Bit on the side...

On Sunday night, I decided to become one of 13 star bloggers on http://fansviewpoint.com, a new football site written by supporters of various football clubs up and down the country. I have been asked before by other football pages to write but the time hasn’t been right for one reason or another. With the new season fast approaching, I thought it would be best to air my football related opinions on a separate platform. I know I can get irate and putting my frustrations down in writing after a match might calm me down.

Don’t worry ‘The Adventures of Wheelchair Boy’ will still get my full attention because I know not all my readers are interested in football. Just thought I’d flag up the site and see if anyone wanted to read my debut post: http://fansviewpoint.com/know-your-blogger-glen/. If you like, please do come to read my thoughts on the beautiful game (I’ll do one a week at the very least).

I’ll still mention Arsenal here so sorry but there’s no getting away from that. They will always be the love of my life and an integral part of me, more so than the fact I need a wheelchair. Actually, I don’t know why I’m apologising. The old song goes “Good Old Arsenal! We’re proud to say that name” and I just pity any non-gooners.

Bye for now!

I don’t do plans…

Although I do sometimes sit and contemplate the future, I don’t really like to plan too far in advance because life is full of surprises and things can change in an instance. It may be an overused phrase but I tend to live each day as if it’s my last. That doesn’t mean I go looting or break the law (like a scene from an apocalyptic film). Basically, I just take days as they come. It’s a simple philosophy and perhaps if everyone followed it, there would be less stress in the world.

Of course, you can’t go through life without thinking ahead or you’ll end up in trouble. For example, you have to budget money so that you don’t blow it all on pay day and have money for food/bills/petrol etc. However, all I’m saying is there’s no point in worrying about the future (‘Que Sera, Sera’ and all that jazz). No can one can accurately predict how life will pan out so an unexpected event could take place, either good or bad. Mapping out your life is a waste of time because what lies ahead is unknown. Focusing on the here and now is the most important.

My post from yesterday shows that I do have wishes for the future like getting my own place and that is only natural. As I said, not thinking about the next move in life would be ridiculous, as it would result in having no clear direction. I just feel that is where people should stop. Booking up a date for a hospital appointment or even a wedding a long time before is necessary but planning everything that happens in your life shouldn’t be done. It’s basically wishing life away, which isn’t a sensible idea.

I used to plan ahead (in my mind anyway) but I’ve realised that caused unwanted stress and time to fly by.  For example, I looked forward to becoming 18 and spent a lot of my teenage years imagining what it would feel like to reach that momentous age. The big day came with the most memorable part being falling over in a nightclub toilet.  Guess what? Becoming an ‘adult’ wasn’t that great as I felt no different. In essence, my point is that life should be lived in the now and less fuss should be made of the future.

Bye for now!

Searching for a place…

Some people can live at home with their parents without a problem but I just can’t. I want a bit of privacy and (although I’d need carers), being entirely independent from my family is something that I crave. Not in a nasty way because I love them all of course. However, I feel having my own space and not being in each other’s pockets would actually benefit the relationship I have with my parents as well as my siblings. This won’t come as a shock to anyone at home because lately, I’ve become agitated at the slightest thing. I am just desperate for my own place.

Having a disability has meant that I have always felt like a child. Whether that is because of the way some people speak to me or the fact I’ve always been dependent on others for help, I don’t feel like an adult. Take today as an example.  I was over the park earlier and a boy was blocking the path. His mum said “mind out and let the man pass”. Pathetic but I was quite happy as people often think of me as a ‘Wheelchair Boy’ and if they do refer to me as a “young man”, it’s often tongue in cheek. I think moving out would make me feel more grown up.

Like booking a holiday, securing a flat/bungalow that fits my needs is rather difficult. Not impossible. I mean, if I became rich through my writing, there would be no problem because the costs to buy are ridiculous. It would be much simpler to purchase a place outright rather than rent and then have it adapted. The plan at the moment is to find a ground floor apartment with a landlord who doesn’t mind alterations being made, namely a wet room being installed. No surprises that this is proving tricky.

So, if any landlords are out there who own a place on the ground floor, please help me because I’m getting fed up at home. Like I said, nothing against my family but I want to stretch out and become my own person. Before people suggest council housing, it’s a waste of time bidding as they’ve put me in band D (the same level as my sister who is working). 

Too early…

It’s 09.00 as I begin writing this blog. Now that is not early for most people who work but for me, it’s an absurd time.  Especially as I had to wake at 07.30 to leave the house at 08.30 (I spend an obsessive amount of time in the shower). Those who know me will be slightly concerned as ordinarily, 10.00 is the earliest time I rise from my pit. However, I had a NHS wheelchair to collect from Harperbury at 09.00 this morning. Or did I? Just as I was about to jump (I use that term loosely) into my Kia Venga, the house phone rang to inform us that the appointment had been cancelled.

The physio was ill. Fair enough. No one can predict the future but surely they had cover. In fact, I know full well that there are other people who could’ve seen me. I realise they already have a packed schedule but maybe if our health service was less focussed on bureaucracy and patient care was given more importance, such an inconvenience would never have occurred. Alas, that is the state of the NHS at the moment. Not a shred of care was given to the fact that I took time and effort to get ready. Nor that I had to cancel my carers coming in at 10.30, only to find out that I needn’t have.

The other pain is that I haven’t got my new wheelchair yet. It’s been exactly 2 months since this lightweight chair was ordered so it’s taken a long time, I definitely need it ASAP because everything about my current wheelchair is a joke. The actual chassis is bent from the “speed bump accident”, the wheels don’t spin properly, it’s heavy so difficult to self-propel and the back is broken. Oh yeah, plus the brakes are awful because some clever technician thought hitting it would be a good idea. Roll on a new one (no pun intended) so I can get back to training Rocky style for the London Marathon.

The one positive to come out of this whole episode is that I am up and have the day ahead of me to crack on with some writing (although I’m knackered already). The appointment has been rearranged for Thursday afternoon so luckily; it means I don’t have to get up early again. I’ll probably write the post for then today so I don’t run out of time (like I do every Thursday it seems).

Bye for now!

People…

Sitting down all day provides me with a unique perspective to see my fellow human beings in a new light. Believe it or not, I don’t just perv on women all day although my eyes do wander as you can imagine (perfect height for a cheeky look). This sounds peculiar but I’m sort of able to assess everyone I meet. Not in-depth or anything. I’m no psychologist. However, I do come up with theories in my head from time to time and this one is seemingly true.

Over the course of this blog (remember it’s only a year and a bit old), I’ve used numerous examples to illustrate how attitudes towards disabled people can vary. After studying a large number of people at the Wireless Festival, I have reached a conclusion about humanity that can be applied to all. I know taking a small observation and saying that everyone else has the same attributes is stereotyping, which I complain about a lot but this is payback. See how the rest of the world enjoys being grouped.

Basically, there are 4 types of people when it comes to meeting a disabled person. Some (I’d like this to become the majority) will not care about the wheelchair and will talk to me normally. Then, there are those who appear to be genuinely kind but in actual fact, are just being polite and think it’s the best thing to do (happens quite a lot in bars/clubs). Other’s end up making themselves look like idiots by patronising and addressing me like I’m a moron (these people need to read). Lastly, a segment of society (including the government) who just want to shut their eyes and pretend disability does not exist. They will try to avoid eye contact at all times or if that’s not possible, look through me as if I am a piece of dirt.

So, that is where I’m at in my understanding of people. Hopefully, my readers are either in the first group or are reading, learning and moving over. If not, I’d be greatly disappointed because it would suggest this blog is not doing it’s job properly. Maybe, people would treat me normally if I kept promises and blogged Monday-Friday. Apologies for yesterday. I went to the Arsenal shop at the Emirates in the day and went to the cinema at night. So, when I got home at 22.00, I’ve got to be honest and say I couldn’t be bothered to write a post.

Bye for now!