Good blog about attitudes to wheelchair user...

This is great; http://www.mssociety.org.uk/ms-support/community-blog/2014/07/strangeness-strangers Pat xx

Thanks Pat, he’s got it spot on I think.

Spending the day resting, this weather is no good for me, or I suppose it could be blamed on the party we all attended yesterday!! That will teach me only to be a ‘party animal’ now and again lol

Hope today is good for you

Pam x

People making extravagant movements to get out of your way …check! People grabbing hold of the wheelchair and shoving away without asking what’s needed…check! Also he’s right about the way it has changed me. I have found that I have able to approach musicians whom I admire, when they do the schmooze bit by the merchandise table after the gig. We can chat away and I don’t feel awkward at all. (Having said that, I don’t get to many gigs, but we are lucky to be close to a great venue, The Stables, which was set up by John Dankworth & Cleo Laine.)

He has got it spot on, hasn’t he? I have been lucky enough to never have encountered any nastiness but I have found on occasions people talk to my husband, over my head as though I am not there! You know the sort of thing…in a coffee shop…and they say to my husband, and what would your wife like to drink!! Kev, my Dad did his national service in the Royal Air Force with Johnny Dankworth…they remained friends for a while and apparently I met him when I was a child…have no memory of it though! Nina x

The blog is by Chris who comes on here sometimes… if you read this Chris, thanks for great blog. I’ve never had any bad experiences in wheelchair and only a couple on scooter… one man stepped right in front of me so I had to break suddenly and he looked at me and sneered ‘Stupid Woman’! Most people are nice… some do try too hard to try. Once in a small supermarket I got stuck going round a narrow corner and a man got hold of the back of scooter and swivelled me round. It would of been ok if he had asked! But he meant well so I said thanks. Once in housing benefit office I was sitting on chair next to scooter and a woman came and piled her shopping bags on my scooter! I was polite and asked her to remove them which she did. I think our wheelchairs and scooters become a sort of extension of our bodies which is why we feel offended if they are touched without permission. Pat xx