Posts tagged Lorraine Hershon
… Shares Her Experiences of Her First Trip to London in Her Wheelchair.
I needed adventure and excitement and, as they say, a change is as good as a rest – so I have just returned from my first ever solo wheelchair trip to London!
Actually it’s my first trip anywhere alone with my chair, but I wanted to meet up with an old friend and didn’t really want to drive all the way, so felt it was time to give public transport a go. So, in keeping with the spirit of adventure, I booked a flight to Heathrow and one back from Stansted.
The flight down to London was great – quick, punctual and the service was terrific. On arrival I took the Heathrow Express which, at a whopping £18 single fair, turned out to be the only accessible option, except a taxi into central London. Actually, while it touts itself as ‘accessible’, I needed help onto the train as there’s a gap of a few inches wide and a funny type of door ‘lip’ to hop over – difficult, especially with a bag. (more…)
Why Do Some People Think They Can Say What They Like About Disabled People?
Lorraine has some great news.
Life’s a funny old thing, isn’t it? It doesn’t seem to matter how much we think we’re in control, life throws in various unknowns along the way – just to keep things interesting.
Sometimes I think it might be quite nice to lead a steady, reliable sort of ordinary kind of life. You see, I used to be one of those people who was so organised; I had these terrific five year plans where I would map out my career, finances and personal life with Great Expectations. The only thing is, since we got into the 21st century, nothing has gone according to plan, and I’ve had to forget all the grand designs – they’re worthless. (more…)
…Loses Her Mona Lisa Smile
Keeping your dignity’s not always an option when the world takes you by surprise
Despite life’s surprises over the last few years, I’ve always tried to maintain a certain level of dignity – or could that really be vanity and pride in disguise? Being honest, I give off a certain level of smugness when talking to friends: “Fallen out of my chair, in public? Oh no, not me, I’ve never done that,” I say, with a Mona Lisa smile. (more…)
Why Does Child-Friendly Not Mean Wheelchair-Friendly?
I like to think that being a disabled parent of little boys is no more challenging for me than it would be for anyone else.
Most of the time this thought works well. I do the things that all parents do and don’t think twice about it. Of course I am constantly dealing with certain attitudes, especially from healthcare workers who tend to greet me with raised eyebrows – female, wheelchair, baby – before composing themselves again. Disabled people having children still seem to be a rarity for them, which is odd because I know loads, so they do exist!
…Is Focused on the Impending Birth of Her Fourth Child
– and why it doesn’t get any easier!
Quite possibly, by the time you read this, I will have had our fourth child and finally put to an end the conundrum of where to have him. After the slight mishap with the last baby – who decided to stop breathing 20 minutes after having arrived in the world, and had to be resuscitated before being whisked to hospital – my husband has been understandably rather anxious and insisted that this one should arrive in hospital. (more…)
…Frets About Visiting Places for the First Time
A lack of information can really disable you.
“Let’s meet in Durham,” a family member suggested recently. However, once I researched the geography of the city I wasn’t so sure.
According to the cathedral website it wasn’t great for access, being set on a hill. As we have three young children, plus a wheelchair, to get around I wasn’t sure it was the best place in the world to have a day out.
(more…)
