The 3 Hardest Things About Becoming an Ambulatory Wheelchair User

After my first week using a wheelchair for longer 'walks' to de-load my left foot/ankle after 8 months of pain I thought it was time to share what I've personally found The 3 Hardest Things About Becoming an Ambulatory Wheelchair User:

1. Speed Guilt - When self propelling I feel very slow,  I'm rolling at about 2km an hour which is obviously half the speed of the average walking pace.  So when walking with hubby I feel guilty or rushed.  It's not coming from him at all,  it's entirely my own emotional reaction to my circumstances. 
2. Strength building! I'm aware this'll take time! But I'm fiercely independent so I hate having to ask hubby to push me up ramps and hills.  He of course happily does it but I'll be pleased to gain some more independence over time. 
3. Terrain - most footpaths aren't actually flat,  they are sloped for good drainage that means you need to compensate for that by propelling  more with one arm. Footpath ramps are often too steep for me to independently propel myself up. And uneven concrete joins can be quite challenging.  

The basics of steering and propelling were easy enough to figure out on my first roll but these 3 challenges will take time to adjust to.  A big part of this transition is about mindset, I'm slowly progressing on that front. 

I have done 9+km in my wheelchair in week one.  That's 9km I wouldn't have been able to do due to pain if I hadn't bought this mobility aid.  My pain has improved so much that I can actually walk around the house now without the medical boot or crutches!!! I'm strapping it firmly, but am thankfully managing well with that for short stints.

Sometimes adaptation is the key to moving forward and there are challenges but setting small goals and using your progress as inspiration to achieve ever greater heights is the key to overcoming adversity and flourishing through change.