I have just spent six weeks in an armchair with my leg elevated after breaking my ankle. Its been an interesting six weeks as I have been able to observe many things from the armchair, and many things from the wheelchair.
To be honest I have quite enjoyed the enforced downtime, and have felt as though I have been in a totally different space, like being in slow motion, watching everything pass by, and totally letting go of any resistance to it.
I have caught up with audios, books, films, and done some writing, and kept myself fully occupied. Friends have visited and brought cake, produce from the garden for lunch, wine so it hasn’t been so bad.
However there have been one or two occasions when I have felt invisible and a nuisance. The first time was in the supermarket week 3, when my partner took me out. Whilst there was plenty of space in the supermarket for my wheelchair, there were a few people who couldn’t see me and when I said excuse me so I could get by them, I received huffs and puffs and crabby looks.
The second time was visiting the Yorkshire Outlet at Lakeside. It was a lovely sunny day so again my partner thought I might like a change of scenery. During our visit to the outlet I needed to go to the loo, and we made our way to the disabled loo, all two of them, unfortunately they were both locked and no attendant could be seen to ask if there was a key to get in. Instead I had to slalem my way around the entrance to the ladies. Balance precariously on one leg, and then hop into the loo. That was a bit scary.
The third time was last weekend when we had a family get together at Dunchurch Park Hotel in Rugby. The room had been booked for some time, but after the accident I rang the hotel to ensure they had a ground floor hotel that would accommodate a wheelchair. I was assured my booking had been changed and I had been allocated one of their rooms they use for disabled guests. In their dreams! On arrival our room was not ready, we had to wait an hour. On allocating our room we had to go through 4 sets of double doors which did not want to move. When we arrived at our room it was a normal room and the wheelchair would not go through the door! Back to reception and a wait of 20 minutes before they dealt with us. They had no rooms to offer with single beds, and what they called a disabled room was a normal room with double bed, and a wider bathroom door. To enter the room in a wheelchair I had to turn immediately right on entering, to get into the bathroom, turn myself around and then stay in the bathroom doorway as there was no room to manouvre the wheelchair to the side of the bed, or even the end of the bed!
Last but not least, we stopped at Trowell Services on the m1 on the way home, again they have disabled toilets that are locked! No attendant in site, we ended up going into Marks and Spencers and asking the staff if they knew how we got a key. 20 minutes later they found a key! another minute and there would have been a pool on the floor!
My experience is only temporary thank god, but for people out there who are truly disabled, and not just suffering a broken ankle, how do they deal with the attitude of people who treat them as though they are invisible, hotels that treat them as 2nd class guests, and public loo’s which always seem to be locked.
How do we get away with treating people this way, when we live in a world of plenty? Okay that’s my rant, got it off my chest, feel better now. I for one will be much more aware in future.