'M.E. myself and I' by Anna Redshaw

Ambulatory wheelchair users exist. And I am one of them.

“The term refers to individuals who are disabled and use wheelchairs, but are capable of walking in some circumstances.”

At the moment, with this relapse, if I want to leave the house it has to be in a wheelchair. I’m not well enough to use my faithful mobility scooter but it’s ready and waiting for me for when things ease again.

I got my first wheelchair in early 2011. It was a no-brainer. I couldn’t walk to the bathroom. In 2016 I was ‘well enough’ to switch my wheelchair for a mobility scooter. In September 2020 I had to switch back.

I am rarely able to use my wheelchair at the moment. (Spoiler Alert: one needs a certain level of wellness to use mobility aids.) And I’ve never been able to self-propel (ie. I need someone to push me). But yesterday we managed a wheel around the block. I’m needing some time to readjust to it to be honest which is okay but more on that later.