My house next door
Over the last few months, my parents have initiated an idea that they had in September. They wanted to convert the largest spare room into a bedsit for me, with its own kitchen section, equipped with everything I’d need to be as independent as I could be, but still close enough to get help from them when I needed it. At first I wasn’t sure about the idea, as I had always planned to move right out into a flat. However, my mobility skills are not that great because I don’t feel confident going out on my own. I would not be able to go on busses, so if I moved into one of the local towns or villages, I would have had to rely on taxis or family members if I wanted to get to church, or to see my family. I want to be able to pop in and out of my parents’ house just like all my brothers and sisters do, so I thought about the idea, prayed about it, and it went ahead.
Magnetic hob
In October I moved in. My dad had done most of the work, with help from my Sister’s boyfriend to build the kitchen unit. Over the next few weeks I had a great time picking out pans, utensils, plates, etc with my mum and sisters. I had a small induction hob for Christmas the previous year, so I bought the pans to go with it. The hob is magnetic, so it will only heat up where the pan is touching. This means that it doesn’t matter where I put the pan on the hob, it will heat up the pan without me running the risk of burning the handle, and also that I can touch the surface of the hob without burning myself.
Talking microwave
My talking microwave, which is a combination oven and grill, is made by Cobolt, and speaks each function (”door open” “high power microwave 2 minutes” etc). With dad’s help, I also found a portable oven in Argos, with 3 dials for temperature, function (roast, bake, etc) and 60 minute timer. I labelled the dials with simple things like ‘R’ for roast, ‘B’ for bake etc. The oven will only operate when the timer is going, so if I absent-mindedly leave the oven on, it will only be on for the maximum of 60 minutes, then switch off.
Shock of internet shopping
I have a small fridge and freezer, which are just big enough for me to do a weeks shopping at a time. I tried the internet shopping on Asda the other day, and I was so shocked to realise that it is not as simple as I thought! There are 3 or 4 types of sugar, a wide range of bread, meat, milk . . . it was a real eye opener for me. The thing is, because I don’t look at the shelves of things in shops, I didn’t realise what a mine field it really is!
Different-coloured onions
Even buying something as simple as onions becomes difficult when you don’t know if you have red or brown ones, and you never knew there were 2 different colours in the first place! So I still go shopping with my mum when she does her weekly shop, and now we discuss in depth what different varieties you can get of each thing. The people in Asda probably think we’re mad! Little do they know it’s building my independence.
Talking scales
My talking scales and measuring jug (again from Cobolt systems) are indispensible to me too. They allow me to weigh ingredients for cakes or measure liquids for sauces accurately. For Christmas I was given bits for my pad (my bedsit). Among these was a blender, and a device called an Auto stirrer which I can leave in the saucepan to stir the dinner while I make a cup of tea!
Folding chopping board
I also got a chopping board that folds up so that the things I’ve sliced can be carried easily to where I want and chucked in without spilling any of it!
Braille washing machine
My washing machine was possibly the hardest item to pick. I wanted a washer dryer because I didn’t want to take my things down to dry in mum’s dryer or have a clothes airer taking up valuable space. It was difficult to find one without a digital display, but I did manage to find some. In the end though, my decision was made because of the fact that Hotpoint provide braille control panels for machines that have dials, and when I rang them to check they were able to confirm that a panel for my machine could be made. The machine was instantly purchased, and 4 weeks after it was installed, the tailor-made panel had arrived with an engineer to fit it. It’s fantastic! Hotpoint even provide a braille key so that the abbreviations they have used can be explained. I couldn’t thank them enough-what a wonderful service!
Independence means I’m responsible for my own washing up!
I have my computer in here as well, and everything else I could possibly fit in. I am really enjoying the freedom and independence this little flat gives me, and really thank my parents and God for making it possible! It has enabled me to achieve a level of independence which might not have been possible before. The only thing is, being independent seems to mean I’m responsible for the washing up! As I write this, it is sitting on the side waiting for me!
