Living with Disability

by Bob Thomas

I contracted Diabetes back in 1994. Won’t affect me, I said. Controlled by diet I continued to work normally and just carry on with my life as normal, I was never much of a drinker, although I was overweight by 2 or 3 stone and my diet left a lot to be desired.

I drove HGV’s for nearly 30 yrs and was away from home quite a lot - trying to eat sensibly was not always possible. Soon I was on tablets to control it and then I began to feel tingles in my legs. After a trip to my DR I was told that I had Pherical Neuropathy, This was the nerves in my legs dying and for this there was no cure, I was put on Insulin, disaster I thought ,

My HGV licence was taken from me and I had no Job, I began to suffer falls as my legs got worse and worse. This was a bad time , My Legs then my job going was soon followed my losing my house. Not able to hold up my motorbike any longer I came upon a Trike website, this will do for me I thought and went about finding out all there was to building one. With the help of a very good friend a 750 Kawasaki was soon to be converted into a trike and I had found my freedom again.

As a result of the web I came across Gower Mobility. I got a Rumba Quickie power chair from them and I have never looked back, I have sold the first trike now and am building another, and with my chair in a trailor I go to rally’s and stay for the weekends.

Life isn’t so bad now I get about and am enjoying a new lease of life Thanks to Mike and his Wife at Gower and some very good friends.

The first Picture is of me and some of the guys I ride with over in Ireland , we had six great days touring over there

 

The second one is me in Cheshire at a rally chatting to a disabled mate who has his own trike too. He has pinched my power chair.

So believe me there is life with disability and lots of new friends to meet too.