Leftwing Idiot and I were talking about my walking earlier. We discussed whether using a wheelchair would be a good idea. My friend Claire at Tourettes Action mentioned this a few weeks ago, too. Neither of us could decide if it would be a good idea, so I’ve made a pros and cons list to see if it makes things clearer:

Pros
Less risk of causing injury or strain to the person helping me
Less risk of injuring my knees, ankles, or head, or falling down, especially in the road
Not so tiring for me and the person helping me
Greater freedom in getting around

Cons
Less exercise for me, which is already limited by my tics
I’d need strapping in thoroughly to make sure I didn’t jump out
Some people would see it as a step backwards – less independence not more
It would take up extra space

That hasn’t made it any clearer.

The more I think about it the more complicated it becomes. I don’t think using a wheelchair would make me any more or any less independent because I already need help to move around safely. It might make longer journeys much easier, and the idea of using a chair in certain situations is appealing. But I don’t want to give in to the tics or become less active.

My thoughts are muddled and I’m finding it hard to pick apart what I think is best for me, my concerns for those who support me, and my worry about the views of other people.