Im lying in bed watching youtube and it was a joy to see your video pop up. You and Izzy always bring a smile to my face. And no, you don't look weird without make-up lol.

Today I got stared at by an older woman while I was using my wheelchair, because I dropped my phone on the floor and had to move my feet in order to bend down and get it back... She didn't say anything, but the judgemental stare was there... I'm 29 and dealing with symptoms of POTS, plus a narrowed disc in the lower lumbar area of my spine that makes it extremely painful to stand and walk. My heart rate was at 151 earlier today when I wasn't using my chair. After using my chair, I stayed below 130. At one point, I was even under 110! That's rare when I'm not sleeping!

Oh I love the bag you’ve got on the arm of your chair - what it is (bc I’m looking for one and I’ve also got a Whill C2)

Man the response of getting a wheelchair from family is shocking the persecution is unheard of that you get. If it was a stranger not a problem because you can get away unlike disfuncanel family where your stuck. But if your lucky your family will support and help and understand.

I’ve got a Whill C2 and I love it, but I’d have preferred a power add on for my manual. That’s certainly what I want next

Thanks so much for this. Have just ordered your book. I got Long Covid in 2021 after completing the first year of my degree and meet the ME diagnostic criteria. I’m hoping to return again this September but it’s so daunting. I really appreciate all the advice ❤

so glad you enjoyed your visit Pippa! We're rather biased but Bath is a great place :)

I love Bath! I haven't been since using a wheelchair, your video definitely helped, I was pleasantly surprised to see the Roman bath is wheelchair accessible.

Such a lovely reminder of the day we got to spend in Bath a few years ago - makes me want to take the 22 hr flight to go back!

I love that you had such a good experience exploring, and it's always better when you have a cute friend along with you. Thanks for sharing the experience with us!

Beautiful place! It’s always nice to see how accessible and inclusive with allergies places are. I hope to one day visit Europe (hopefully my health will one day improve) and see all of the beautiful historic buildings, especially the churches. Unfortunately we don’t have really big beautiful churches to visit in the rural area where I live.

I loved this vlog. Always enjoy seeing you and Izzy together. Also I have allergies so good to see the hotel breakfast catered for allergies. Pippa please would you consider doing a video on dealing with the emotions of missing out on big occasions such as funerals and weddings when you suffer with ME ? This has effected me recently

loving the video Pippa, I love bath so much, I live in Devon so try to go when I can and take the kids. looking forward to the Bristol video and have a super weekend hopefully getting some sunshine.

People are jerks can't mind their own business basically looking for a fight. Disability has no age it can happen from birth or accident . The people harassing disabled people have no clue that it can happen to them just because you where born fine in a moment that can change and judging what you see is not what it appears.

Thank you very much for doing this particular segment. Everything you said definitely does apply to me and you put it in a way that I had not thought to express or explain. I have a similar situation, but I have a degenerative spinal condition and I have several other conditions, we won’t go into the Long medical, but I also, use the power chair most days at least at some part of the day. I can stand up, I can walk,however; I can’t walk very far before I start falling down. Again thank you very much. This was extremely helpful to me.

is that ur new power chair? could we get a video about it at some point as would love to see it

I did my own research for months and like you I also chose the Whill C2, mine arrives Tuesday 17th June. I'm new to wheelchair ♿️ life, I have LongCovid, Pots and Mast cell activation. Would love to collab with yourself. I am starting my journey on social media as not many my age do, I'm 46 🇬🇧 @TammyTenacity.

This is great. Thank you for taking the time and effort to share. I'm 12 years into ME/CFS, and just getting my first chair now. You've been helpful. And yes, I've subscribed - not because you mentioned it at the end of the video, but because I value what you've said, and look forward to hearing more from you in the future.

Fantastic! I'll be testing the WHILL C2 next week, to see if it will work for me. I also have ME/CFS, and hope a power wheelchair will help me get out of the house more. I'm curious, after a month of use, have your feelings about the chair changed any? What improvements would you like to see in future generations of WHILL chairs?

@Wheelsnoheels this is something I'd love to see Ur view on this topic. Pippa I am in Ur situation too I have nsd/ fibromyalgia copd and muscle wastage in both left limbs as well as other issues but I can walk for a couple of mins just like you, I'm so glad that people like you and wheelsnoheels do these videos to spread the word about these topics. To try to educate others that a wheelchair does NOT mean "paralysed" or "paraplegic" ❤❤❤❤❤

On a bus your brakes shouldn't be what's keeping you in place. The driver should be using transit tiedowns to secure your chair.

I am thinking of getting a scooter i use a walking stick, i have me/fibro and spinal stenosis in my lower back so i struggle to walk far or stand for long ,i also have a lot of payback with fatigue..but i know there will be judgement,im 43 but have young children

Thanks for this! Can you please share the massive list you mention at 17:45 of aids for energy impairment? I looked back in the description but couldn’t find it

Q: “What happened to you?” A: “My body decided to enter its granny phase of life early.” A add-on: “I might look perfectly fine but if you look “under the hood” like a car, it’s a whole different story!” I notice that when I’m vague, I get less of the dreaded “have you tried xyz?” crap 🙄 I get they’re trying to help but I’ve probably already tried what “worked for their friend” in the last 10+ years, and they’re not even a doctor, let alone a specialist.

I have a cavapoo and my name is Ruby

Thank you for sharing your testimony.

Thank you for making this video. I can read as long as it’s on my phone, but certain things are harder to read than others, especially if I’m trying to learn or retain information, this video was great because I wouldn’t have heard your post otherwise. I love the metaphor. I actually struggle with the opposite. I struggle with feeling like I’m not enough when my health improves. I identify myself in my illnesses and being ill especially with my ME/CFS, that I’m scared to get better and almost don’t feel like myself when I’m doing better-mind you my “doing better” is still being in bed/couch 23 hours a day. I struggle with comparing myself to others who are ill but even more struggle comparing myself to myself. My PEM isn’t as bad and I don’t really crash even after going out since I started taking medication for my POTS and other things. That scares me. I think there’s a fear to get better because I watched my old self/life crumble before my eyes and in a way die, I had to completely change everything and I’m scared to do that the other way around. I don’t have any aspirations when it comes to a career, relationships, or hobbies, I’m afraid to not have my ME/CFS rule my life because it has brutally been my oppressor for three years, freedom is incomprehensible and I have no idea what it’s like to be an adult or even an older teenager since I got sick at 16. The up and down of quality of life is worse than being stuck in a worse state, because in that state at least there is security because I’ve been there before. I don’t want to have to muster up the courage and strength to deal with such a drastic change all over again because it’s like starting over just like I did 3 years ago. I’ve built a somewhat secure routine and life which I worked hard for and had to fight to cope with. It’s almost like the better I get physically the harder it can be mentally. I’m terrified of getting worse, but just as scared to get better. ❤️‍🩹 😢 I feel so lost, like I’m traveling on a dark foggy river and I don’t know where I’m going to end up next, whether I’m going to go up or down, or whether the water is going to be calm or rough. Sorry for the long comment, the subject has weighed heavily on me for months I don’t know what to do about it, writing about it lifts the weight a little.

Hi Pippa, Been researching power-chairs for a while and although expensive C2 comes top of our list. Have demo tomorrow, update you later. Chris & Chris

👌👌👌

Well stated

Following on from this idea. Our backpacks are smaller and the weight we can tolerate so much lighter so adding ANYTHING is a risk. Still learning that 5 years on, especially when it comes to others emotional "baggage" and desire to help 😬

I absolutely loved this video, thanks for sharing more of your blog in this format and thinking of accessibility as always. Fabulous metaphor, fabulous post!

Thanks so much this format is so helpful to listen to and such good content!

Do we live a values-based life or goal-based life? When tragedy or disappointment strikes a person who focuses on living out their values vs goals will find greater resilience and life satisfaction! This is because your values can remain more or less the same even if your circumstances change and may make a specific goal impossible. 👌 🙏🏻 ❤ Values examples: Friendship, Honesty, Self-growth. Goals examples: getting a degree, a promotion or a car.

I think the free wheel requires self propelling as well, because you can't steer it other than via hand rail. But that might depend on the product.

I use mobility aid and now I am wondering what life will be like as I age

I've had CRPS for 45 years. I hated being defined by my disability so when I moved and had a clean start, I started not leaving the house if I needed my crutches. Yeah, not good for my mental health. Eventually I decided you know what, I need to leave the house and I got back on my crutches. A woman at church laughed and said did somebody kick you? She asked me that every week. Eventually, when there were prople around I asked her "as a spiritual person, what do you think I could have done wrong that would make people kick me every week?" eventually when you say sprained ankle a year later people start wondering. I usually end up at "it's a long story..." now that I'm trying to use a wheelchair, I've just stopped going to church. I'm feeling embarrassed which is sad at 69.

I've never thought of naming mobility aids! I MUST NAME.

Thank you Pippa for the video. My wife and I will be visiting Sangrada Familia next month. We have already purchased the handicap tickets online already. We will be taking her portable mobility scooter to help although she can walk for short distances. We have a couple of questions for you: Where is the handicapped entrance? We have heard it is the rear entrance. We saw that you were very prepared to prove your disability but did they actually ask for proof? We were simply going to make a copy of our handicap parking placard and hope for the best. What is your recommendation? Again, thank you for taking the time to make this video.

Thank you so much for such an informative video Pippa 😊x

This popped up in my YT suggestions & I'm so glad I watched it. You have a beautiful spirit. I didn't know that the sunflower was a symbol for hidden disabilities! ❤ In fact when I created this account, I didn't know yet that I had a hidden disability. I was unwell already, but I hadn't received my ME diagnosis yet. I'm happy to see you are still posting content & I hope you see this comment & are encouraged.

Great video. FYI, the joystick can rotate so it fits into your palm or under your fingers better

It goes to show how different we all are, as I ruled out the Whill C2 as I found the chair very uncomfortable and I found it slid down cambers on pavements and slid me into the road 😢 so in the end I went for an RGK lightweight active manual chair and a Triride special compact HT all road. It's so so stable being effectively on 3 wheels with the triride attached, I don't slide down pavement cambers, and it's so much fun to drive around!

I am SOOOOOOOO thrilled for you Pippa! And after the video I instantly took a peek at the will C2. Oh my word, it seems so handy! It also ticks a lot of boxes for me as well. And it looks awesome! 😎 I'm also pondering about the rolls motion 2.0 electric 3-in-one.(Rollator and electric or transit) Anybody lived experience with that one?

I have massive envy of the whill. It's a favourite chair of mine and if I were more willing to compromise on seating setup and losing a manual chair, I'd get one myself. I just think they're so stylish. I've been a manual chair user for quite a few years now and I'm more able to access things with the help of my partner with a manual chair than a power chair (think trains w/o ramps, doorways with tall thresholds, kerbs) so I haven't been willing to compromise on that but I'm finding myself needing a "better" power assist that's joystick controlled so I've been really wanting to try an e-fix (alber) and/or the Benoit light drive. It's so difficult to find info about it so I'm a bit gutted that they didn't have one for you to try. I'll be booking a demo day sooner than later but the more crowdsourced knowledge the better imo.

Thank you Pippa! As always your transparency and clear communication is outstanding. So, so helpful 🩵

Some years ago, when I found myself moving around my home by holding onto the walls and furniture, I realized that it was time for a mobility aid. I did my homework and got a pair of offset handled small base quad canes. They were a big help, but my 2 bad knees continued to get worse. Several years ago, I did my homework again and got a Nova Mini Mack rolling walker. That has been a great help to me. When shopping in a large store, I do need to use one of their mobility scooters to get around. When in medical places, if they need me to quickly get to another part of the building, they give me a ride in one of their wheelchairs, as I can't move fast with my rolling walker. I could have gotten a mobility scooter instead of a rollator, but I think that using the rollator will help prolong my walking life. It might even improve my condition a little. Also, my personal sports used to be walking, hiking, and biking. Using my rolling walker gives me a faint echo of the fun I used to have.😊 anyway, technically, I'm not a wheelchair user, but there are occasions when I need to use one or use a mobility scooter. Disabled people are like everyone else. Sometimes, we have bad days, too. When that happens, we may need to upgrade our mobility aids for a while. I can still get around with my 2 canes, but get around better with my Nova Mini Mack and with less pain, too. I had to use a non rolling walker during a recent hospital stay. It's the old 2 wheeled style. It was horrible and made more so because even on its lowest setting, it was too tall for me. I was eventually transferred to one of the nursing homes connected to the hospital, where I am continuing to receive treatment. Not long after I got here, I had a relative bring me my own rolling walker, so now I'm getting around better. There is an old saying: Never judge a book by its cover. That applies to disabilities too. There is no one set way for everyone with a particular disability to be. Variation is actually the norm, not the exception. And remember, not all disabilities are readily visible. Don't be quick to condemn someone who appears okay but has a handicapped license plate or placard. The DMV requires that you bring them a form filled out by your doctor before they give you either one. While it's true that some healthy people use the placards belonging to relatives, they can't use it forever, as the placards have to be periodically renewed. Guess that's all.😊

I’m thinking about buying the C2, I can’t wait to watch your « review » 😊

It's not fair that you don't qualify for Motability despite needing a wheelchair to go out Fortunately (?) i got it even prior to using a wheelchair, and have been able to use the money to buy a Whill C. I didn't do it through Motability though as decided to keep it in case i need a car with a hoist. You know the chair comes apart right, so you could get a lift and just remove the seat, push wheels into boot then put seat in if your carer can't lift the 4 sections. Atm my mum and my PA can both lift it ok. I did look at lifts, ramps and hoists though.

You're such a beautiful person inside and out Pippa, I'm so happy for you.