sw/editorialpolicy

Used to a 'normal' life, EaZyD and I were thrust, screaming in protest, into accompanying/living with a wheelchair lifestyle. We have done this for almost a decade and we expect it to continue into the future. Traumatised by constant ill health and consequent life changes, we have, additionally, been surprised/shocked/appalled at how incredibly hard it is to live a life of the style and quality that we were used to.

At almost every point of contact we have made, living life with a disability seems negative, depressing, ugly, expensive...pick your own adjective! At every turn, we meet attitudes of surprise that we should expect choice, good design, competitive pricing, access and service with a smile.

Without diminishing the travails of chronic illness, it surely does not, necessarily, lead to a complete loss of aesthetic sense or the living of a sad solitary life in the murky shadows of society, depending on the charity of others - not in the 21st century.

Most of us are still out there, being consumers, paying with our own money, just trying to live life like everyone else and expecting the same levels of service, choice and respect. What do we do when we don't get it?

A suggestion: have a good laugh, find out if others have suffered the same problem, seek an answer and persevere! That's what Stiletto Wheels exists for and distributes sporadic emails on.

The Stiletto Wheels website is based on my (eLle's) actual experiences of being a wheelchair user, with family and friends, living daily life. Please comment if you wish to and all submissions are taken and printed in good faith; we do not accept abusive editorial. All personal opinions given are provided freely. No-one is paid for good editorial and we accept no money from/for your recommendations and views.

If we promote a product or service, it will be clearly delineated, easy to identify both on the site and on any dedicated 'fabulous product' emails we may send you. We will never sell on our subscriber list. And, you may unsubscribe anytime you wish to.

WELCOME - we hope you will accept and anticipate us with delight and need and we look forward to your participation and response.