Jane Wallman-Girdlestone

I want justice not just compassion and empathy, although they would be appreciated too.
If I do get a new powered chair that is half a battle won.  The other half is to challenge NHS guidelines about who can and can’t have a powered wheelchair in the first place.
I’ve been pleased that my MP Drew Hendry and his team have taken up my case.  Their interest is in this part of the issue.  The bigger picture.  Surely an individual Health Board must be able to identify and justify special case expenditure?  Surely it must be possible for a Board to receive subsidiary information from, in my case Guide Dogs Association, and make a decision which identifies exceptional circumstances as they have in some NHS Trusts in England and Wales?
As one of the Wheelchair Services health professionals pointed out during an out patient appointment: ‘It’s inspiring’.  Yes, it might be.  For me it’s a lifeline to an independent life.  It feels not so much inspirational as my normal.  
I shouldn’t be out and about in bright light or a gloomy environment without a sighted guide.  It would be great if that could be a dog once more.  Apart from anything else, a guide dog is the most consistently discrete, inscrutable, indefatigably funny companion I’ve ever had.  My two previous dogs, Teddy and Rainbow were an extension of me in every sense.  We worked as one.   I’m asking for mine and other people’s normal to be taken seriously.