"It's a long cane - not a magical electric wheelchair controller!"

I've had the draft of this blog post floating around in my head for a while but it's been so busy with the end of the school term and the start of the holidays that I haven't had the time (or energy) to put my thoughts down. However, yesterday's talk on BBC Radio 5 Live has spurred me on and here it is!

Yesterday I was invited to talk on the BBC Radio 5 Live's Afternoon Edition presented by Nihal Arthanayake to discuss attitudes and challenges towards parenting with a disability. (You can hear my contribution 52min 39secs into the programme: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bcghfc)

The radio happened to be on when I returned from shopping with our children and I heard some of the discussion. I thought it was wonderful to hear disability being discussed on national radio so I tweeted BBC 5 Live to say how amazing I thought it was. Straight away they messaged back asking if I'd be happy going on air to chat about my experiences as a parent with disabilities! It all happened so quickly  (within ten minutes) that I didn't have time to think about it or get nervous. I talked about the challenge of being unable to drive when you are a parent with sight loss and that this restricts what I'm able to do, especially during the school holidays. Six weeks in the summer is a long time when it's hard getting out independently. I was asked if anyone has asked any strange or unusual questions and I replied that I was once asked if my long cane controlled my electric wheelchair! I think it is often difficult for people to imagine having several disabilities and also, sight loss is often invisible and when you have lived with it for some time it is relatively easy to hide the challenges it causes.

Photo shows Melissa in
her electric wheelchair with
her long cane.

Being on BBC 5 Live was an unexpected experience but I really enjoyed giving my input and helping to raise awareness to a large audience. It still feels a bit surreal!

As someone with sight loss, I rely on my long cane when I'm out and about in my electric wheelchair. I am never without it - if I don't have it I feel lost and it feels like I'm constantly going to bump into something or drive myself down a hole. The cane tip gets a lot of wear and tear, probably because I often travel quite fast around our village over bumpy country lanes! Previously I've used the jumbo roller ball top that the RNIB sell for my Ambutech cane, priced around £6. https://shop.rnib.org.uk/mobility/canes/cane-tips-and-accessories.html
I use a jumbo roller tip because it is smoother going over uneven ground and less likely to get stuck. I do not use the 'tapping' technique because it makes my arms ache too much, my cane stays in constant contact with the ground. A year and a half ago I saw that they had introduced a new 'high mileage' roller ball tip that I thought would be perfect for my heavy usage. It is significantly more expensive costing £13.95 which is a lot of money for one cane tip. I decided to test it to see how long it lasted and whether it was worth the extra cost.

Photo shows Melissa's 'high
mileage' cane tip nearly worn out.

The old cane tip typically lasted five months and the bottom of the tip always wore out and broke quickly. With the new 'high mileage' cane tip, it lasted fifteen months and wore away far more gradually. Although the bottom of the tip did start breaking off, it gave me much more time to get a replacement whereas the old tip was a sudden decline. The cost and length of time that the cane tip lasted meant that the newer 'high mileage' tip definitely lives up to it's name and is worth the extra cost.  It would be interesting to know how long cane tips last if you use them, especially if you are not using an electric wheelchair. Please do comment or message me through social media.

Finally, if you're still wondering, there is nothing magical about my cane, it does not control my wheelchair in any way. It simply acts as a guide to help me navigate and manage the challenges of my sight loss!

Long Cane Tip Review Summary

• Old style jumbe roller ball tip - £6 approx - Last 5 months - Cheaper but breaks quickly.
• New 'high mileage' jumbo roller ball tip - £13.95 - Lasts 15 months - Initially expensive but lasts longer and more gradual decline before breaking.

Photo shows Melissa's long cane.