Update from Desney King on her experience with the NDIS

You may remember our interview with Desney King on her experience of the NDIS: Interview with Desney King on her experience of the NDIS

Back in March Des had started receiving some services from the NDIS, and was waiting for her customised wheelchair. Here's an update:

"Well - It’s arrived! My beautiful customised wheelchair was delivered just over a week ago, and my lovely support worker, Jess, has taken me out three times now. Beyond exciting!

We’re still learning about the chair and about how best to navigate bumpy paths, hills and inadequate footpath ramps, but nothing is going to stop us.

Yesterday, we achieved my first goal: to go to the park, just a block from my home. After three years of being almost entirely housebound, being able to go out like this is life changing. And the wheelchair has been so carefully planned, designed and built for me that it supports my body in a reclined upright position and I’m able to tolerate being in for quite a length of time. 40 minutes yesterday - amazing.

Next goal is to wheelie walk further from home, around my leafy suburb. After we’ve mastered that, to put the wheelchair in Jess’s car, drive to nearby bushland, and wheelie walk in nature. The ‘impossible’ goal - to visit my daughter 20 kilometres away - suddenly seems like a dream to aim for now. Watch this space!

Other unanticipated benefits have flowed from having a hand-picked support worker who truly understands my condition and who gently and collaboratively helps me organise and do things at home that have previously been beyond me. To my surprise and delight, this means I no longer use so much energy simply dealing with daily life and staying independent. And this has allowed me to achieve another goal I thought was gone forever: to resume work on the manuscript of a novel I had written in draft form before I had my first stroke. This kind of creative fulfilment is precious.

In my case, the NDIS has lived up to the spirit of its goals and intentions: to allow me choices, empowerment and the possibility of living a rich and fulfilled life. I am so very grateful."