Yesterday I was at The Mobility Aids Centre, Peterborough looking for a wheelchair. Now I have probably one of the best wheelchairs already, definitely one of the lightest in the world, it is great but can be really impractical to travel anywhere with it. Sure it folds down but only the wheels come off, cushion can be removed and the back folds down. The rest is a rigid frame and takes up a large surface area in the boot of any vehicle and the parcel shelf has to be removed too. I could have contacted wheelchair services and see if they would exchange the one I have but thought that would not be an option. The chair I have will fit in the Peugeot 5008, if I ever manage to get one, so if I am out I can take it with me. If I wanted to get shopping in the back with the dog as well then there is a problem, no space and getting shopping on and off the back seat (if there was a lot of it) in a wheelchair is trickier than you may think, especially if the bags are heavy. At the moment if we go out my Dad has to dismantle the wheelchair, get it in the car and unload it all at the other end. Any folding wheelchair I get will be heavier and harder to push than the Quickie Helium but there are some good alternatives at a reasonable price out there. I found one such wheelchair yesterday in the Ottobock Motus CS and I was really impressed with it, so much so one is on order. We should be able to take delivery on it in about 4 week’s time and it fits in the back of my Dads Golf easily with the wheels on too. It would also give me more freedom to go out with other people as it will fit in most cars taking up minimal space. Even when they sort out the prosthesis and wherever my lifestyle takes me I will have it all covered.
