Afternoon tea!

With Disability Pride Month coming to an end I have so many reasons to be proud.

it’s been a busy month for me and ‘Sheila’ aka my A wheelchair accessible vehicle From Winning two awards at the MK inspiration awards. Inspirational woman and outstanding achievement. A black tie event so I got to get all dressed up and on a Saturday night – I know! I stayed out Way past my bedtime haven’t done that in a few year… and of course I end the night getting a drive-thru McDonald’s on the way home!

A celebratory 30th anniversary afternoon tea for the Centre for integrated living in Milton Keynes, I was honoured to be invited to celebrate the amazing achievements and hard work that they have done over the last 30 years for disabled people and their families – And, yep. I was hobnobbing with Mayor of Mk. The High Sherriff and the Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire. Don’t mind if I do!

To attending a work event. The first face to face muscle meeting for MDUK for my area in 3 years at mk gallery which has one of my very favourite Changing Places toilets. If your ever my neck of the woods i would definitely pop in and have a look. Being able to see everyone again and Just talk about all things muscular dystrophy that knows and understands what it’s like to living with the MD. Sometimes you forget just how much you need to hear you’re not alone, as I’m sure it is for any form of disability or disabled person.

Then getting to spend and celebrate with my gorgeous little nieces for her first birthday. Memories I will treasure forever. And not gonna lie if I didn’t think me plus go-kart would burst the bouncy castle I totally would’ve got on it!

Nearly forgot. Hubby and I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary – 16 years together. We did our normal takeout. And I posted my soppy social media ’I love you’ (feel free to vomit about now!) Slightly different this year I got my first Facebook warning. Yes, a warning – quite funny really all because I wrote ‘yes, I may
want to kill you every day But you are my ride or die, my person to get in
trouble with. My best friend.’ – I think most wife’s at some point in their marriage has said exactly the same thing! It comes down to misunderstandings what the post means. I will choose my words more wisely next time.

After all that ‘Sheila’ needs a good soapy wash after all that driving around!!

However, there’s no getting away from one conversation and that’s the cost of living. Scope reported in the past that extra costs faced by disabled people add up to £583 a month on average.

The work event I attend my PA was on annual that day so had no driver. I called my old friend the Wheelchair Taxi, what use to be £10 each way per journey has of course risen now to £12.50. If I sat (no pun intended) and worked out just how much it would cost weekly or monthly in wheelchair taxis, those trips like food shopping for instance quickly add up and you can understand why so many of us that need a wheelchair accessible vehicles that don’t have one of our own won’t go out.

In a way it goes to show just how quickly I have adapted to having my own WAV the Ford Quantum and the freedom it does give me. To be able to yes to things I would of ordinarily said no to 8 months ago.

I want to end disability pride month with this: what disability pride means to me. just because I have muscular dystrophy and I’m a full-time wheelchair user it’s okay to be me. It’s okay to let go of a shame and have the confidence to say ‘yes, this is me’. The media can often portrays people with
disabilities in a negative light, so it’s
important that we show people what we can do and not what we can’t do.

Until next time the adventures continue!

Kisses K

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