Even when I was little, I’ve always been pretty active. I’ve had several interests from an early age, including playing the saxophone, riding horses, and dancing. After I studied animal care, I decided to study on and become a veterinarian for animals with disabilities. As such, it requires physical exertion. As a young dancer, I was incredibly flexible, and it was great for ballet. When I was 22, though, my body could no longer sustain it. I had ‘Patella luxations’ a fancy medical term describing displaced kneecaps. I was afraid of a reoccurrence of the luxation, so in 2014 I had surgery. I was nearly back to normal after nearly 1.5 years of recovery.
“But within a month, my life was flipped upside down after I had finally finished rehabilitating.”
After rounding up my rehabilitation, I had erased all the phone numbers for the hospital and physical therapists from my phone. It felt so good! Until a car disregarded me and my bike five weeks later. When I was struck, my life was completely turned upside down. My whole tibial plateau was fractured because of the event. Instead of getting started with my career-oriented goal in England, I had to reside in a hospital for a month and return to my mother’s home because I required a lot of help and assistance to get better.
“I noticed a friend on Facebook who fractured their ankle and was training for a marathon in a wheelchair.”
I was taken to that idea and bought a wheelchair online. Over the course of the next three months we were training together and in the end, did the marathon and crossed the finish line with smiles on our faces. Soon after I got assigned a wheelchair tailored to my needs. However, after a day of sitting in it, my behind was pretty uncomfortable.
“I got in contact with Vicair at a mobility exhibition.”
At the event, I got to trial several Vicair wheelchair cushions, and the Vicair staff were very helpful. I decided on a Vicair Adjuster O2 and it has made a big difference. Now when I use my wheelchair to workout, I can use all my energy to improve my lap times. It certainly makes a difference having a cushion that shapes your body. My bum is no longer numb, and the tingling sensation is gone, and so is the pain.
“My friends were envious of me because they wanted to rest on my cushion as well.”
I also attended music festivals in my wheelchair. My friends were envious of me because they wanted to rest on my cushion as well. On my previous cushion, I wanted to get out of my wheelchair as soon as possible. I no longer have that desire. I can do anything in my chair, including going out for drinks and snacks and exercising – all while sitting in my own wheelchair with a Vicair cushion. It certainly enhances my life, and I intend to achieve much more in the future.