Today I’m celebrating my wheels.

When the wee one was still wee, I decided it was time for a new wheelchair. I had been rolling around in a rickety NHS chair that was ill fitting, with sliding footplates, and I didn’t enjoy using it at all.

I’d been using a stick for years by this point, but I was really reluctant to use that chair.
I spoke to my consultant and was referred to wheelchair services in Glasgow for an assessment. To my surprise, it was all very straightforward.

They asked what I was looking for in a wheelchair. I explained that my daughter was up and running, and I wanted something that would allow me to keep up with her and increase my independence.

They asked if I wanted handles. I initially said no, but they suggested an alternative. A chair with a low back and folding handles, so I could be pushed when needed.

They took some measurements and offered the Quickie Argon 2. Then they asked the most important question of all. What colour do you want?

Without missing a beat, I said bright green. I wanted a chair that couldn’t be ignored, something bold, outgoing and fun, a bit like me. And that was it.

Twelve weeks later, I went back to collect my new wheels. Before I was allowed to leave, they took me into a room for wheelchair driving lessons.

They showed me how to pop my wheels up to get up kerbs, how to reverse off a kerb onto the road, how to push uphill, and the basics of wheelies. That last bit came with homework.

The wee one was with me that day. She was sat in a kids’ chair while I passed my test. Hers had a celestial pattern on it, and she even asked if she could have one of her own.

Now, almost ten years on, I think about all the adventures I’ve been on with that bright green bad boy. We’ve been through so much together and, strange as it may sound, I have a wheelchair that I don’t feel disabled in.

I can get around faster, conserve my energy for time with my family, and generally be a better version of me.

I know that the transition period is a challenge for all of us. But looking back, I can honestly say it’s worth it.