I really don’t want this to sound condescending or patronising, but I really must record how thrilled I am with something Lyn did yesterday. Last night, for the first time, she went to the shop on her own. It was simply a case of finding ourselves short of milk. Ordinarily I would have gone, or we would have sent our PA, but Lyn, still in her powerchair after a nice walk to woolwich with me, said she wanted to go. I was a bit apprehensive at first: L is still getting used to her powerchair, and while it is now quite a mundane task for me, she had never done something like this without a PA with her. Off she went, though, having typed what she wanted into her Ipad and leaving me and dom at home.

The experiment went without a hitch. About half an hour later, Lyn returned with the shopping and smiling broadly. She was obviously very pleased with herself, having just discovered that she could do something she never knew she could. She later proudly recorded on facebook that she ”Bought milk and washing up liquid from the co op on her own”. I love to see her like this; since getting her new powerchair, Lyn’s independence has come on in great leaps. It reminds me of when I got my first powerchair, and the inordinate amount of pleasure I got from cruising down to Congleton town centre or up to Swettenham on my own; or that first night, back a university, when I found I could take myself to the bar.

As monumental as last night’s trip was, though, I have no doubt that this is just the tip of the iceberg. Now Lyn knows she is capable of such things, and that she does not always need a PA with her, her confidence will grow and grow and pretty soon it will be hard to keep track of her. I could tell by the smile on her face when she got back last night how much this newfound ability means. She is finding out what she’s capable of. Getting to watch such a beautiful thing is truly special.