A few weeks ago we had a couple of beautiful sunny days which made me think summer had come. Enthused, I bought a new outdoor table for the castle’s garden and some crash mats so I could sit out there safely.…

I’ve got up every morning for the last week in a cheerful upbeat mood and then, somewhere between the shower and leaving the front door, my heart’s sunk. There’s a very tangible reason for this and it’s not stress at work or the overcast weather.…

Earlier this week I wrote with excitement about test-driving some new, powered wheelchair wheels. They could potentially give me much greater independence because I’d be able to push myself around much more easily.

An unexpected turn of events on Friday afternoon made my existing chair almost impossible for anyone to push when the frame and the handle on one side snapped clean off!…

About two years ago when it was first suggested I should have a wheelchair, I found the whole idea upsetting to think about, let alone talk about. Now though, I love thinking and talking about my chair and how it can be improved so I can do even more for myself.…

For two reasons over the last few days I’ve been thinking quite a bit about my leg tics and their impact on my mobility.

The first is that there’ve been several occasions recently when my tics have intensified even more than usual, with my legs moving constantly and feeling extremely uncomfortable.…

At work today I had a ‘ticcing fit’ in the toilet. This has happened a number of times before, and even though my support worker stays just outside the door it can take them a while to realise I’m in trouble.…

Today a builder from my Local Authority’s Housing Adaptations Team came and fitted a new back door at the castle. It goes from the street into my garden and is operated by a code entry lock. It might not sound that glamorous, but it’s going to offer me increased independence and safety and I’m very excited about it.…

For months I’ve been puzzling over my personal budget. This is the money I get each month from Social Services to pay for the support I need to meet my basic care needs. The amount’s based on an assessment and has to be spent as agreed in my support plan.…

I’ve written loads of posts about how I overreact when I feel any heightened emotion, whether it’s happiness, sadness, frustration or excitement. A while ago I developed an ‘overreacting plan’ to help guide me and my support workers through these difficult moments.…

Leftwing Idiot hates it when I don’t plan ahead, and I’ve lost track of the number of times he’s told me, ‘Inefficiency is no one’s friend.’ For years he’s been trying to get me to be more organised about the small things in life like having my keys ready when I reach my door or giving him my freedom pass before we get on the bus so it’s ready for him to swipe.…