Mobility rollator help

Autumntime

Hello everyone, brand new here. I'm looking for some help and advice concerning my mobility issues. 
I have stage four cancer and gradually the meds and the increasing cancer in my lungs has made walking a struggle. My legs, mainly around my thighs feel like lead and I always feel like I'm climbing a hill. Now my rib cage and breathing have joined in and I look like I've got carburettor trouble- stopping and starting every few yards to get some energy. About a year ago I bought a large Sholley shopping trolley so I could carry on doing my own food shopping. It helped a lot with my mobility, general walking as well as shopping. That worked fine when I lived in town but I've recently moved into my daughter's and use the bus now for the 20 minute journey into town. Now, in theory I'm sure it's possible to take the Sholley on a bus as people take prams but I know I'll get really anxious if the bus is busy, no front seats free etc. I wouldn't be able to fold it and get it on a bus. It folds for a car but is by no means small or light and I have little physical strength now, I get shaky and weak. I'm considering a rollator- reluctantly as at 63 I don't like to think of myself as old and doddery😉and would like one as young looking as possible. I think I prefer the stability of four wheels and wonder what other people think? It needs to be light and easy to fold and open on and off a bus and have a bag for shopping. I get very anxious if I feel I'm being watched/ keeping people waiting etc. At the moment I'm walking around  with no aids and I'm exhausted all the time. Thank you in advance. Glad to have found you.

Rosie_Scope

Hi @Autumntime, welcome to the community! I'm sure some of our members will be able to offer some advice and support soon, I just wanted to say hello and welcome!

Is there a mobility shop near you that might sell rollators? Perhaps you could go and try a few out before you go ahead and buy one to see if it works for you.

I tried a few different mobility aids as a teenager and while it was an adjustment and I did feel like an old lady for a bit, I eventually got busy customising them to my liking and it made them feel a lot less clinical to me. Just adding a few touches of my personality to it made all the difference to how I felt

Sandy_123

Hi @Autumntime welcome to the forum.
Sorry to read about your diagnosis.
Now, when you hear the word rollator, you think of those horrible  metal ones, well I'm pleasec to see that you can get some really trendy ones these days. With baskets attached etc. But shop around as quite pricey. You may even get a second hand one too. 
Is there a transport bus in your area that does door to door pick ups? There is my area and I know a few areas have them too. Might be worth a Google search in yours. 

Steve_in_The_City

Hi @Autumntime It is not just the old and doddery who use mobility aids! After my accident I couldn't go out for over 4 months, the last month of that period spent in huge pain at home. But then I got a mobility scooter and my extreme cabin fever came to an end and at last I could get out and about. I am very self-conscious and I did worry about people looking and staring but it hasn't happened. I was 60 when I got my scooter and frankly although I did worry about what people thought, my desire to get outside made it a bit of a non-issue. It is no good worrying what people think, your mobility comes first. Also, it has been an ice breaker! People often talk to me.

I had a four wheel rollator, the sort you can sit down on. I found it too cumbersome to take on the bus. It was also difficult to fold and heavy to pick up when shopping was in it, so I am afraid that for me personally a 4 wheel walker doesn't work.

A good few years ago I bought a lightweight 3 wheel walker. I can't sit on it and I expect if your legs are heavy and tired the ability to sit and rest often would be essential for you. I get tired and have to sit but only once I have been walking for about 7 minutes. Then I just need a few minutes sit down on an available wall or bench - I always find somewhere. It is very easy to take on the bus (when empty of shopping). I just pick it and put it on the platform. Then as I walk along the aisle I just squeeze the handles towards one another and it becomes very narrow. If the bus isn't busy I just slip it in the space between the seat I am going to sit on and the seat in front, placing it by the window. I sit in the aisle seat. If the bus is busy I make my way to the disabled area and people always offer me a seat.

Getting off the bus is occasionally problematic. If the bus stops close the kerb I just drop it down onto the pavement, hold the rail on the bus with one hand while I step down, grab my walker with the other hand and then let go of the rail. Sometimes the bus comes to a stop that makes this very awkward for me, but people can see I am in difficulty and someone always comes to my aid. I have been using a a lightweight 3 wheeler for about 5 years and I have only needed help getting off the bus on 3 or 4 occasions.

Good luck and I hope you find something suitable to take on the bus.

MW123

@Autumntime

Welcome to Scope! We are of a similar age and I can genuinely empathise with your situation, as I also live with chronic cancer and understand the challenges you're facing. Your experiences deeply resonate with me, as I've encountered similar symptoms first hand. I understand the concerns about using a walking aid and the possibility of inconveniencing others. Unfortunately, my own health complications prevent me from having the necessary arm strength to use any walking aids. 

Living with a hidden disability often leads to a constant sense of self-awareness. One of the most challenging aspects is that our external appearance may not accurately convey the internal struggles and discomfort that even walking short distances can present. Yesterday, as I made my way to my car, it felt as though I was dragging heavy concrete blocks tied to my legs, trudging through thick mud and leaving me very breathless. People hurried past, and often I would pause if someone was behind me, allowing them to pass ahead, acutely aware of my walking pace inconveniencing them. 

My office window overlooks a busy bus stop, I frequently observe individuals manoeuvring various aids such as shopping trolleys, rollators, wheelchairs, onto and off of buses. Interestingly, I've noticed that they typically don't collapse these aids, instead, they wheel them directly onto and off of the bus. 

I recommend reaching out to a mobility shop. They should be able to provide valuable advice on selecting a rollator that's both comfortable and practical for your needs, particularly for getting on and off buses.

scotiaC

I'm 45, and use a rollator, I look fit as a fiddle, until I move, then you notice I'm disabled. 
I was at first put off with my ego, my vanity kind of thing. Until i realised  I was hurting myself, I then took a deep breath and have never looked back. It has opened the world upto me again.
I don't always use the seat on it, but just knowing it's there is enough, a godsend actually. I have the 3xwheel version and the 4x wheeled. I use the 3x wheel around the house, as its easier to manoeuvre round corners and go through doors, but outside its definitely the 4xwheel version, it's sturdy, no fear of toppling either, 
Hope this helps, 
Scott.