Terry’s story
“I’ve been a freemason for many years but I had to retire some years ago because of my mobility. Following a knee operation, I developed sepsis and I ended up having four emergency operations. The sepsis damaged my heart and I nearly died twice.
I’ve been left with very limited movement in my right knee and I’m in a lot of pain. I can’t walk 100 metres without two walking sticks and I also can’t use a manual wheelchair as my heart can’t take the strain. I’m missing out on things like taking my dog for a walk, seeing friends or getting a paper from the shop. I used to take these things for granted, but now I can’t do them I miss them so much. It is little things like being able to sit down and stand back up again – getting up and out of a chair becomes a scary thing when I’m worried I’ll fall and not be able to get up.
The MCF has provided me with a rise and recline chair and I’ve been assessed for a motorised wheelchair – two things I wouldn’t have been able to afford myself. Having both these mobility aids is going to take a lot of fear out of the things that I do, and being able to get out and about will be brilliant. I don’t have much quality of life but the chair and wheelchair will bring it back and I’ll be able to do things in comfort instead of fear.”
