To be counting down the days until the Paralympics end?

[Issy]

DH has taken the 'Inspire A Generation' theme to apply to forty-something fathers in wheelchairs as opposed to lithe and resilient youngsters. We've had weeks of beating his 'PBs' in the gym and the pool which is great, but in the space of a few days he's tumbled backwards all the way down an escalator at Waterloo station - whilst on the way to watch wheelchair basketball he saw another wheelchair user successfully accomplish the feat and thought he'd give it a go - and face-planted the pavement when he hit a rough patch on an unaccustomedly long and fast wheelchair sprint home from the gym. Sigh.

With a nasty set of parallel gashes down his back and a fantastic black eye, he looks like a paralympic Jack Reacher!

[RabbitsMakeGOLDEggs]

Shouldn't laugh really, but PMSL. I'm petrified of going down hills in my wheelchair and getting any speed up, can't imagine escalators and sprinting. Men really are a bit scary sometimes with their competitiveness.

[Issy]

He's a bit battered, but he's fine and determined to give the escalator thing another go, but this time with a strong friend to help him until he gets the hang of it.

At some level, I guess the Paralympics is doing exactly what it set out to do, but possibly with less injuries!

[Issy]

Rabbits: It was flat sprinting. DH is also very careful about downhills.

[Sparklingbrook]

The wheelchair basketball looks terrifying. Your DH sounds fab Issy, backwards down an escalator? Respect.

[Ilovedaintynuts]

that's hilarious!

I think it's been fantastic for young wheelchair users. Rather than be an obstacle or a hindrance, your chair can be a chariot!

[PurpleAndPoppyWearer]

[BartletForTeamGB]

I thought you'd be hoping it would come to end soon for the same reason as me - since the Olympics started and now with the Paralympics, I really have not got much housework or anything done!

[RaisinDEtre]

oh my goodness at backwards-escalator-hurling

[CelstialNavigation]

Was he going backwards down the escalator by using his arms to brace himself and the wheelchair in place?

I used to bring DSin wheelchair on escalatorswhen in smaller chair but not since he grew and the span from back wheels to front increased!

[Dawndonna]

Oh Lordy me! Please don't give dd1 ideas! She does like a challenge!

[Issy]

CelestialNavigation: Yes, I think that's it. You can see people do it on YouTube. You wheel onto the escalator backwards, lean forwards and brace you and the chair by holding onto the escalator rails. Not sure exactly went wrong - I think it was the placement of the small front wheels. We met a couple of seriously competent wheelchair users at the Paralympics and the general consensus is that it's easy when you know how. However, there are clearly pitfall in learning.

Sparklingbrook: Yes, DH is fab and his gung-ho/KBO attitude is vital part of living a full life with Multiple Sclerosis. Although I think he could tone down the gung-ho slightly.....

[motherinferior]

The ability of the forty-something father to believe he is still a lissom yoof (and babe-magnet) never fails to amaze me

[CelstialNavigation]

Wow. Thanks for the description. Dear God though. If DS ever gets wind of that he will see absolutely no reason why we should not follow suit!