Mr Pottinger: The period between being very active and not being active was quite short actually.
Mrs Pottinger: We were more concerned that we [might] have to turn a room downstairs into a bedroom. Because no longer could we go upstairs.
Mr Pottinger: It’s something that you always put at the back of your mind because you’re not prepared to accept the fact that you’re never going to walk up the stairs again. I used to go up these stairs in 10 seconds flat at one time.
Mrs Pottinger: Very difficult. With his breathing, with his lungs being full of fluid and his heart condition. So I used to walk up the stairs behind him in case he fell down.
Mr Pottinger: The timing was perfect for me because I was running out of steam.
Mrs Pottinger: We had a discussion about it, and we decided to go for a Stannah chair lift. The representative came along, and he bought a sample of the chair. He fitted it for Derek to sit on and decided then that this would be no good for him.
Mr Pottinger: The representative said “we’ve got a new model coming out.” He went on to describe it in terms of semi-sitting onto the whole thing, where the seat is collapsible.
Mrs Pottinger: He then produced the Sadler and that we found with the perching position was very good for Derek – very comfortable and safe. So that’s how we decided on the Sadler.
Mr Pottinger: Comfort? It’s perfect. I couldn’t improve it in any way.
Mrs Pottinger: It certainly has changed Derek. Because he can go up and down at his own leisure. And certainly for me, because I don’t have to worry about him. I know he’s safe on it. We’re very pleased with it. We’re living again!
Mr & Mrs Pottinger purchased a Sadler Stairlift