Perhaps we made a mistake in not buying a wheelchair van while we had the chance.

My cousin died last year of motor neurone disease, and after his death I was offered first option to purchase the van they had, which had a ramp and all the fittings to take a wheelchair.  I did take it on a month's trial but then decided against the purchase.  My cousins had to have their own transport, as they lived in the Queensland outback where wheelchair taxis can only be dreamed about.  Plus, they lived miles out of town.

I was in two minds about it on account of the economics.  It costs in excess of $20,000 to get such a special vehicle, and I thought that is an enormous number of taxi rides before you get anywhere near that figure. (Plus we are subsidised by the government for half the fare, up to a maximum of $30.)  But the deciding factor was not cost, but Don's welfare.  The one and only time we attempted a longish trip was a disaster.  We drove to Sydney for lunch with friends last year, and Don not only called out continually that he was terribly uncomfortable and wanted to stop, but by the time we arrived he was in a state of total collapse and was admitted to hospital, where they kept him for a week, the first three days in intensive care.  Sitting bolt upright in the wheelchair for such a long trip was something his body could not cope with.  It was not a particularly long trip, a matter of 1 1/2 hours, it's about 120 km or 70 miles.  So we thought, if we are just going to be confined to local trips we may as well stick to taxis.

But now I am not so sure.  We have a better wheelchair, one that reclines and also supports his head.  And on a good day he seems better able to cope with going out, has less fatigue.  Having our own transport would free us up to go places and do different things that we can't sensibly use taxis for, eg go for a drive for an afternoon's outing.

I did have a cursory look on ebay and on a disability site, and wheelchair vans are out there, still available.  Our Subaru Outback will need to be replaced some time - at present it is coming up 10 years old, has 280,000 km on the clock and never a thing wrong with it, how's that for a recommendation?! - but maybe we'll look at a vehicle for Don rather than a regular vehicle.

I seem to be always writing about transport; the last entry was about wheelchairs and airlines.  Because the issue of transport and mobility is absolutely paramount for anyone with a disability.