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#INeedStraws
Back in March I wrote about the threatened ban on plastic straws. In it I responded to a lot of the questions non-disabled people were asking when disabled people told them they really do need straws....
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Hot Tub Times
I’m currently taking a lot of medication for my pain and I’m always keen to find non-drug-based options that I can use as well. Heat really helps, but I’ve had to stop using a hot water bottle because...
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Living My Best Birthday
Shortly after I woke this morning Joyce and Bovie came into my room singing Happy Birthday… It was definitely one of the nicest ways to wake up – ever! They were soon followed in by another great...
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Water Works
My neuro urology appointment (a specialism within medicine that looks after how the bladder and brain work together) got off to a very wet start this morning. But the liquid being spilt wasn’t wee, it...
View ArticleToddling Wheels
From the moment she could crawl my niece Bean has been obsessed with my wheelchair, crawling all over it and using the wheels to pull herself up. From the very beginning Fat Sister and King Russell...
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Tubi-Glove
My chest-banging tic has been around for almost a decade. When it began, my chest bruised a lot and I tried loads of different ways of managing it. I tried restricting the movement of my arm, Habit...
View ArticleA Routine Hurdle
I’ve had issues with my bladder for a long time, but just over a year ago they intensified. Since then I’ve been seeing a specialist neuro-urologist (neuro-uro), and with his help things have got a lot...
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Workplace Adjustments
I’ve written a lot over the last year about my increasing pain and decreasing energy. I’ve shared my concerns about the impact on my work, but I’ve not talked about the adjustments we’ve been making so...
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The Bean Diary
I started working with disabled children in 1999 so I’m celebrating twenty years this year. For some of this time I worked in Lambeth’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) in the Autism...
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Festive Wheels
Today’s the first day of my Christmas break and I’ve been celebrating with some wheelchair customisation. For a long time I thought I was stuck with whatever colour spokes I’d chosen when I got the...
View ArticlePad Ripping Fun
I’ve written a few posts about my on-going bladder issues and about how wearing pull up incontinence pads helps me manage this and feel more confident. There’s one slight issue though. It’s not their...
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Push Button Baby
Fat Sister, King Russell and Bean popped in earlier. I had my Telecare pendant on because of a brief gap in my support. The pendant was round my neck and I’d totally forgotten it was there. Bean...
View ArticleA New Spring In My Step
I’ve always been a big fan of bouncing. Jumping up and down on the spot was something I did from a very early age and it was probably a very early motor tic. Despite having pretty rubbish coordination...
View ArticleFlipper Fun
My two year old niece Bean looked at my feet and said: “No, Aunty Touretteshero, not needed.” She was right of course; I didn’t really need to be wearing flippers in the house, though as a wheelchair...
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Wonky Frog Legs
Last month I wrote excitedly about my new legs, not my actual legs but the new shock-absorbing frog legs that NHS wheelchair services were testing on my chair. They’re brilliant and make for a much...
View ArticleHappy Bean Day
It’s been a very sunny day, and this morning was particularly warm and glorious. Fat Sister, King Russell and their two-year-old daughter Bean came over first thing and we sat in the garden enjoying...
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Touching Week
About a month ago I was in the middle of watching an incredible show by Fevered Sleep called Men and Girls dance. It was just five professional male dancers and nine girls who dance for fun, joining...
View ArticleExtreme Catheters
I’ve been recruiting for new support workers and have met some excellent people in the process. Last night was my first night with Chris, one of my new overnight support workers. I like being supported...
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A Socialist Approach to Energy
My sister had a BBQ yesterday. It was a small gathering of about fifteen close friends. I could see that her two-year-old daughter Bean was very excited by the party but also a bit overwhelmed by so...
View ArticleEmotional Grab Rails
Yesterday I wrote about an idea Leftwing Idiot had recently that’s helped me think differently about taking breaks and resting when I need to. With just a few words he transformed my thinking and gave...
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