My name is Alex and I am a 33-year-old quadriplegic powerchair user. I live in Lincolnshire, England.
I have been disabled since 1995 when I sustained a head injury in a car crash. Due to the resulting brain damage, I now have limited movement in my arms and legs and need to use a powerchair to get around.
Although I suffered a serious injury in the crash I was lucky that it wasn’t any worse. I could easily have ended up paralysed or with learning difficulties. But thankfully my disability is mostly physical, not mental.
In 2012 I graduated from the University of Leicester with a BSc in Interdisciplinary Science. Then because I enjoyed uni so much I stayed on to do a Masters in Global Environmental Change. It was a good excuse to get a couple more years of partying!
My blog
This blog was born out of the vacuum left by formal education once I left university in 2015. Like most things, it started slowly but each year the number of views it gets its increasing, so hopefully, that means my writing is getting better.
Through this blog I aim to share my journey as a disabled person and hopefully connect with other disabled people along the way. If you are a disabled person reading this then I hope that you will find some value in my writing. I aim to inform, entertain, and maybe even inspire people with my posts.
If you are interested in reading some of my stuff I recommend the below articles:
A review of the GlassOuse V 1.2 Assistive Device
The Three Types of Handshakers
Devotees: Exploring the disability fetish
5 Problems with Disabled Toilets
Artificial Intelligence: How Robots Could Help The Disabled
Lagos, Portugal: a Beautifully Accessible Holiday Destination
Don’t be a stranger
I’d love to hear from you so feel free to send me a message on my contact page. Or comment on one of my blog posts. If there is anything you would like me to write about then just give me a shout.
Connect with me on social media to stay up-to-date with my latest posts:
Hi Alex, I have watched you grow up through your Aunt Theresa, She is one of my best friends.I have a son Craig whom I adopted with similar disabilities so we are always advocating equality and awareness. Just found your blog and I know Craig will be ‘stoked’ to follow you. We went to Paris last year, all I can say is the Metro is an undeniable adventure when the lifts are out of action ! Keep blogging matey.
Hi Diane, Nice to meet you. Thanks very much for looking at my blog! I hope Craig finds some of my ramblings interesting. Yes the Metro is definitely an experience! Not one that I would like to repeat though ha ha
Bravo Alex! I am happy to read that you are looking at both sides of the coin. I live in the US, but have traveled throughout the UK and Europe extensively. I love the old buildings, but realize they are literally archaic in structure, with little chance for changing to accommodate the needs of the disability challenged. Thankfully, new buildings have also sprung up, and even better you seem to know this. It is my hope that you will keep on making a difference just by being out and about. The more people who show up for change will be counted in as change slowly but pray, slowly begins to happen!
Hi Alex. I just found your blog. Wow! I live in Lincolnshire too. I am in a power chaur also, but blind as well. This happened as a fesult of cancer and chemo, and it is permanant and also progressive, though I am in remission from the cancer. I have many other issues too, but try to live as normally as possuble. Wow – I too have seen the Red Arrows. We go to Coates by Stow often, and often they are practising overhead. My main problem is actually my blindness, without that I would do much betrer! Goid to find your blog
Thank you for finding me so that I can find you. I look forward to being part of your journey.
No problem, I look forward to connecting!