REHASENSE HELP VICKY REGAIN HER INDEPENDENCE
Vicky was born with a congenital
heart condition that was not picked up until she was 30 when it was discovered
that she required surgery to replace a heart valve due to an aortic
coarctation. This all went to plan, and
Vicky was soon back to full health but then in 2022 she contracted endocarditis
which is an infection in the heart but as she had undergone previous surgery
this was more serious. However, surgery
was the only way to remove 100% of the infection. Replacing the valve again came with very high
risks and during the surgery Vicky had some bleeds which resulted in the blood
supply to her spinal cord being lost.
Vicky has now been a full-time
wheelchair user for a year and has adapted to it with an amazingly positive
attitude. "Weirdly, I adjusted a lot better than I thought I
would. I have been quite lucky (if you can call it that) that I don’t have many
of the other complications that often come with a spinal cord injury such as
bowel/ bladder problems and pain. So, for me it was really just a case of
working out new ways of getting around which can be challenging, and why I
need all the help I can get to continue living my life to the full"
explained Vicky.
When Vicky was discharged, she was
using a heavy wheelchair which was not ideal, so she spoke to Kingswinford
based Taylor Made Wheelchairs. “Over the
last year, Emma, and the team at Taylor Made Wheelchairs have been fantastic
and have provided me with various pieces of equipment. When I explained that I was looking for a
powered add on as I hated being pushed, they showed me several options including
the PAWS”.
Vicky has always been an outdoor
person and horses have played a huge part in her life as she ran a small stable
and would ride her horse Finn whenever she could. “The dream is to one day ride Finn again but
in the meantime, I would like to watch him take part in some events and to do
that I needed something that would give my wheelchair some power. I also wanted to start walking my dogs again
and go for walks with family and friends” continued Vicky.
After testing several models, Vicky
placed an order for a PAWS City as she felt it offered the best value for money
and she was particularly impressed with the braking system and cruise control. Vicky has now had her PAWS City for six
months and loves it.
The PAWS is just amazing. I live on quite a steep hill but now I can
literally whizz up there and thanks to the cruise control I can also go down it
at a walking pace which I know other people walking with me also appreciate. Personally, I think the cruise control is so
clever as I don’t have to keep breaking or accelerating when walking with people
which makes it much smoother especially when going downhill. I recently went to
Chatsworth House with friends, and we could walk around the gardens together, which
included some inclines whilst chatting and it made for a very enjoyable day –
this would not have been possible before.
I would not hesitate in recommending PAWS to any wheelchair user who
wants to be able to get around without being pushed, not only is it very well built
but it is also great value for money. I
would also like to say a huge thank you to everyone at Taylor Made Wheelchairs
for all their help and support since I came out of hospital” concluded Vicky.
The
City is the entry level model in the Assisted Wheelchair Systems (PAWS) range
from Rehasense UK. Available with a 12”
or 14” wheel, the City has been designed mainly for use around town with the
12” wheel ideal for smooth tarmac roads while the larger 14” wheel can handle
slightly more uneven surfaces. The City
can also be used indoors thanks to its turning circle of just one metre. Standard features on every model include:
forward/reverse mode, traction control for when setting off on a slippery surface
or slope, cruise control to remove the need to permanently hold the throttle
and Walk Mode. PAWS requires no frame alteration or additional add-ons to the
wheelchair.
“It
is our aim and that of our dealers to help Rehasense users live as independently
as possible and hearing what a difference the PAWS City has made to Vicky’s day
to day life and the support she has received from Taylor Made Wheelchairs is
fantastic. When we launched the PAWS range,
we knew there was a need for such a product range but the feedback we have received
from both dealers and end users has certainly exceeded all our expectations”
commented Jordan Day, Rehasense’s National Sales Manager.
For
more information on the full range of mobility solutions available from
Rehasense call 0333 220 0704 email ukadmin@rehasense.com
or visit www.rehasense.co.uk