Today I put my skates on and took part in the new intake for my league.

This time a year ago my doctor was encouraging me to apply for a blue badge for disabled parking.

I’m proud of my achievement to even get my skates on.

I’ve been open about my disability with my league and I worry that I’ll be holding other people back. My league have been a massive support to me and I really shouldn’t have spent so much energy worrying, but I know others who haven’t been so fortunate.

At the training itself: it was frustrating. I’m a pretty smart person and it’s tough that my body doesn’t do quite what my brain tells it to and everyone else seems to pick things up so much quicker.

I’m the beginner who makes everyone else feel better – someone has to be the bottom of every class, but I’m okay with that. Disability has really driven home that I have to do things at my own pace and not compare myself to other people.

Fortunately I’m stubborn so I will get where I want to be, just maybe not in the straight line that everyone else goes.

My feelings from today are that I’m proud of myself for doing something that’s difficult, but that I really want to do… Oh and that it’ll be so much easier next time when I’m not physically shaking!

The enGINeer