Me, aged 33“I can’t see why anyone would want me” As a disabled blogger, this is by far the most common message I receive from readers and followers – particularly those in their twenties, living with disabilities and chronic illness. For anyone out there who has ever felt this way, I get it. I hear you! Born in 1988 with a rare progressive condition (Ullrich congenital muscular dystrophy), I’ve personally struggled with various insecurities and a lack of self-worth my whole life. For me, the belief that “no one would ever want me” was fuelled by cruel comments, ignorance and exclusion. Growin ..read more

Happy Halloween, folks! As much as I love the spooky season, I’ll be glad to see the end of October this year. I fell ill on the first Saturday of the month, and I’m still not fully recovered. It’s now over 4 weeks since I left the house, or saw anyone other than immediate family and carers. For me, this isn’t unusual. Prolonged periods of chronic illness and isolation are, unfortunately, all too familiar. A simple cold can very quickly progress into pneumonia – a frequent occurrence over the years, resulting in lengthy hospital admissions. The vast majority of people don’t understand how I ca ..read more

AX2 Powerchairs More than 20% of working age adults in the UK live with some form of disability, including almost half of over 65s. That’s about 14 million people. Human beings are resilient creatures, and many surprise themselves with their adaptability. For many, the bigger challenge is a psychological one. Whether aged 20 or 90, it can be frustrating to rely on others to carry out the daily activities you once took for granted. Mobility aids have existed for centuries, but, in recent years, technological innovations have made it possible for those living with any degree of immobility to e ..read more

Godrevy, Cornwall. Photo taken by Carrie Aimes My summer kicked off back in June with a holiday to sunny Cornwall, and I’m still longing for those soothing sea views. Living in the landlocked midlands, as I do, situates us far from the coast. So, for me, a trip to the seaside is a real treat. I stayed in the biggest accessible room I’ve ever seen at a Premier Inn, located in Camborne. There was enough space to have a party, and the disabled facilities were well-considered. I would highly recommend this particular hotel for wheelchair-users who require multiple carers and mobility equipment ..read more

May was a funny old month, with slightly schizophrenic weather (is it summer yet?!), and some much needed time to myself. Since I last blogged in April, I’ve been mostly occupied with life admin and catching up with friends. The former doesn’t sound very exciting, and it isn’t, but as anyone with a disability or chronic illness knows, there are many ongoing battles to be fought. I met with various doctors, occupational therapists, and mobility equipment reps. I even managed to recruit a new carer, not easy in the current climate, to drive me from place to place in my Motability WAV (wheelchair ..read more

Years ago, during a university art class, a fellow student sat idly, pissing and moaning about how awful and unfair his life was. (He wasn’t literally pissing, by the way. That would be odd!). There, in my powered wheelchair, with teeth clenched, I chose to remain quiet while he complained about his superficial, so-called ‘problems’. As I recall, he’d depleted the bank of mum and dad on nights out and booze, meaning he couldn’t afford to go clubbing again that week. Oh dear, what an awful shame! A lad opposite, who I didn’t know well, kept looking at me with a shared expression of annoyance ..read more

Much of my early childhood was spent collapsing on the floor, unable to get myself up. Such fun, such fun! Born with a rare form of congenital muscular dystrophy, I could only ever walk short distances, awkwardly, with the aid of custom-made leg splints. Photo of me, aged 4, stood in primary school uniform and wearing leg splintsPhoto of me (right), aged 8, with a primary school friend (left) I was never able to climb stairs or tackle curbs. I tried, many times…and failed. I would manage to stumble a few steps then drop in a heap. At 33, my bony knees remain scarred from recurrent injuries. Sm ..read more

Let’s be honest, when we’re young, we’re all enticed by a pretty face or a good body. Attraction is primarily physical, and to put it bluntly, at 18, most of us would shag anything with a pulse – opportunity is everything. Looking back at some of the guys I fancied and gave my attention to, I cringe! What the bloody hell was I thinking?! Each to their own, but I was never a one-night-stand type. And not because I’m a tiny, delicate woman in a wheelchair, and therefore more vulnerable. That didn’t even occur to me. Oh, the naivety of youth! A collage of four photos of me in my powered wheelchai ..read more

Following a decent run of health, things took a dive in October, with one thing after another. Covid hit me hard and put me out of action for a good 6 weeks, which meant another November birthday spent ill and alone. I won’t lie, it wasn’t the best of times. But I do have the best parents who, despite being in their 60s, support and care for me, no questions asked. I don’t know where I’d be without them. My dad – a man of few words, and the best man I ever did meet – wrote a really touching message in my birthday card, which had me in tears (it was a teary few months!). As the new year approa ..read more

According to Generation Z, once you hit 30, you’re OLD!! Photo of an old woman, wearing sunglasses and holding up both middle fingers I recently turned 33 (positively primeval!) which, I guess, means I should be stocking up on Pond’s wrinkle cream, Werther’s Original, and tea – lots of tea! Considering I still look 12 – a blessing and a curse – I might save my pennies and give the wrinkle cream a miss. I do love a cuppa, though. A fairly recent selfie of me, in my powered wheelchair, wearing ‘old lady’ fluffy socks and no makeup33 This year’s birthday was a tough one… In October, I caught Covi ..read more