I
think the OT was more excited than we were when she saw the prospective new
flat. “Grab it” were pretty much her
words, as she said it was extremely rare to find a one-bedroom property with so
much space – wide corridors and doorways, good access throughout, lots of room
for movement and manoeuvre.
Not
to mention the fact that ground floor flats are like gold dust anyway, and she
agreed that the fact that it’s so close to us is an utter godsend.
What
about the bathroom? Oh, no problem, she said, it might not happen overnight of
course but again it’s spacious and can be easily adapted for a walk-in shower.
Her
one caveat was the small exterior step into the building, which she had to make
sure we knew about. It’s a possible trip hazard and it will be hard for a
wheelchair user to move out through the door unaided. But he won’t be, I
explain.
Apart from an impromptu excursion to Tesco in a taxi to buy wine the
other week (when I was a bit late replying to his text and he panicked that he
was going to run out) Nick rarely leaves the house on his own any more. He
certainly can’t operate his own wheelchair, which by the way is like a First
World War tank with bits beginning to fall off it.
We
will need to look at installing a portable ramp for future journeys in and out.
I’m not too worried about that. Someone I know has exactly that so their wheelchair
can be pushed easily through the doorway and I’ve seen how simple it is to use,
so we can do that.
But
it’s a definite thumbs up. She will get back to the lettings department and
they’ll be in touch to make Nick a (second) formal offer and then it’s all
systems go. We can get the keys as soon as he’s signed the papers. He’s got a
new address lined up and can be in there by Christmas. I am almost beside
myself with relief.
