Busy…

I’ve just got home from Newcastle following a quite brilliant weekend. It wasn’t a stag night although I wouldn’t mind going up with a few lads because as Geordie Shore suggests, it is a bit of a lively place to say the least. Apart from the women, there is one thing that would entice me up there and that is the mighty Arsenal. For those who don’t follow football, it wasn’t just any old game that made me decide to take a 500+ mile round trip. It was a massive match with a lot riding on it. A win would see us qualify to play European football for a record 16^th consecutive year and put our deadly rivals Tottenham back in their place yet again.

As you can probably tell from the fact I’m writing a post and not in bed depressed, we won. I was a tad nervous before the match but I should’ve known. It happens every single year. Spurs fans celebrate way too early but ultimately realise its pure delusion and fail come May. Being 7 points behind in March meant that our celebrations were even more wilder at full-time. A red flare was let off during the jubilations. I was so happy to be part of it and glad I went, Eventhough it was on the seventh floor, I really enjoyed the view and will definitely try and go again next year.

We didn’t win the league or a cup but the euphoric feeling of winning a mini competition against Spurs has reminded me what success is and why I love football so. I now have the feeling that we will go from strength to strength now and get back to winning silverware. Just a pity that it was the end of the season yesterday so no more Arsenal until August. The weather gets good but summer is the worst time of the year for me.

I’m busy again tomorrow so won’t be able to blog again before Wednesday. I’m going down to Southampton to see Craig David in concert. Bit of a blast from the past but I loved him as a kid so can’t wait for more nostalgia, my favourite word at the moment.

Bye for now!

The aftermath…

According to my sister, the council sounded rather nervous when they first heard about my accident. And rightly so. Deep down, they must know that the speed humps were a mistake and any lawsuit brought against them would surely conclude the blame lied with them. The day after the fall, I had my yearly check-up at Stanmore so would be able to find out if I had broke my rod. Luckily, the X-Ray was good and I didn’t sustain any injuries.

Obviously, I was relieved but the council were even more so. It was a ‘get out of jail free card’ because since getting the all clear that I wasn’t physically hurt, they’ve been pretty relaxed over the matter. It has affected me mentally though which sounds scary but I just mean I’m having panic attacks when I go out that a similar thing will happen and this time, I might not be so lucky. Although they met with my family, it appeared to be a tick-box exercise where I explained everything that happened just so they could write an accident report for health and safety regulations. But that clearly didn’t matter a few months ago when they installed the ‘waves’.

Our argument was fobbed off with a cheap, easy solution that they thought would shut us up: an A4 sign (laminated so weather-proof) warning wheelchair users of the speed humps. This shows to me that they are just covering themselves and don’t care about disabled people. They’ve already made this point clear by getting the go-ahead from a local disability group on the basis of plans. Anyone can say yes to a drawing but the planners should’ve really made a mock ramp for testing instead of using a group to make it look like they had consulted the relevant people.

The speed humps are there to stay, after millions of pounds has been wasted on the ‘project’. It’s not just from a wheelchair POV but the whole thing is ridiculous. Firstly, cyclists go faster as they see the humps as a bit of an assault course. Secondly, no one keeps to the correct sections- cyclists use the pedestrian side and vice versa. As I suggested, the council are ignorant and will probably dismiss my simple solution. All I said was move the benches back, put down some tarmac and the wheelchairs can therefore by-pass the restrictors.

Simple but I sense they’ll make excuses. One thing is for certain, my family and I will not let this lie. Don’t you worry about that.

Bye for now!

Told you so…

You may remember that back in August, my brother contacted the Herts Ad about the speed humps that the council were installing in my local park. Although they were not finished, he could see the potential danger for wheelchair users. As expected, the council did not pay a blind bit of notice and continued with their plans. My brother even said last month that going to the paper made us look like chumps because nothing came of it. However, our nightmare became a reality a couple of weeks ago, proving our point perfectly.

This isn’t recent news but I was waiting for the Herts Ad to break the story until I shared it on the blog. Basically, I was coming back home from town up the causeway in my manual wheelchair. As you know, I want to build up my upper strength so I decided to push myself as a bit of a challenge. That was fine until I reached the first set of ‘waves’ and tipped straight back in my chair (the tipper wheels couldn’t stop me). Luckily, I didn’t sustain any injury but I don’t know how. I so could’ve cracked my head open or broke my steel rod (again).

That’s not where the story ends though. Picture this. Me on the floor with my legs in the air while my carer was panicking as to how he would lift me up. Meanwhile, two people just walked by without batting an eyelid. Then, a man at the top of the causeway waved and then started running to help us. He helped to sit me on the pavement before lifting me up with my carer and sitting me down in the wheelchair. The anonymous stranger then shook our hands before heading off down to the park. In the article, I labelled him as ‘A Good Samaritan’ because it was like a superhero rescue where two people had  already passed and ignored our plight.

I doubt he’ll read this but thank you, it was a very selfless thing to do and hopefully acts as an example to everyone.

Bye for now!

Here is the article with a hideous picture that explains exactly why I'm single.

For sale…

Don’t worry; this is not my post for today. I’ll do a proper one later tonight. I just thought because of the traffic the blog receives, I would include an advert for my ‘A-Team’ van that I am trying to get rid of. If you are disabled or know someone who is disabled, this car is as good as new and definitely fit’s the purpose. The reason I’m selling the car is because I want to buy a smaller car, which fits my manual chair in and can be driven by my carers. I’ve printed out this advert to put in the car window tomorrow when we go to a mobility exhibition in Warwickshire. But I decide I’d give all my readers first refusal.

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE Volkswagen Caravelle 1.9 TDI PD 130 ‘SF’ with dropped floor and ramp.

September 2006 (56)

82K miles

Automatic, 1 owner from new, Full Volkswagen Service History (FVSH), 2 height adjustable front seats, 2 rear seats which swivel to face wheelchair passenger, 2 sliding doors, height adjustable table in the back, Air/Con, radio and CD player, alloy wheels, 4 straps to secure the wheelchair in place, sun-blinds on the windows.

£11, 000 ONO

For more information or to see photos, please contact Paul Shorey on 077885035889 or e-mail p.shorey@sky.com

Bye for now!

Still a boy…

Sex is a bit of a taboo subject but one I quite enjoy discussing. Like disability, people don’t like to talk about it so combing the two made for an interesting documentary. ‘Sex on Wheels’ was on Channel 4 last Thursday evening  (here’s a link if you missed it: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/sex-on-wheels/4od) and I finally got around to watching it last night, which has prompted this post.

When it comes to sex, people won’t be surprised to find out that I have zero experience. I know able-bodied people around my age who are virgins but like my friend kindly pointed out, they probably choose to abstain rather than trying but not getting any. My frustration is often apparent (isn’t it Twitter followers) and I do get a lot of “it will happen one day” but as I get older, I am getting a little impatient.

One solution, as shown in the programme, is to hire an escort but I simply couldn’t do that. Not on moral grounds because I’m pretty liberal but it would feel too formal. Same with disabled friendly brothels. Brilliant idea but again, not for me. Having a ‘sex therapist’ gives a medical feel and suggests losing your virginity is a regimented job. However, I can’t be ruling it out,. Not the way my life is panning out. The other option is to become a pornstar so I can have regular sex.

The majority of ‘normal’ people probably think that disabled people just don’t have sex but this simply isn’t true. Apart from being a  ‘Wheelchair Boy’, I’m just like most young people, high on hormones and craving sex. And most get it. Did you know that out of 10 Million disabled people in the UK, 85% have had sex? When I heard this fact on the show, it made me slightly embarrassed but also gave me hope. I might become a man eventually (but for the purposes of this blog, I shall remain a boy forever).

I have been pretty open and although at some points it might have been too much information, I think me being honest in regards to my personal life shows that I am comfortable speaking about almost anything on this blog.

Bye for now!