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It's actually been broken for a while, I just automatically pushed it way down into "things too depressing to think, let alone talk about". But I'm trying to get better about not letting things sit in that fog for too long.

It suddenly started making weird grinding noises and refusing to move like a week ago. I rang the place I bought it from, AC Mobility, and they don't service that model any more :( So I looked up the manufacturer, Merits, and emailed the closest decent looking place on their local dealer list, Perth Mobility Scooters. A lot of places seem to either not actually sell Merits wheelchairs, or not do service, or are like 30km away. And I vaguely recall the only other nearish service centre, Scooters Australia Perth, being the ones who installed the wrong battery and were generally incompetent.

So hopefully Perth Mobility Scooters will get back to me and fix it and everything will be fine ;_;

Luckily I don't actually NEED it the way many wheelchair users do. I never used it around the house, and can get Cam to drive me places, or get things delivered, etc. But it's frustrating that I can't wander outside by myself.

So! I felt a DEEP NEED to go pokemon hunting this morning, but have plans tomorrow to help out the Swancon committee by checking out the accessibility of a venue with my wheelchair. I pondered if it would make me too tired and decided I'd just make a short swing by a pokestop on the other side of my house I haven't checked out yet, and maybe then go to the local shops to buy some eggs.

The reason I hadn't checked out that direction is that it's down a VERY steep hill I tend to avoid after too much time spent with dodgy batteries that cry on steep hills. But I have much better batteries now, and wasn't going very far.

So I started down the Very Steep Hill...and Pokemon Go crashed, as is it's wont. I kept poking the server and it started to rain, making me realise I'd left my umbrella at home. So I turned back. "No worries," I thought to myself as I went back up the Very Steep Hill, batteries showing no sign of strain. "I'll just pop home, grab the..."

And then, half a house away from home, my wheelchair stopped dead. No lights, no movement, nothing. "Oh bother," I thought, or words to that effect.

After some sad fruitless button poking I sighed and turned on the manual control lever. I'd never used it before and was worried I'd gotten it wrong but helpfully the moment it kicked in the chair started rolling back down the Very Steep Hill. "Darn," says I.

But I managed to stop the chair and then push it up the rest of the Very Steep Hill, not have it escape me down the less steep slope of my driveway, and get it inside. And then I collapsed asleep until Cam woke up, and got him to poke at the electronics (I am not allowed to poke at electronics, it ends badly) He found a stick caught in the machinery, but alas removing it did not help.

So I have left a message at the wheelchair place and given my apologies to Swancon. I may get Cam to go out and buy me some eggs. I am rather more sore than I was hoping, but on the plus side am not going to be taking a train anywhere tomorrow anyway :/

(I didn't even catch any pokemon)

For velithya.

Something I've actually been meaning to get for ages is a flag, something nerdy. Because it'd be cool and to make crossing roads safer.

Now less practical ideas :)

A recline function. I don't need it for medical purposes but it'd be nice for naps.

Cam told me about this guy who replaced the crappy car batteries we get with lithium ones which last forever and take like a minute to charge instead of HALF AN HOUR.

Do something pretty with the mud guards and seating. Maybe...shiny cosmic galaxy paint on the mudguards, subtle dark red piping on the seat.

A canopy that folds up really tiny, so I can be protected from sun and rain but won't bang into everyone on the train. Or an invisible forcefield, that could work too.

A bag of holding. Because I can't see any way I could add more storage space without getting bigger than I'd like, but more storage space would still be really useful.

Nicer coloured tyres. Black maybe. The grey just doesn't look very nice.

Mods to the car to make the wheelchair fit, or an extra more portable wheelchair.

*googles fancy wheelchairs*

GOING UP STAIRS OMG (the flamethrower is also cool but less useful in everyday life ;)) And all terrain capabilities that didn't make the chair any bigger.

Got my wheelchair back! Didn't get hit by a truck on the way there or back!

Turn out some bearings had gotten loose in the motor, but it's all better now. I missed having it SO MUCH, I had to stop myself hugging the thing. Instead I spent the afternoon buying all the things I kept remembering I wanted to buy but couldn't because I had no wheelchair (mostly really dull things like a doormat and some peeled garlic but it was super satisfying regardless)

*resists temptation to design thsirt with the title of this post as a slogan, despite thinking that to myself today as I zipped around*

Went into the city today with Cam since he has the week off work, it was great fun. Got my Swancon art printed, not 100% happy with how it came out but I can't be bothered fiddling with it. If noone buys it the $5 will support the con.

Places that were adequately accessible to my wheelchair: the trains, Taka's, Officeworks, the Mac store, the malls

Places that were not: the roads around Royal Perth Hospital

Seriously, the crossing near Officeworks had no pedestrian indicators and broken kerb cuts. We went around to the other side of the hospital and there was NO kerb cut, instead people on wheels (eg prams or wheelchairs, not that you'd ever see anything like that near a HOSPITAL) are expected to detour to the other side of a 6 track wide railway crossing and back. Instead I drove back down the footpath to cross further down (while Cam happily trotted directly across by foot), and none of the kerb cuts matched, forcing me to drive on the road for about 15 metres. Top speed on my chair is pretty fast, so I didn't feel too unsafe, but I'd hate to be a newly discharged patient in a manual wheelchair.

So, I have used my powerchair to get into Perth TWICE now. It's been AMAZING.

My train station isn't quite flush with the train on one side so one of the staff has to put out a ramp, I rang the help line to book it the first time but there are apparently staff there pretty reliably during work hours. Also it's apparently possible to use the side that is flush to catch a train to Bassendean (which is flush both sides), cross over, and come back, so I don't have to ring up regardless. Which is good because it makes me feel awkward and also requires me to actually plan my day in advance, ack. Either way catching the train is a bit scary, the doors aren't open for long and there's always a gap. The new busses are much less stressful, they tip and extend a ramp onto the footpath and the driver waits until you're on. But the busses to Perth from here are crap.

*scratches an itch* Ack, sunburnt! Well, I guess it was kid of inevitable after spending so many years indoors. No wonder I suddenly started feeling even more sleepy and rundown than I expected when I got home. Time to find the sunscreen.

After spending a while trying to find anywhere that sold them, I found decent, interestingly patterned socks (on special even) at David Jones, and in the process fell madly in love with these green and purple suede lace up shoes. They don't have orthotics and are slightly tight, but hey, it's not like I'm going to be walking in them much. I also spent some time looking at handbags since my backpack looks pretty naff on my lap, but having no idea what I'm really after settled for a $5 one from the Good Sammie's in Maylands.

It's SO MUCH FUN exploring the city, I've been in every now and then but not for long and hadn't had a chance to check out the new developments around the Murray St Station etc. I can't believe the council put in this lovely tree lined lane leading to Wellington Street WITH NO RAMP. The sushi place two steps down taunted me until I settled for the self consciously hip and crappy but accessible one around the corner.

Since someone asked and I realised it probably isn't entirely clear! I know I took a long time to come around to the idea myself.

So: I can walk ok for short distances, but my energy levels vary dramatically, and even on good days I can't go very far without my legs feeling strained and then having my cfs symptoms flare up in response for days or weeks afterwards. If you see me looking energetic at a social event etc, know that I'll pay for it later. The wheelchair means I can travel long distances without hurting or fatiguing my legs, and will hopefully make me much less housebound.
( A case study in contrasts )