I have one leg – I’ve been forced to crawl upstairs for four years despite council promising me an accessible home
A DISABLED mum with one leg has told how she has been forced to crawl up a flight of concrete stairs to get to her flat for years despite the local council promising to get her an accessible home.
Tracey Whiteside, 48, has had to crawl up and down 17 stairs every day to her second-floor flat in Linwood, Renfrewshire, for almost four years.
The mum-of-one told how the concrete steps, which people have urinated on, are often covered in used needles from drug users.
And she has hit out at the local authority after they told her that she is a priority for a new accessible home despite 100 ex-council homes lying empty just over a mile away.
Renfrewshire Council is set to bulldoze over the empty properties in nearby Ferguslie, which has left Tracey furious.
Tracey, who only leaves her home to visit her GP or her local support group for amputees, has slammed the decision to get rid of the homes when people in desperate need could have them instead.
And she told the Daily Record that her painful crawls up and down stairs has had a huge impact on her mental health.
Tracey lost her leg in August 2020 after suffering from a congenital disorder and neurofibromatosis for 40 years.
Sometimes I’ve crawled through urine and not realised it, I’ve often burst into tears when I’ve been dragging myself up them in crippling pain
Tracey Whiteside
As a result of her condition, Tracey also has non-cancerous tumours in her spine which causes severe pain.
Speaking to the Daily Record, she said: “Why can’t one of those homes be adapted to suit people like me? People like me are left prisoners in our own homes.
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"There’s days when I just feel like giving up and I feel as if its all my fault or that I’m just putting extra stress on my family.
“It’s badly affecting my mental health and I’ve got absolutely no dignity. The stairs are so filthy and I’m surprised I’ve not caught any infections going up them.
“Sometimes I’ve crawled through urine and not realised it, I’ve often burst into tears when I’ve been dragging myself up them in crippling pain.
“It’s even worse if somebody else is there and your on your hands and knees like an animal.”
Tracey said the whole experience is "soul-destroying" for her and has been left worrying that her horrendous climb could further damage her body.
Doctors have said that the extra strain on her remaining leg could cause her to lose it.
I feel like these stairs will be death of me
Tracey Whiteside
And she has fractured her collarbone, dislocated her shoulder and damaged the joints in her leg by doing so.
She added: "I feel like these stairs will be death of me.”
Tracey has pleaded with the local council to relocate her to an accessible home, but she has remained number 66 on the list since November 2019.
A spokesperson for Renfrewshire Council said: “The health and wellbeing of our tenants is our top priority.
“Our Local Housing Office is working to source suitable accommodation for the Whiteside family to meet their needs and has arranged a home visit to discuss this with them.
“We are aware of the pressure this is placing on the family and will continue to do everything we can to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.
“We have also provided the family with advice on other housing providers in Renfrewshire who may be able to help them in their search for suitable accommodation.
“Our Housing Services teams carry out regular reviews of council housing stock, waiting list demand and investment programmes to ensure our service meets the needs of tenants and housing applicants as much as possible.
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“Our approved new-build programme and property acquisition scheme also aims to provide homes that meet the current and future needs of our tenants and waiting list applicants.
“We are building new council houses to meet the demand for affordable housing and continue to invest in our council housing, spending £41 million this financial year which benefitted 1,200 current homes.”
