Can we talk about being an Ambulatory Wheelchair User today? I was going to abandon this video and not bother publishing as I left it a little late, but after finding out it's #InternationalWheelchairDay I decided to go for it!

After I became ill, I put off using a wheelchair for a long time. I thought that they were only ‘allowed’ in certain cases and for certain people, and they’ve been portrayed so negatively in the media in the past that I thought using mobility aids should only be a last-resort, a worst case scenario. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Using my wheelchair has given me my life back. Chronic illness made my world smaller, but my mobility aids have made it much bigger than it ever could have been otherwise. My wheelchair allows me to do more of the things I love, with less detriment to my health. Having that realisation has been so empowering.

But here’s the thing. I don’t use a wheelchair every time I leave the house. I can still walk and stand for up to a certain length of time, and I can still move my legs freely. My mobility aids are a tool that I use to enhance my life, when and how I choose to do so. And for me, that’s the essence of being an ambulatory wheelchair user. I use mobility aids sometimes, but not all the time. But y’know what? I’m still disabled/chronically ill, irrespective of whether or not I’m using mobility aids on that particular occasion.

In this video I share some of my experiences of being an ambulatory wheelchair user, alongside the debacle that’s come about partially in response to the wonderful Kate Stanforth's recent performance on The Last Leg. There’s also a bit of chatter about the impact of mobility aids on post-exertional malaise, the sometimes surprising reactions from other disabled people, and the changes I’d most like to see... Are you an ambulatory wheelchair user? What do you wish people knew?

RELATED POSTS AND VIDEOS:

Mobility Aids & ME/CFS:    • MOBILITY AIDS AND ME/CFS - YOUR QUEST...  

Using A Wheelchair Has Helped Me To Walk: https://www.lifeofpippa.co.uk/2021/09...

Powerchair FAQs: https://www.lifeofpippa.co.uk/2019/10...

Using Mobility Aids With An Invisible Illness:    • USING MOBILITY AIDS WITH AN INVISIBLE...  

How To Choose The Best Mobility Aids: https://www.lifeofpippa.co.uk/2020/12...

My Chronic Illness Story: https://www.lifeofpippa.co.uk/2019/11...

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SHOP MY BOOKS AND EBOOKS: https://tinyurl.com/ybn7a832​​​
MY TEDx TALK: https://www.youtube.com/watch/7j7JR....

BLOG: www.lifeofpippa.co.uk
CONTACT: [email protected]

FACEBOOK: https://tinyurl.com/y8mgnb9a​​​
TWITTER: https://tinyurl.com/yb46swvj​​​
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Hello! My name is Pippa Stacey and I’m a disabled writer, presenter, and communications consultant based in York. I enjoy theatre, books, and fundraising, and can most often be found wearing some form of pyjamas and drinking all the tea.

I acquired my chronic illness as a young adult and struggle daily with the challenges of living my best life alongside managing a debilitating health condition. However, I’ve finally learned that I don’t have to ‘overcome’ or ‘defy’ my illness in order to be successful, and there’s truly nobody’s path to follow but your own.

You can find out more by visiting www.lifeofpippa.co.uk, and subscribe to see videos about working, travelling, and learning to make the most of life alongside my chronic illness. Thank you so much for being here!

SHOP MY BOOKS AND EBOOKS: https://tinyurl.com/ybn7a832​​​
MY TEDx TALK: https://www.youtube.com/watch/7j7JR....

BLOG: www.lifeofpippa.co.uk
CONTACT: [email protected]

FACEBOOK: https://tinyurl.com/y8mgnb9a​​​
TWITTER: https://tinyurl.com/yb46swvj​​​
INSTAGRAM: https://tinyurl.com/ydxvl97z​​​
GOODREADS: https://tinyurl.com/y8npna28

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Hello! My name is Pippa Stacey and I’m a disabled writer, presenter, and communications consultant based in York. I enjoy theatre, books, and fundraising, and can most often be found wearing some form of pyjamas and drinking all the tea.

I acquired my chronic illness as a young adult and struggle daily with the challenges of living my best life alongside managing a debilitating health condition. However, I’ve finally learned that I don’t have to ‘overcome’ or ‘defy’ my illness in order to be successful, and there’s truly nobody’s path to follow but your own.

You can find out more by visiting www.lifeofpippa.co.uk, and subscribe to see videos about accessible travel, lifestyle, and work, as well as learning to make the most of life alongside my chronic illness. Thank you so much for being here!