks ago I had surgery on my cranky ankle again. I will be 6 weeks non weight bearing (in a plaster) and then 6 weeks on a moon boot and crutches. Yes, I know my immobility is short lived and I will be fully able again, so I have no right to complain ... I do know that. However, it does raise awareness and I just want to push a thought or two for others, as this experience does make one stop and reflect.
I work in the health sector and my entire professional career has been connected to healthcare, so I understand the system. It must be a tough navigation for those who don’t have that sort of intel or benefits a I do. I have been able to access a scooter and all other mod cons to make recovery as straight forward as possible. BUT, no mod con has been invented to influence the mindset of a nurse to allow others to nurse them and to be OK with being dependent on others. That is possibly my biggest recovery challenge!
Telling a DC to relax, take a deep breath and be patient is a BIG ASK !!
On a brighter note though, I have lit up my scooter basket with some bright lights.
There were extraordinary lessons learned from that experience. Not least of all is how “unfriendly” our society is to people who have disability or mobility aids. For example, people allow doors close on a wheel chair or lift doors not being held open or taxis zooming off when they see a wheel chair will be put into their boot.
Fast forward 20 or so years and I still have an obsession observing how we, as a society, still do not consider how to make sure environments are disabled or mobility aid friendly. Have you ever got into a hospital lift and observed the height of the buttons? Have you ever thought about what happens when a person in a wheel chair goes into the lift, they are on their own and they cannot reach the buttons? …. Worth pondering, let me assure you.
Nevertheless, this has all been bought back to me, acutely and super sensitively recently. 2 weeks ago I had surgery on my cranky ankle again. I will be 6 weeks non weight bearing (in a plaster) and then 6 weeks on a moon boot and crutches. Yes, I know my immobility is short lived and I will be fully able again, so I have no right to complain ... I do know that. However, it does raise awareness and I just want to push a thought or two for others, as this experience does make one stop and reflect.
I work in the health sector and my entire professional career has been connected to healthcare, so I understand the system. It must be a tough navigation for those who don’t have that sort of intel or benefits a I do. I have been able to access a scooter and all other mod cons to make recovery as straight forward as possible. BUT, no mod con has been invented to influence the mindset of a nurse to allow others to nurse them and to be OK with being dependent on others. That is possibly my biggest recovery challenge!
Telling a DC to relax, take a deep breath and be patient is a BIG ASK !!
On a brighter note though, I have lit up my scooter basket with some bright lights.
Take time and think about others around you …. Maybe a small gesture will be a great kindness to another??
DC
DC
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