How One Wheelchair User Pimped Her Wheelchair
Pimping your wheelchair stops you being invisible. The first Christmas I was using it, I decided to put some Christmas decorations and lights on my Rolls Royce, and I was amazed at the response I got - total strangers kept coming up to me, smiling and making lovely comments, and I got into so many great conversations!
Sorry the photos are a bit dark, but it was the only way I could get the lights to show up. After Christmas I took the decorations off, and again I was amazed at the result - I was completely invisible again. So I decided I wasn't putting up with that, so I'd better have decorations on permanently. That's when I started doing it with flowers, and I haven't stopped since. This is my first attempt:
and here it is against the beautiful backdrop of the gardens of Dartington Hall in Devon:
and in Bath, watching the mechanical guitar man:
We went to Naidex in April of 2009 and here I am waiting my turn for some wheelchair skills training, and you can see the Easter eggs and ribbons I put on:
I added some poppies and cornflowers for this summer's decorations:
I buy cheap silk flowers when I see them, and also sparkle trails and bits of bling to mix in with them, and of course my 2 strings of LCD lights - unfortunately the batteries don't last too well, and they don't show up in bright light, but out in the evenings they are really fun! I decorate my own spoke guards - you can find reasonably priced plain ones online. I painted the pink flowers myself, and the black ones I just stuck hotfix gems on to give some serious bling for Christmas/winter.
Are you ready to decorate your own wheelchair?
Shoshi:
ReplyDeleteI want to say well done! I couldn't agree with you more. Make a statement with your wheelchair. Be an individual. Take away the "medical" look. To me, what matters is that you have expressed your style. It does not matter how you do it. But I like what you have done with your chair.
If anyone else would like to show off how they have pimped their wheelchair, send me a note: RehaDesign "AT" Gmail "DOT" Com
Thanks!!! I second what you say - come on everyone, let's see how you all pimp your chairs! We could start a new trend here!
ReplyDeleteShoshi
I used to have two thick chains running under the armrests of my wheelchair, to which I attached a variety of keyring. Any interesting or unusual keyrings I saw would get added on and, when I was going around the town, my chair always drew attention. Going in lifts was the nicest thing, seeing small kids, and toddlers in buggies, enchanted by all the trinkets. I lost count of the amount of tearful kids who calmed down to take a look. It was a great feeling.
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