Routine and structure

If you don't have a physical disability, have a think about how long it takes you to get up in the morning, go to the toilet, have a coffee and get dressed. I’m guessing you could probably do it in about 15 minutes? And all on your own without help? Now have a think about how long it might take me to do the same thing, and what and who might be involved with it. It probably takes a lot longer than you realise. 

Every morning I wake up around 7.30am. I need help getting out of my bed and into my wheelchair using a sling and ceiling hoist. I then need help getting a bottle set up so that I can do a wee, and have someone make my coffee and get my wheelchair tray set up with my phone and remotes. Getting dressed then involves putting the sling back on, lifting me up out of my wheelchair back into bed to get my uridome on, back up in the sling to to get my underwear and trousers on, back into the chair to get a t-shirt on and then help with putting my socks and shoes on. All of this is done by one of my team.

These few simple tasks that take you about 15 minutes on your own can take around 60 minutes for me, and that’s only if there are no interruptions or delays along the way. Sometimes it can take much longer. 

That is why routine and structure is very important in my life, so that I can keep on top of what I have to do during the day and coordinate my team. I always need to allow enough time for these tasks to take place so that I can be punctual to my appointments or planned outings. Running late is a huge anxiety trigger for me, as the smallest delay can then end up messing up the whole day. 

Over time I will write more about how long certain tasks in my day take, as I do believe many people will be very surprised with just how much is involved. 

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Cheers,
Ethan