Hi, I'm so lucky lucky lucky!

Captainwull

Hi Mr Buttons. My family have been fishermen for 700 years. When I was 16 I asked an uncle if I could go to sea with him just to see how they caught fish. I’d no intention of actually becoming a fisherman. With feet like mine I’d no thoughts of that whatsoever! While on the trip I realised there was nowhere to walk on a 70 ft boat. You took a couple of steps here and another couple of steps there, all the time you were holding onto something due to the movement of the boat. I was able to give the guys a hand because of the limited amount of walking and my uncle offered me a job which I gratefully accepted. Within a year or two I realised my mistake as I was having to strap my feet up tightly because of the pain in order to carry out my duties. I went back to the specialist who said my bones were losing calcium at an alarming rate and he advised me to give it up.
I stuck it out for a few months more then one day I realised my uncle (who was the skipper) never came on deck or did manual work. He sat in the wheelhouse all day using his brain to catch the fish. I thought that’s the job for me! 
I took 6 months out and sat my skippers certificate of competency. I went back on the deck afterwards for a few more months and luckily for me he had a heart attack and retired. I became a skipperfor the next 30 years until I was forced to give it up due to the impending amputation. 
I’m a great believer in where there’s a will there’s a way. 
The human spirit if used in the right way is a very powerful tool 

chiarieds

My apologies, considering the above post, as I appreciate Ilovecats knows way more than I. I should not have commented on this thread.

I remain unsure why I was awarded PIP, as my main issue was the fact I'm in pain the moment I'm upright due to neurological issues & also joint pain so I felt pain worth mentioning here, but I stand corrected.

chiarieds

Many thanks, Ilovecats, I think I did forward my claim to receive the award I felt accurate, & evidenced this. I am however more than a little disconcerted to read the views of another 'correcting' me when I mentioned pain. I felt this appropriate to say, & did not mention any criteria. I was only trying to help the OP further from my understanding of the 'descriptors.'

I appreciate the other person was also trying to help; I refrained from comments just referencing a little from the 2 resources I've known. My feeling is that having said something, it may disconcert the original poster to read contradictory views. So I would rather say I'm sorry, & wrong.

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

Chloe_Alumni

Welcome to the community @Captainwull, great to have you here! If there's anything we can do to help then please do let us know!

pollyanna1052

pollyanna1052

Just wondering (and nosey) how old are you now?  A friend of mine has started a charity called CYCALL.....look her up ...she has raised oodles of dosh for cycles for disabled people.

Captainwull

Hi Pollyanna. I’m 60. Act like I’m 16 ?‍♂️ 
I’m  a member of a group called Wheels for Wellbeing. They try to encourage disabled folk to try cycling both as a means of staying fit but also as a form of mobility. I thought about a wheelchair at one time but knowing I could cycle I persevered with it and bought a wee Brompton folding bike. It folds into the size of a small suitcase but has wheels so I can roll it when it’s folded to use it as a sort of wheeled Zimmer frame when, for whatever reason, I’m not allowed to cycle. ( shopping malls train stations etc)
Bikes are not recognised as mobility aids so it becomes difficult at times. Theres always some jobsworth comes along and orders you off the bike. You try to explain that your disabled and the bike is my wheelchair but they never listen. They just tell you to get off and walk. Even showing my scars and lack of muscles never works.
A policewoman in Paris once said she would arrest me if I didn’t walk. I tried explaining my disability and other members of the public tried to help me out too. She ignored everything and pulled out her gun and said get off the bike or I will shoot you ?. 
Luckily for me another policeman came along and told her to put the gun away and let me stay on my bike ?

pollyanna1052

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

Captainwull

Falls.... ? had my share of them too. Last one was earlier this year. Well, it wasn’t really a fall. I’d decided to bike from Lands end to John o groats to try and raise the profile of Wheels for Wellbeing. 
I wasn’t bothered how long it took, 3 weeks a month just so long as I did it.
Was supposed to start in June but at the beginning of May I got knocked off my bike with a transit van that didnt stop. Broke a few bones including my shoulder which hasn’t healed right. So I’ve decided no more charity stuff ?
I’m sorry to hear you were active and fit until 45. That must be worse than my deal. At least when your born with something you don’t know any better, ignorance is bliss. But when you’ve had a normal life then it’s taken away from you that must be really hard to deal with. 
You have my sympathies. Take care. Speak later.