Spent the weekend training to be a trainer for the Back Up trust, as a part of their wheelchair skills programme. The trust sends experienced wheelchair users into all the spinal units in the U.K. to teach wheelchair skill to people who are newly injured.
While physios do an admirable job in giving people the skills that they need when thay are discharged, there are certain techniques which are best taught by an experienced wheelchair user. As well as demonstrations and guidance, there is also the invaluable experience of meeting people who have been in wheelchairs for a few years and are getting on with their lives.
When I was up at Stoke Mandeville, I found these sessions inspiring, as they helped me to start to build a picture of a life after the spinal unit. It feels like a great opportunity for me to try and pass this experince on to other people.
Back Up also provide more advanced wheelchair skills training on most of the other courses that they offer (Outdoor Multi-activity weeks, kayaking, water-skiing, sailing, handcycling, skiing, drama, etc.)
It's a funny thing, but getting more involved with Back Up feels like another milestone in my rehab. And it'll be four years since my accident next Wednesday. Fool's day, of course. I'm having an M.R.I. that day. Not by way of a celebratory trip down memory lane, just a check up.
While physios do an admirable job in giving people the skills that they need when thay are discharged, there are certain techniques which are best taught by an experienced wheelchair user. As well as demonstrations and guidance, there is also the invaluable experience of meeting people who have been in wheelchairs for a few years and are getting on with their lives.
When I was up at Stoke Mandeville, I found these sessions inspiring, as they helped me to start to build a picture of a life after the spinal unit. It feels like a great opportunity for me to try and pass this experince on to other people.
Back Up also provide more advanced wheelchair skills training on most of the other courses that they offer (Outdoor Multi-activity weeks, kayaking, water-skiing, sailing, handcycling, skiing, drama, etc.)
It's a funny thing, but getting more involved with Back Up feels like another milestone in my rehab. And it'll be four years since my accident next Wednesday. Fool's day, of course. I'm having an M.R.I. that day. Not by way of a celebratory trip down memory lane, just a check up.
Synchronicity. I'm spending the weekend in Stoke Mandeville training to be a mentor for Back-Up. We have to play to our strengths: I'd be the worst wheelchair skills trainer...