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I’m a fairly active person, despite sore feet and knees, with a tendency to rush about. That’s exactly what I was doing when I dashed out the back door to take some washing in off the line and tripped over a bucket I’d left in the pathway.
My first thought, as I lay face down on the ground, was that I was wearing my best trousers. As I struggled to my feet, I realised that I had a more than usually painful right foot.
The casualty nurse furnished me with crutches and instructions not to weight bear for two weeks. I only went a few yards out of casualty before demanding a wheelchair. I got home and resorted to crawling that evening.
Bright ideas
I’m a nurse myself and have a friend who works in the occupational therapy department of our local hospital so I gave her a call to see if she had any bright ideas. She lent me a zimmer frame, which was a bit easier than the crutches. I borrowed a wheelchair from the Red Cross, but we live in an old house which we’re in the process of renovating so getting around proved a challenge. It was now day three since my injury and I was miserable.
My investigative nurse skills, combined with my relatively new
computer skills, kicked in and I started to do a bit of internet
research. I thought there must be something which I could kneel on and
kick along.
Working out what I needed
I had all sorts of bright ideas including a cheap office chair with wheels, too unstable; a kick-along stool, too low. Then I thought of one of those sit-on walking aid things which I think are called rollaters. I had the idea that I could kneel on the seat and push it along with my good leg.
I found a firm selling these and explained my predicament to the very helpful woman who answered the phone. She very responsibly told me that she wouldn’t sell me a rollater for the purpose I had in mind as it just wouldn’t be safe. We chatted for a while about how difficult crutches were for people with joint problems and whilst we were talking she suddenly remembered having seen what she called ‘a leg scooter thing’. I did an internet search and found the website of a company that makes them.
I phoned the firm who make and supply a orthopaedic leg trolley. It is produced by an engineering firm which makes aircraft parts and was designed by an orthopaedic surgeon who had a foot injury but wanted to carry on working. I also discovered, to my horror, that it cost over £200.
I decided to throw caution, and most of my tiny NHS pension, to the wind and ordered the trolley. It arrived within 24 hours and was just amazing – a life saver. It is easy to use, stable, manoeuvrable and lightweight.
I don’t regret splashing out on it at all, but feel sad that I had to. And I am very aware that this would not be an option for someone struggling on a state pension or benefits.
Occupational therapy or physiotherapy departments should have at least one of these to loan out to people who, because of joint problems, can’t manage crutches. It’s not a thing of beauty, but it’s a wonderful bit of equipment that transformed my life for the two weeks I used it.
Jane Russell, Northern Ireland
