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Life is the strangest thing, sometimes I think we are sent experiences so that we will learn to cope with things that are going to affect us in later life. When I was in my 20\’s I met an amazing lady who was my landlady Mrs H she had a disabled husband who had Parkinsons disease and had had numerous strokes and was wheelchair bound. During the years that I lived with her I got quite involved in helping out with her husband and also a group of ladies who were also disabled that we used to take out once a week. Our affectionate nickname for this was Wheelchair Patrol. Its was basically a day out either shopping or visiting a garden or park etc and it was always ended with a cream tea. What awesome fun it was, these ladies came from all walks of life and I especially remember Nan she had lost a leg to diabetes she was an old actress and had had bit parts in Coronation Street and some Christmas Programmes, and I used to spend hours listening to her stories and looking at the photographs she had.
But the thing that stood out the most with these ladies was their outlook on life. Not one of them was bitter or resentful about the fact that they had become disabled or where in a wheelchair. They made a big impression on me and for that I will always be eternally grateful. You see thirty years later I have an illness that requires that if I have to go shopping etc I have to use a wheelchair. At first I was very resentful of this as I didn\’t feel it was fair. Then I thought of Wheelchair Patrol and all the wonderful ladies who were part of it and their attitude towards life and it gave me the kick up the butt I needed to get rid of the negative and keep with the positive. So although these wonderful ladies are sadly no longer with us I still want to thank them for the help they have given me.
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