My Quickie Wheelchair
This is not a Quickie wheelchair but I like it
I bought a lightweight Quickie manual wheelchair in 2009 ‘cos of MS and foot drop. Me and Barby were going to St Petersburg for a week’s holiday and I knew that there was going to be too much walking for me. We were also aware that I would probably need to use one on a permanent basis sometime in the future. We just did not know if or when that day was going to arrive. So that’s the background of how and why I bought a wheelchair.
St Petersburg was a lovely holiday
It was autumn and the sun shone every day and the city, in the tourist area, was beautiful. The chair was invaluable although Barby did get fed-up pushing me around outside. In the museums, churches and galleries access was good. Even in the hotel it surpassed expectations. After the holiday we put the wheelchair into long-term hibernation.
Inevitably my walking deteriorated
In 2012 I needed a cane and that was soon followed by a walker. My foot drop deteriorated and by 2020 leg drop was making life difficult. Now I cannot stand unaided and I am labelled as a frequent faller. Stairs and steps are impossible but there is always a way to solve that problem.
We moved to Faversham in 2024
Walking with the rollator was slowly becoming a significant issue. Just staying upright was a big problem and my left leg was not being at all helpful either. By the autumn of 2025 I could not walk more than about 50 metres without a rest and a possible liability to myself. I was falling too often especially when tired or walking round a corner, luckily I never hurt myself. More worrying was that I could not get back onto my feet without the help of Barby or my son in law. I was now using the wheelchair very occasionally but there was a determination to walk whenever possible.
The Quickie wheelchair
From late November 2025 until the second week of January 2026, I had a succession of colds. Sometimes I had to stay in bed for a day or two. Almost every day I felt rotten, I coughed and spluttered but on the odd day I kidded myself that the lurgy had left the house. I took so many Paracetamols that I positively rattled and I became a full-time wheelchair user. I just knew that if I tried to walk with my rollator I would fall over. Would this be a point of no return?
2nd week of January
I knew it would eventually happen. I felt well enough to get out of bed but it was far too wet and cold to think about going outside. I rode my wheelchair into the conservatory and gave my rollator a hard look. Yes I was strong enough to walk a few yards without falling over but it was exhausting and tiring. Slowly I am getting stronger and more confident but fatigue forces me to use the wheelchair in the evening. It’s the 16th January I have not been outside since Boxing day. I ventured out on the 17th.
MS is a one-way disease.
I am aware that MS never gives back an ability it has taken away. My secret is to constantly strive to retain existing capabilities. I do not want to become a full-time wheelchair user whilst I can still walk. This personal stubbornness drives me from the moment I get up until I go to bed. Yes, it can end in tears and a feeling of failure but there are fantastic moments of success. I have learnt to live with MS but I am not an MS Warrior.
Meanwhile
The wheelchair is now a permanent item of furniture in the annexe. Slowly I am becoming a more confident user but the walker or rollator will continue to be used. While I have the energy and ability I will always walk but its comforting to know the wheelchair is available.
January 2026
Photo by Cas Holmes on Unsplash
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