Congratulations to Mr and Mrs Curtis.

Yesterday I went to a wedding. I had been getting in a right pickle about going, because I would have to go in my wheelchair and I HATE going out in it, because sometimes, the wheelchair is all that people see. And it's not the best talking point....in fact, it can at times be seen as a barrier to people. They don't talk to you. And I'm guessing here, but I suspect it's because of,

A. People really don't know what to say or how to be........'Do I say anything about the chair? Why is that person in it? Can I ask? Would that be rude?' So then they opt to say, nowt.

B. People are scared that either the person in the wheel chair won't understand them, or they won't understand the wheelchair user, so then again, they opt to say, nowt.

C. Or people read the Daily Mail, and they suspect you of benefit fraud, and whilst they admire your attention to detail, they don't want to associate with a criminal. So then they opt to say nowt.

So the first mini melt down was had, and I gave myself a talking to. As did the rest of my family. Sorted. The day arrived and the weather was beautiful. The good man and I knew what we were wearing, we had all day baby sitters (big sisters), and we knew where we were going.

I just had time for a second melt down, an hour before leaving.
MY DRESS DOES NOT DO UP OVER MY BOOBS!!! SHIT! So this sees me wearing a different dress that I love, and it fits me well, but it struggles to be a respectable wedding length when you sit down. SO, NOT A GOOD COMBO WITH A WHEELCHAIR! Ah well, it will have to do. And so we leave.

We arrive at the beautiful destination and I SNAG MY TIGHTS! RIGHT ON THE FRONT OF MY THIGH! And with my dress riding up as I'm in the wheelchair IT'S ON FULL DISPLAY. As I'm sure, is my lady garden.

The place was totally accessible, with a disabled loo, and this combination makes for an easy day. It was just unfortunate that every time I needed a wee, so did the good man. So to anyone paying attention, it would have looked like I needed help to use the loo. Or, more likely actually, that the good man needed assistance. Independent emptying of both bladders was had. And back to our table, where I challenged everyone to a Wheelchair Challenge.

The route was set. Start on the patio, down the little lip, over the grass, round the tree, and back up the grass, and back on to the patio to finish. It would take 20 seconds to walk the route, over the grass that walkers would observe as flat, but wheelchair users would notice as bumpy, lumpy and sloped. And that little lip transformed into a mountain face. Happy with my route, I took up my place on a garden chair and watched the games begin. Like a Roman Emperor.

It was really interesting actually. About seven or so people took part, with varying levels of intoxication, and competitiveness, but all with the same level of enthusiasm. The winner completed the route in 1 minute 40. The prize was the glory felt by the winner, and the admiring looks from the losers. Good work Joel.

A fantastic day was had. And I'd like to say thank you to Phil and Emma for sharing their day with us. Best wishes and big love to you both for a cracking future. You kicked it off well with an awesome day. Xx

 

Me and the Good Man before leaving, taken by my lovely daughter

Today my blog is one year old....HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO BALANCING ON THE EDGE!! If you were watching me set the blog up, you would not have thought I'd get through one post, let alone one year. But in the last year, I have somehow managed to do 67 posts, and I am about to hit 17'000 world wide page views. And THAT I think, is cause for celebration. It's also reason to thank my long suffering technical support....my family and friends.

Birthdays and anniversaries are sometimes a time for reflection. So, looking back over old posts I see a reminder to listen to music and read. The family is coming and going today.....a mixture of work, appointments, college and nursery.......so I will make use of the peace to finish my book. The music's already on....

For mobile readers click HERE

Enjoy your day.

This weekend saw me watch a video, that left me hopeful for the future. Everyone that knows me, will have heard me say that I can cope with all that MS throws at me, but not walking? THAT, I find so very hard to cope with. But this man, Hugh Herr, seems to hold the answer. He said something very interesting....people weren't broken, technology was.

He looked to remedy this and as he is the head of biomechanics at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) he is well placed. And as a double amputee, he understands EXACTLY what is needed. And he's looked to remedy it. An amazing man.

Please watch the video here. It makes me hopeful for the future.

HERE

This weekend saw that homosexual people can get married. On reading a bit around this topic, I was surprised and shocked to read of some opinions that were anything but supportive. But then again, I wasn't surprised at all.

As far as I am concerned, if two people want to commit to a life together, then go right ahead. It's no business of mine, or of anyone's. Marriage is marriage.....it does not need to be differentiated because of the sexuality of the couple. People that are committed to one another, and a life together, is good for everyone. We all stand to benefit. We cannot divide or ostracise a section of our community if we all want to live happily and peacefully. But we cannot help ourselves, can we? We have historically always ostracised some section of the community. Wether it's because of gender, race, sexuality or ability someone always gets it in the neck. And who benefits from this? Because it always results in trouble, disharmony and unsettled communities.

The one good bit of reading I did come across was by Sandi Toksvig.....she knows what she is talking about from personal experience. You can read it here.....

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/mar/28/sandi-toksvig-gay-marriage-renewing-vows

In my reading, I looked for ridiculous laws, and found that in France it is illegal to call a pig Napoleon. There was no mention of eating it though, so I guess that is fine.
I don't know how true this is, but it made me laugh.

It has also been mentioned that wedding cards have upped their game. This said by a friend who was attending a wedding today. Good good, long may things continue to improve.

Now, I have the house to myself, so I best go. I plan to eat crisps, drink Ame, and listen to Elbow. Enjoy your weekend.

On Friday I did something that I'd said I'd NEVER do. I went out with a friend to a shopping centre and I used a mobility scooter. And it was AWESOME! And so was my driving actually....apart from when I hit a wall. And got stuck in a lift. Hey ho.

But it meant that I could go to more shops, look at more things, and just generally not get so knackered! Normally, I use a wheelchair, and wheel myself. And despite the fact that my chair is light, comfy and turns on nothing, it is still so very knackering!

I went alongside the canal (there was a wide flat path, but it still felt a bit risky!) and out for lunch, and I was basically grinning the whole time! It was a sunny day too, which made it for me. Scooter + sun + leather jacket + new purchases = freedom and smiles! Now I've broken the back of my scooter fear, I'll be doing it again. It took me quite a while (years actually) to accept that I NEED something like that in my days. It's not what you picture yourself needing EVER, is it? And I did fight it. But at the end of the day, getting out and about wins hands down.

The only thing that confused me was that I noticed there was a difference in how people were towards me. On the scooter I found that people were more chatty and like the scooter was invisible...I was just me....What's that all about?

Anyway.....here's to the next outing!

About a week ago I watched The Best of Men. This was the second time I had watched it, the first time being when the Olympics and Paralympics were here, in England. For those of you not familiar with The Best of Men, it's about the Mandeville Games and how they went on to develop into the paralympics. The man that started all this was Dr Ludwig Guttman. Dr Gutmann was a Jewish German specialising in neurology, who came to England in 1939, and he settled in Oxford.

He worked at Stoke Mandeville, where he set up a ward specifically to care for the amount of people from the forces that found themselves with varying degrees of paralysis, due to injuries sustained in the war.

The biggest hurdle he faced was changing the view of others, including the medical profession, that despite the injuries that these people sustained, they could still contribute and achieve.

Guttman felt it was essential to restore hope and self belief in his patients, as well as practical retraining so that when they were well enough to leave they could once more contribute to society. And with this in mind, he decided to introduce sport to help rehabilitate his patients. Gutmann knew the benefits would be psychologically positive to his patients. One thing led to another and soon the Stoke Mandeville Games had begun. Initially this was with only two teams competing, made up of men and women.

 Word spread about the Stoke Mandeville Games, and in 1952 competitors arrived from Holland. By 1954, you could add Australia, Canada, Finland, Egypt and Israel to the list.

Rome, in 1960, held the first paralympic games, with athletes from 21 countries.

Over time the games have continued to grow with categories to include blind people, and amputees, and those with cerebral palsy, and still it continues to grow, with new games being added. In 2012 more than 4200 people from 164 competed in the Paralympics, and in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 there will be more games added, to a total of 22 sports.

I should think that Guttman is pleased with the legacy that he left.

So today is International Women's Day. I am ashamed to admit that that this was the first year that I had heard of it. Especially as it's been running for about 100 years.

So what's it all about? It's about equality, or rather recognising inequalities, and wanting to set them right. In some countries it's recognised as a national holiday, and in some cases this day is taken as holiday, for women only. One of the things that triggered the start, and indeed the need for this day, were issues such as voting for women. But that battle has long been won, won in 1918 (here in the UK, anyway.)
So do we still need International Women's day? Yes. Because battles are still needed to be fought. Like the battle for equal pay. This battle has seen Birmingham City Council sell the NEC in order to settle a bill, a bill created by their lack of equal pay. Why would a man be paid more than a woman, for doing exactly the same job? Why? I'm yet to hear a reasonable and understandable response to this question. Probably because there isn't one?

Click here to read a very interesting article
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/international-womens-day-2014-the-shocking-statistics-that-show-why-it-is-still-so-important-9177211.html

for mobile viewers click HERE

And in the spirit of equality, yes, there is an International Man's Day, on November 19th. This day looks at men's and boy's health, and promoting male role models, amongst other issues. And no, in true equal styleeee, I didn't know about that either.