The unexpected Birthday Bash Literally

 On September the 28th 2020 during an early dark evening I met up with my mum and dad to celebrate my birthday as I had not seen my dad in over a year. I use a mobility scooter to get around due to Lower spinal damage and impairment's in my legs. My dads' current level of copd and his health has declined so much that he must use a powered wheelchair to get around. He risks his dignity and health to make the trip to Skegness to see me on this day with all his effort. Even as we sit around a table at the Trawlers catch, he sat there with his chips just to feel part of the table. Even though he could manage only 2 or three chips he was showing that he really wanted to join in but couldn't and he just sat there in a daze. And since I last saw him last year, I can see that things are degrading in him so much. He also has a pacemaker to monitor his heart. So, this day was a very important day for me mainly because I got to see him. After our meal, we headed to the Artisan Skegness café. They were closing early in about 20 minutes time but my dad said that’s still enough time. So, we taken a seat before having a nice hot drink. And it was getting on to just pass 7 before we had finished our drinks to leave. I saw them safely to Rutland road to Sherwood B&B on Rutland Road but my dad needed emergency toilet so as he had to scale some step to get relief and limited with mobility access. I talked with my mum outside, she wanted to make sure that I let her know when I get back safe because it got so dark early. I explained my route to my home near Aldi supermarket off burgh road. I am a caring person when around public and always offer them the right of way and always pride myself to reduce my speeds because do care. So, let's get back to my journey home I had just crossed road by a B&B on corner before making a safe decision to use pavement due the darkness on roads and my past accidents dealing with holes. I drove in centre of pavement to avoid small creatures and people, but little did I know, A force suddenly caused a shunt force through front bumper strait up my back and bent back my wheels into the bodywork. And yet I was confused as I saw nothing at all dead in front of me, I had my headlights on but the glare from my dash board was too bright like having a torch light in face and when wearing glasses, now that makes it worst. I climbed off my scooter whilst holding tight with scooter steering to try feel for whatever stopped me. And then I felt a solid bollard and still could not see it at all. I got on my seat confused by asking myself why a bollard there, Then I looked to my right to try and workout why it was so dark there. The streetlight wasn’t even on, and I noticed it was still early in the evening. As I tried to reverse up, I noticed my front wheels bent into my bodywork, As I felt the body work near wheel, a piece broken off from body, and this was the only way wheels could go around. There was a person looking down from a window at me in distress but he had zero interest of being of help and just watched quietly and that made me at un ease, So made an effort to get back to my flat, even though scooter was going to the left and had limited turning. I don’t normally have pains in my back when sitting up, but I did during my difficult drive to my home. I had a very difficult time trying to get it in my flat with limited turning. I had a hard time to relax because I think my body is in shock or something 

Now people are asking me, am I insured? 

Now here I am going to explain my awkward situation regarding that.

 At the end of 2019 my sister referred me to a company who can let me set up an arrangement that would allow me to get out more. After lots of Taxi costs and a recent accident that could have left me with a second ankle injury because of very bumpy dark pavement from going by the bungalows before the car-park to the shopping complex of Aldi M&S etc. I needed mobility to help, as walking also caused immense back pains just after a few steps. 

Here is how I got my scooter:

Someone visited to explain everything and my choices and options. And set a date for bringing over scooters to see what I should have. There was a model that was perfectly for me and my larger body and documents were wrote up for me but the scooter in question turned out to be slightly too wide because of a storage heater that is never used. It would take me some time before I get permission to move it. So, he left travelled back to where ever he came from. So, they ended up sending someone else with the agreed scooter the kymco agility.

 Then I asked them to update the changes on the agreement pack and welcome documents.

 But it seemed in the end that I was still paying the same money as the better more expensive model. 

But they said that’s normal and taken advantage of my situation. 

I am not very good with forms at all so it takes me a while to really understand what is going on sometimes. But they speedily set the process up and confused me with payment dates and told me I get the first 3 months of platinum cover with my scooter. So just before the 3-month cover was nearing I had calls from the company's insurance, I had told him that I have already called the mobility company and talked to someone who promised me a call back. I emailed and Left messages and even when the insurance called me back. I told him I am running out of time but still I tried to get In-touch with anyone at office. They closed down the office and the staff are all self-isolating so there was no one to help me continue my Platinum cover. It seemed there was no service at all even if I was still valid. So, I had to accept that I can only rely on myself now. I was left to try and survive all by myself, I have puncher emergencies had hard time getting replacement inner-tubes because shops were all closed. Lucky for me, A local mobility company PEOPLE FIRST Mobility brought an inner tube to my home, and allowed me to pay for it when shops open again. Not long after another puncture and another inner-tube it was costing me a arm and a leg and being forced to stay in. So, it taken me a while but I finally got solid in filled tyres at the back 2 wheels. Not only have I been paying more for a less quality scooter than originally planned. The scooter they have given me has a serious safety issue as I mentioned above. How this has passed safety I have no idea. If only they let me continue the cover, I would have been covered. So, feel I may have a claim against them, I don’t want to do this, but now I am stranded and stuck paying loads of money every month for no access. Just turning key brings up flashing spanner, Meaning the scooter knows it is very damaged.

it is very obvious at the wheels that its really bad, 

It's just ashame the bumper has no shock absorbing ability to the shockwave. 

 If anyone can assist me here, I will be very grateful

Embarrassing dispute at Mc Donald's drive through in Skegness

As a local disabled person, I feel that as I am a blogger and video creator I should make videos and write reviews on accessibility in Skegness, so it can save embarrassments to you and keep your dignity intact. 

I risk my own dignity so you don't have too.

After McDonald's reopens to public, drive thru only.

I researched the rules regarding mobility scooters, And I discovered that their policy is that only Road Worthy mobility scooters were accepted,  but normal 4mph mobility scooters with no mirrors or indicators not allowed.

So I gave McDonald's chance to get settled in until yesterday when I had been  to fly my drone on beach, (Safely)

(I am licensed and insured and have my own valid operators number)

So you know I do obey these rules mainly mine and your peace of mind.

So here I go I see it wasn't too busy and thought I would check to see if they would serve me and that they know the rules just like me. 

When I went to the intercom, someone said the manager is on his way to speak with you.

I then said, ok cheers, I  was expecting him to see my mobility scooter and say yes it's fine, but instead,  I got harassment and was treated as if I was out to make trouble.

I explained that he should put a sign up saying or showing no mobility scooters allowed 

After about 10 minutes of me making so much effort to keep my emotions at bay.

The situation started making me embarrassed and ashamed that people are seeing me when my emotions are about to cause me to lose the ability to speak, (I get locked inside myself when this happens and have no ability to even form words)  then even though the manager said he has decided to not associate with the rest of McDonald's and his decision is at his discretion.  I then said you should put signs clearly stating this. I told him that I am a local Blogger and my experiences get known by a lot of people, he decided to look online, regarding the policy on mobility scooter types, and then after a few moments he said I may make an order and go around. 

I was now minutes away from an emotional eruption, now thinking about the coffee I needed more than ever.

I ordered my coffee at the payment counter,  and lifted my phone to make an apple payment, it scanned finger print on my phone and it bleeped and accepted.

It showed payment accepted. 

So then I proceeded to the next window to simply collect my well over due fresh ground coffee.

Then someone said my payment didn't go through and that I must drive around and re join the line, and re order and pay again.

Obviously the window attendant was graceful and understanding but she wanted to resolve this some easier way. She tried to convince me that I should re order  only because she was told to say that.

I couldn't look them in the eyes because my embarrassment of my emotions beginning to lock me inside my self, I couldn't even reply ok, so I  left them thinking I was going to do what they asked, but before I reached the exit of their road system I  didn't know how I will be able to speak my order at this point. So I had to turn away and found somewhere to pull up and try collect my thoughts.

I then thought to myself,  I only wanted a coffee it's so simple,.

I headed back to near where I live near Aldi and M&S,  so I could use their wifi hotspot.

I looked on both my wallet for my apple pay and my bank account online, they showed they did take the payment after all.

I couldn't believe it, well I could because I didn't actually get the coffee that I paid for.

I don't  want to write bad reviews about things locally,  I always give them chance to prove themselves if I am to write a too honest review.  I offer customer feedback to help improve,  then give them 2 weeks before I review again. So I am fare.

But when the second issue arises, and I paid for a coffee that I never got.

I am sorry but, I feel too embarrassed and ashamed that people saw me like this.

If only that coffee made itself to me, I  wouldn't have needed to blog it.

When someone asks me how was my day, I am Autistic,  and very literal minded like 95% of the time so I am can't help but say more than I should in a simple conversation. 

This is the end of my blog about what happened at McDonald's but as a bonus for reading my blog you may continue to read how I ended up disabled and why I am this way today.

How I endedup disabled, 

12 years ago, I got stuck in quicksand after going for a bike ride along the sea front.

A diversion sign points us to go on the sand because the route through golf course was forbidden.

It was hard work trying to drag my bike over heeps of sand so I decided to try the flat wet sands instead, That turned out to not be as simple as I expected,  apparently the part I stepped down to had previously had a ship there to do with the wind farms and an anchor was removed from that spot, so all lighter than sand fragments filled in the hole and to the eye looked like normal wet flat sand.

Anyway the dune heeps made it impossible for public to see me, and when I tried to shout, I noticed the sand absorbed my sounds immediately.  So I had to try keep calm, knowing thos could be my end if I don't think it through and try not to move.

I then slowly leaned in the direction of my bike and walked my fingers along the sand to only just managed to grab my bike frame. When I did, I slowly eased myself out, but on my left last foot to come out, I rushed and pulled to fast causing a loud crack sound in my ankle.

Then I walked my bike back to the path to head on back home.

A short time later I was on the way to start a brand new job in security,  But on the way to start the job, my ankle gave way and cracked inwards and then upwards, and ever since that day, and till now, my left foot wasn't resolved, I had a really complicated sprain that baffles so many doctors,  I went through pain management,  acupuncture,  tense machine, but they hardly were effective enough.  Because my other leg has had to compensate for my left foot, It too gained problems, and I also got diagnosed with degenerative lower spinal condition that was located at a too dangerous to operate location, that was just a result from a teenage accident, when I fell off a clifftop by accident. 

I have an over active mind, and I  am too creative,  flying my drone, gives me a break from my mind, and helps calm myself down mentally. I Love video editing and making nice videos and sometimes I dabble in animation and stop motion too.

I write creative Adventure stories, and fantasy poetry,  and even write songs too.

I just need someone to manage and organize me if I were to use my abilities productively. 

Thanks for reading my blog, I would be grateful for some follows.

 

Stay safe