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The Chair Affair: A Love Story I Never Saw Coming 💕

Sha with bright red hair in a pink-seated Trekinetic GTE wheelchair positioned on grass behind a colourful flower bed full of red, yellow and white begonias, with lush green trees in background.
Me in my new Trekinetic GTE wheelchair ©theaardvark

I am officially in love with a wheelchair.

Words I never, ever thought would come out of my mouth.

Young at Heart, Old in Body 💪

Being relatively young (I stopped counting at 36, but I'm actually in my 50s!) but young at heart and absolutely determined to grow old disgracefully, becoming reliant on mobility aids was definitely not in my life plan.

But I've also developed what I like to call DAE - Disability Aid Envy. And bloody hell, is it expensive!

The Reality Check 🏠

It's really tough losing your independence. In a matter of weeks, my home became filled with what felt like 'old lady' products to help me get around - a rollator here, handrail there, support frame so I can get on and off the loo... It's taken a while to get used to (the aids, that is... not feeling 90!).

I started browsing around for funky aids that actually look good and serve a purpose. It's tough enough coming to terms with a disability without everything looking clinical and depressing. But I soon found out I'd need a lottery win to afford anything decent. Who knew having a disability would be so bloody expensive?

My PIP wasn't going to stretch that far - it just about covers day-to-day living.

Enter the Angels: Grace Cares👼

Woman with bright red hair and glasses sitting in a black and white power wheelchair, wearing cosy fluffy coat, positioned in front of large purple banner reading "YOU LOOK NICE TODAY" at outdoor festival with grass and temporary barriers visible. Perfect festival vibes! That banner is absolutely spot on - love how festivals just get the good energy flowing. The Rueba Rascal looks brilliant there too, proper festival-ready wheels! 💜
Me in my Rueba Rascal chair at Bearded Theory this year.

Luckily, I discovered Grace Cares and they've been my absolute saviour. They've enabled me to purchase preloved but much funkier aids, including an powered wheelchair, which was genuinely life-changing. They gave me the will to go on when things felt pretty dark.

The Dream Machine 🏎️♿

But then my DAE took over, and I fell (not literally!) head over heels in love with a Trekinetic GTE MK2 chair. Brand new, they're around £14k - it's the kind of chair you dream of owning, like a Lamborghini or a Mercedes of the wheelchair world!

I test drove one and Oh-My-God, it really didn't disappoint. We searched for grants, loans, finance options... I'd all but given up hope.

Love at First Sight 💗

Until the lovely Bernice advertised her GTE MK2 - immaculate condition, hardly used, a couple of years old, and in the most gorgeous pink! I needed this chair in my life.

Three people enjoying a sunny garden moment - Sha with pink hair in the Trekinetic on the left, an older gentleman in a green polo standing in the centre, and another woman in wheelchair on the right, all posed happily in a garden with modern outdoor furniture.
Beatrice and her husband were absolutely lovely when we went to buy the chair

Enter my beautiful new companion: preloved by the lovely Bernice, stunning pink colour, and in absolutely immaculate condition. The seat's a bit big for me, but we can deal with that - more space for my festival drinks and shopping! 🍻🛍️

Thanks to my incredible family, we worked out a way to afford it, and I'm now the proud owner of my absolute dream chair.

Rolling Into the Future 🌈

I might not make much of a recovery from FND, Fibro, and ME/CFS, but I can bloody well ride out in style!

Sha, with bright red hair in a pink-seated Trekinetic GTE three-wheel wheelchair positioned in front of bronze miner and pit-pony statue in a town centre square, with shops and street lamps visible in background.

Sometimes life gives you lemons, and sometimes it gives you a gorgeous pink Trekinetic that makes you feel like you're driving a sports car. I know which one I prefer!

Here's to unexpected love affairs and rolling towards adventures! 🎉

#WheelyHappyDays #DisabilityAidEnvy #TrekineticGTE #GraceCares #WheelchairLife #ChronicIllness #PinkPower #MobilityAids #DisabilityPride #UnexpectedLove

P.S. If you're in the Midlands of the UK, struggling with mobility aids and feeling overwhelmed, please reach out to Grace Cares - they're absolute legends and have genuinely changed my life. Sometimes the best things come preloved! 💕