Being a wheelchair user presents many different challenges and it takes time to figure out how to complete certain tasks that I used to take for granted.
One of those challenges is hot drinks, my wife always tells me to stay where I am, because it’s easier if she makes the drinks, but firstly I think it’s unfair for her to have to do it all the time and secondly I like to do things myself when my pain levels are lower.
I’m 6′ 4″ tall and so being in a wheelchair means that tasks are very different and feel different, also you can’t get as close to the kitchen worktop but I have long arms and so I can get by. I have had mishaps, one morning I told my wife I would make her a cuppa whilst she stayed in bed, she came running when she heard my screams. The mug had slipped and boiling hot tea had spilt on my legs, I was trying to take off my pyjama bottoms but then realised my yells would most probably also bring my daughters out of their bedrooms and the last thing I wanted was to have nothing on from the waist down when they came to see what was going on!
Fortunately I have avoided doing that again, but my major barrier is taking the drinks from the kitchen to the bedroom or lounge, we have a tray but the mugs can slip and slide about, so I have to push very very slowly and barriers that we don’t think about when we walk become massive when you are in a wheelchair and with hot drinks just above your man bits, a metal carpet bar joining the laminate kitchen floor to the lounge carpet, another bar from lounge to hall and then one from hall to bedroom, these have to be taken very slowly as this small bump will send the drinks sliding and spilling, dancing over my lap if taken at anything faster than pain stakingly slow.
I have been looking for a solution to both problems, keeping the mug safe on the worktop and then secure on my lap and I think I have found the answer.
Whilst on twitter today @RUStuff http://shop.reallyusefulstuff.co/ tweeted a picture of @muggi_moments http://muggi.co.uk/ mug holder which was originally designed for yacht owners, but like all great products it serves a wide range of scenarios and is hopefully the solution to my problem, it will secure the mug on the worktop and hold them securely when I wheel into another room and in the event of a spill, it will be contained and unlike a tray where a spill makes it even more slippery, the mugs will stay put.
The Muggi would also be perfect for people who use a walking stick or one crutch, its makers say it can be held with one hand and I guess that if it is okay for use on a yacht, then it will handle the wobbles that we would cause.
I will let you know how I get on once I have one and have put it to the test!
Until next time!