Last year I was blessed with the gift of a used electric wheelchair. Even though I can propel my manual wheelchair with my arms, the powered chair has changed my life. In essence, if has set me free in many ways.
Everyday Activities
If you were one of my kids, you would know that I am not a great cook; I don’t like to cook. My mother says the more I cook the better I would get at it. But, I just don’t like it. It might have something to do with the difficulty of making a meal, while standing on crutches or rolling around in a wheelchair.
When your hands are responsible for getting from point A to point B, it’s difficult to hold pots, stir, add ingredients, or get things in and out of the oven. Making a full course meal is even more challenging. While you are making one thing, another is getting too cold or too warm.
Household chores like laundry and vacuuming aren’t any easier. When I was on crutches, it was hard to keep my balance and push the cleaner. Even in the manual wheelchair it was hard, because I had to worry about rolling, hanging onto the vacuum and avoiding wrapping the cord around the wheel.
Then, I got the gift of an electric wheelchair and my life changed. I still don’t like to cook, but it is so much easier. I can carry pots, dishes, and ingredients, without worrying about spilling or dropping everything. The best part is being able to carry a hot cup of coffee to my chair without having to ask someone to do it for me, because I was definitely going to spill it.
Laundry is so much easier. I can carry a load to the laundry room. I don’t have to carry it one or two items at a time. Vacuuming is so much easier. I can hang onto the chord and move the chair while holding the cleaner.
The Fun of an Electric Wheelchair
Of course, the best part of having an electric wheelchair is the freedom it has afforded me. I don’t take the simple things for granted. I can take my dog for a walk. We both love these little adventures. I turn the wheelchair up to full power, and my dog’s little legs get quite a workout. When we are going, he leads the way; coming home, I sometimes have to slow down. Do you know how nice it is to slow down for a dog or a person, when you have always been the one lagging behind?
In short, if you have a disability and use crutches or a manual wheelchair, you may want to consider investing in an electric wheelchair. Even if you just use it around the house, it can make life so much easier. In fact, it might even be fun.