Today has been a particularly
good one. For one thing it's suited me being a tad cooler. I don't want the summer to end too soon. It would be nice to have a sunny holiday.
At the moment my lift is receiving its six-monthly health check from Ashley, our regular lift engineer and emergency doctor. He is such an expert even in Pollock lifts which aren’t his stock in trade. What's more, he's a lovely guy. These regular services are one of the benefits that I receive because of my incapacity.
At the moment my lift is receiving its six-monthly health check from Ashley, our regular lift engineer and emergency doctor. He is such an expert even in Pollock lifts which aren’t his stock in trade. What's more, he's a lovely guy. These regular services are one of the benefits that I receive because of my incapacity.
 |
| Our old Yeti |
Earlier in the day we drove to
our nearest Volkswagen dealer as the time is coming to change my Motability
vehicle. Sadly the fashionable Skoda Yeti is no longer being produced and so
I’ve done my research and decided a Touran – which is a bit bigger - is my best
bet. VWs have a delay in their production, I gather, as they’re working on
their emissions…. So it looks as though we’ll have to wait for a few months to
take delivery. But Motability are good and should allow us to keep our Yeti
until the Touran is ready. The Motability scheme which provides cars,
insurance, servicing etc using the mobility component of your PIP (Personal
Independence Payment, the replacement of the old Disability Living Allowance)
is great – as long as you receive it. However it’s far from a foregone
conclusion, these days, that if you’re disabled you’ll be allowed it. A very helpful and
efficient chap called Kit steered us through the process of ordering.
Then before that I had an
appointment with the podiatrist. These happen every six weeks, and I have them
free on the NHS after I almost pulled a nail off a toe with my rollator a
couple of years ago. I never quite know who I’ll see as our local surgery is
part of an area podiatry service. But today a new rather skilled podiatrist
called Lottie dealt with me. My toenails are not a pleasant phenomenon, but she
soon had them sorted out. I hope she treats me again.
As we returned home for lunch and
considered how much help we received, we reflected that although having MND was
not a choice we’d ever ever make, I am really well provided for and have a lot
to be grateful for. To cap today off, Pete and Jane, two of our best friends will be coming
round tonight to have supper.
Above all and beneath it all, of
course, is Jane. I read this sentence while waiting for the podiatrist: “Caring
for a loved one is among the most selfless acts that can be imagined.” Yes,
spot on. I’m a lucky man.
