I love to drive.
I really love to drive.
I mean I LOVE it! The magical forward motion and the near-anti gravity on a curve or a hill. Driving is one of my few vices.
I haven't driven since maybe early February.
I drove the other day.
Driving is hard.
I drove for maybe 20 minutes total (probably actually less than that) and my legs were unhappy with me.
I was so tired I couldn't wait to become a mere passenger again.
I've been trying to use the cane for walking as much as I can stand during the day. And then I still use it to push myself.
I've been taking small flights of steps when I feel adventurous. Up is easier than down, but both ways are tiring.
Some simple in-town driving (downtown nonetheless!) took as much out of me as a whole day of walking around with the stick.
I still love to drive, though.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Saturday, May 7, 2011
The Meijer Epic Journey
I've been to Meijer in the wheelchair a few times. When I used to go to Meijer before the chair I could buzz through the whole grocery section pretty quickly- walking. So I figured I should try it with a cart to lean on and the cane as backup the other day...
I'm not as far along in walking as I thought I was.
It took much longer than I realized and I was very tired and achy at the end. But I barely went down half the aisles! It started out pretty easy with the cart to lean on like a wheeled walker thing (I hate those). But after the Produce area and into the cold meats area I was starting to feel it. My legs and feet started to hurt. A few times I thought I wouldn't make it out alive, but I managed to survive.
A quick trip into a store is one thing-- almost an hour of grocery shopping is a whole different beast. I think I'll stick with the chair for that kind of shopping trip for a while...
I'm not as far along in walking as I thought I was.
It took much longer than I realized and I was very tired and achy at the end. But I barely went down half the aisles! It started out pretty easy with the cart to lean on like a wheeled walker thing (I hate those). But after the Produce area and into the cold meats area I was starting to feel it. My legs and feet started to hurt. A few times I thought I wouldn't make it out alive, but I managed to survive.
A quick trip into a store is one thing-- almost an hour of grocery shopping is a whole different beast. I think I'll stick with the chair for that kind of shopping trip for a while...
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Recovery Update And Scooter/Cyclists Suck
I am still slowly relearning how to walk. I've been tending to get ahead of myself and walking too fast (5 steps a minute rather than 3). Then I realize that way lies possible tripping and falling, so I slow down to a more reasonable pace.
I've climbed some short 'flights' of stairs (the most was maybe 4 steps) and went down one looong flight (that was exciting!). Down stairs is much easier than up, but I'm getting closer to bounding up and down steps again (as well as trampling flowerbeds and kicking up dirt).
I've been trying to walk more and more each day. The chair is still seeing use when I'm tired from the whole walking thing or when I want to get somewhere faster than a turtle with a limp. Being tall again is nice, though sinks and shelves that seemed impossibly high up from the chair are far too low from a standing position. Either way the world is not built for one so exceptional as I...
As I'm slowly weaning myself from the chair I've seen more and more offenses against those in wheelchairs (or who need handicapped parking and access). The most annoying and prevalent are those BLEEPs who park their scooter or motorcycle in the blue diagonal lined areas beside handicapped parking spots. Those areas are for people with wheelchairs to have space to get their wheelchairs out of their vehicles! But no- some moron doesn't want his bike to be out in a regular space where someone might scratch it so he parks in the area marked off for the handicapped. I've been tempted to push the offending 'bike' over many times but have adopted the policy of telling the establishment's person-in-charge instead. Some of the manager/dork-in-charge people have looked at me like I'm speaking in calculus or ancient Sumerian. Others are happy to call and report it to the police, but they honestly tell me that the offending bike will likely be gone by the time the cops actually show up (if they show up at all).
If you know anyone with a 'bike' of any sort be sure to remind them NOT to park in-between handicapped spaces. It's just wrong and next time I may decide to push it over 'by accident' because someone needs to be taught a lesson- I mean because I'm still not a good walker yet and in the chair I sometimes lose control of it....
I've climbed some short 'flights' of stairs (the most was maybe 4 steps) and went down one looong flight (that was exciting!). Down stairs is much easier than up, but I'm getting closer to bounding up and down steps again (as well as trampling flowerbeds and kicking up dirt).
I've been trying to walk more and more each day. The chair is still seeing use when I'm tired from the whole walking thing or when I want to get somewhere faster than a turtle with a limp. Being tall again is nice, though sinks and shelves that seemed impossibly high up from the chair are far too low from a standing position. Either way the world is not built for one so exceptional as I...
As I'm slowly weaning myself from the chair I've seen more and more offenses against those in wheelchairs (or who need handicapped parking and access). The most annoying and prevalent are those BLEEPs who park their scooter or motorcycle in the blue diagonal lined areas beside handicapped parking spots. Those areas are for people with wheelchairs to have space to get their wheelchairs out of their vehicles! But no- some moron doesn't want his bike to be out in a regular space where someone might scratch it so he parks in the area marked off for the handicapped. I've been tempted to push the offending 'bike' over many times but have adopted the policy of telling the establishment's person-in-charge instead. Some of the manager/dork-in-charge people have looked at me like I'm speaking in calculus or ancient Sumerian. Others are happy to call and report it to the police, but they honestly tell me that the offending bike will likely be gone by the time the cops actually show up (if they show up at all).
If you know anyone with a 'bike' of any sort be sure to remind them NOT to park in-between handicapped spaces. It's just wrong and next time I may decide to push it over 'by accident' because someone needs to be taught a lesson- I mean because I'm still not a good walker yet and in the chair I sometimes lose control of it....
Friday, April 22, 2011
Slowly Walking But Still Mostly in the Chair
It's been about 2 weeks since the Doctor told me to start trying to walk with a cane. I've not overdone it... much. I've been trying to walk a little bit each day, slowly progressing with each attempt. But it's slow... ssslloooowww. Actually I'm the one who's slow, the progress is actually pretty good. But if I were to race a snail it would be neck-and-neck until the snail got a burst of energy and left me in the dust...
Walking with a cane (it's not the cane's fault) is hard and tiring. I now know why it is that toddlers need to take naps. I've gotten about halfway somewhere and thought "I should go back and opt for the chair" only to realize that it'll be just as far to go back as it would be to keep going. So I've kept going.
The best thing about walking (even very slowly walking) is that I'm TALL again. I can see farther and on top of things too. I can reach stuff that I could only dream about reaching from the chair. It's good to be tall.
I have not yet tackled any flights of stairs. I am slowly (very slowly) working up to it. I've taken a couple steps up and down here and there (curbs, thresholds, etc.) but really no more than two or three up and down. That will be interesting.
It's going to take time and I'm supposed to go at my own pace, so I will. I want to be done with the chair so I can rejoin the legged society....
Walking with a cane (it's not the cane's fault) is hard and tiring. I now know why it is that toddlers need to take naps. I've gotten about halfway somewhere and thought "I should go back and opt for the chair" only to realize that it'll be just as far to go back as it would be to keep going. So I've kept going.
The best thing about walking (even very slowly walking) is that I'm TALL again. I can see farther and on top of things too. I can reach stuff that I could only dream about reaching from the chair. It's good to be tall.
I have not yet tackled any flights of stairs. I am slowly (very slowly) working up to it. I've taken a couple steps up and down here and there (curbs, thresholds, etc.) but really no more than two or three up and down. That will be interesting.
It's going to take time and I'm supposed to go at my own pace, so I will. I want to be done with the chair so I can rejoin the legged society....
Monday, April 18, 2011
People STILL Suck... Except When They Don't
We've done this before, but it was a while ago and more impolite, unaware, or just plain malicious people have been revealed to me since then. There have also been genuinely nice and helpful folks but the jerkwads are the ones you need to watch out for....
++Other Wheelchair/Handicapped Sticker People++
An incident at a well-known grocery store parking lot made me realize that other wheelchair-bound people can be BLEEPers too. We were patiently waiting to pull into a handicap parking space (all the spots were full but the two old guys who seemed to walk fine just got into their truck and were backing out). We had to wait for them to pull away before we could pull into the space. Well a latecomer with a wheelchair tag zoomed up from the other direction and pulled into the spot even though we were clearly headed to it with the blinker on and a prominent red wheelchair tag hanging from the rearview mirror. They didn't pay any attention to a shout of: "What the- ?" The old lady was later seen in a motorized store cart but she seemed to have no trouble walking into the store...
Which brings us to ANYONE in a motorized store cart. I've noticed this phenomenon even before I was in a wheelchair- those people don't' pay attention to where they're headed. They slowly crawl through the rows in the absolute center to block people from getting around them. They crash into people and carts and displays and anything else they can crash into without so much as a "Oops, sorry." I have thought about using one of these things but I don't want to run the risk of turning into a totally self-centered ahole...
++Door Opening Dude++
This guy coming out a set of big glass double doors someplace saw me roll up as he was coming out. He walked through the door and did that fake "I'm helping" push of the door so it would stay open a second as he walked away. It didn't help at all and he should not be proud of his failed attempt...
++People Who Use Someone Else's Handicapped Sticker Vehicle++
...just so they can park in a handicapped spot while they run some errands! I've seen this more times than I can count. Able-bodied young people parking in a wheelchair space and skipping into the building for a minute or two. Perhaps they're mentally disabled...
++Pregnant Lady++
I was heading out of JoAnn's (looking for some thick felt stuff like the Doctor used for my 'horseshoe') and a very pregnant lady was headed out in front of me. She stopped and held the door open for me to get out. The whole time I'm thinking "Should I tell her that I'll get the door for HER next time? Or would that sound really creepy?" So I went with a simple "thank you." She helped restore my faith in the fact that not everyone is a self-centered BLEEPer-- and she'll probably raise a good kid...
++Other Wheelchair/Handicapped Sticker People++
An incident at a well-known grocery store parking lot made me realize that other wheelchair-bound people can be BLEEPers too. We were patiently waiting to pull into a handicap parking space (all the spots were full but the two old guys who seemed to walk fine just got into their truck and were backing out). We had to wait for them to pull away before we could pull into the space. Well a latecomer with a wheelchair tag zoomed up from the other direction and pulled into the spot even though we were clearly headed to it with the blinker on and a prominent red wheelchair tag hanging from the rearview mirror. They didn't pay any attention to a shout of: "What the- ?" The old lady was later seen in a motorized store cart but she seemed to have no trouble walking into the store...
Which brings us to ANYONE in a motorized store cart. I've noticed this phenomenon even before I was in a wheelchair- those people don't' pay attention to where they're headed. They slowly crawl through the rows in the absolute center to block people from getting around them. They crash into people and carts and displays and anything else they can crash into without so much as a "Oops, sorry." I have thought about using one of these things but I don't want to run the risk of turning into a totally self-centered ahole...
++Door Opening Dude++
This guy coming out a set of big glass double doors someplace saw me roll up as he was coming out. He walked through the door and did that fake "I'm helping" push of the door so it would stay open a second as he walked away. It didn't help at all and he should not be proud of his failed attempt...
++People Who Use Someone Else's Handicapped Sticker Vehicle++
...just so they can park in a handicapped spot while they run some errands! I've seen this more times than I can count. Able-bodied young people parking in a wheelchair space and skipping into the building for a minute or two. Perhaps they're mentally disabled...
++Pregnant Lady++
I was heading out of JoAnn's (looking for some thick felt stuff like the Doctor used for my 'horseshoe') and a very pregnant lady was headed out in front of me. She stopped and held the door open for me to get out. The whole time I'm thinking "Should I tell her that I'll get the door for HER next time? Or would that sound really creepy?" So I went with a simple "thank you." She helped restore my faith in the fact that not everyone is a self-centered BLEEPer-- and she'll probably raise a good kid...
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Recovery Update - With Possibly Disturbing Pictures
If you don't want to see 'the stump' click away now!
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Yesterday I saw Dr. Sullivan for (hopefully) the last time. He was very happy with the healing progress. He didn't cut on the bottom of the right foot this time because it's basically closed up. the left big toe area is also mostly closed up- there's still a little slower closing area on the leftmost edge of the toe. He had me stand up- not as easy as it sounds after over a month in the chair. he was impressed with it and told me to try to start walking a little with a cane. So THAT will be interesting...
Dr. Sullivan then got some medical adhesive felt/foam that's about 1/4" thick and cut a little 'u' shape (poorly). He did another one about the same size for later. He glued it to the bottom of the right foot around the callous area to help keep it from reforming or at least keep it from getting as bad as it was. This looks a lot like a little horseshoe (upside down, but still) to me. It is to be left on until it falls off or until I die...
Now for some pics of the almost totally healed up stump. The toes look really red in the pics but that was because Dr. Sullivan had just been squeezing them and I had stood up a moment earlier.
You have been warned about the coming stump shots - last chance to click away...
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Yesterday I saw Dr. Sullivan for (hopefully) the last time. He was very happy with the healing progress. He didn't cut on the bottom of the right foot this time because it's basically closed up. the left big toe area is also mostly closed up- there's still a little slower closing area on the leftmost edge of the toe. He had me stand up- not as easy as it sounds after over a month in the chair. he was impressed with it and told me to try to start walking a little with a cane. So THAT will be interesting...
Dr. Sullivan then got some medical adhesive felt/foam that's about 1/4" thick and cut a little 'u' shape (poorly). He did another one about the same size for later. He glued it to the bottom of the right foot around the callous area to help keep it from reforming or at least keep it from getting as bad as it was. This looks a lot like a little horseshoe (upside down, but still) to me. It is to be left on until it falls off or until I die...
Now for some pics of the almost totally healed up stump. The toes look really red in the pics but that was because Dr. Sullivan had just been squeezing them and I had stood up a moment earlier.
You have been warned about the coming stump shots - last chance to click away...
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Monday, April 4, 2011
Kids...
One interesting thing I've noticed over the past weeks in the chair is that little kids (2-4 and even younger) seem to take to me right away. I've always been kid-friendly and most of them sense it right off except for the most shy, but this has been different. Out of nowhere, while their parents often pretend I'm invisible, these kids wave and talk to me.
The best one was this little guy with big bags under his eyes at the Ivy Tech Library. He had just been to the storytime in the kid area and his Mom carried him with her so she could look for a book. I was near the fiction shelves looking at the graphic novel section to see if there was anything new. I heard him say something like "That man's looking for books." When I turned to look he pointed towards the stairway and said, "She came down the stairs." Sure enough, there was a lady who had just come down the stairs. I agreed with him and then he asked, "Are you looking for books too?" I told him I was, and he nodded then said, "That's my Mommy, she's looking for books." Then his Mom picked him up and asked if he forgot that he was going to be quiet while she looked- he wasn't loud or anything. He apologized and they headed back to the kid area. He waved and said bye so I reciprocated. Poor little guy getting in trouble for talking to the giant in a wheelchair...
Another notable recent kid encounter was at the Tippecanoe Mall. I intensely dislike the Mall. Though it is inside and it has mostly smooth floors. I wanted to use it to get a little exercise the other day (no thanks to my would-be 'helper monkey' who never got back to me) and see how I could deal with all the Mall-people. There were a few little kids who looked and waved while their parents tried to wrangle them or carry them through the flow of people. One little girl was in a big stroller (it may have been one of those 2-kid strollers). Her Mom was slowly pushing the stroller out of a store and I was coming toward them at a respectable pace. She watched me get closer, her bottle tipped up to enjoy the juice or milk or whatever. When I was almost to her she took the bottle from her mouth, waved with the other hand and said "hi." I smiled and returned the "hi" as we passed each other. I heard a squeal of delight from her over my shoulder, I guess made her day...
Encounters like these have helped me get through the many encounters with stupid people. Like the guy whose wheelchair parking tag expired in October last year, but he's still using it. I pointed out to him that it was expired and his reply was "So?" ... A-hole. Or the drunk guy who was ultra-pissed that I asked him to move something so I could get through a doorway. He had obviously placed it there but said he didn't know who put it there and called me "pity party" as he finally moved it (because he was too much of a wuss to throw a punch at a guy in a wheelchair)... A-hole.
I think kids have been more talkative to me because I'm closer to their height in the chair. Instead of towering over them by several times their stature I'm pretty much at their level. I guess they like that. As I've been typing this, a very little girl on her Daddy's lap at another computer has been smiling at me and waving every time I glance up. Kids...
The best one was this little guy with big bags under his eyes at the Ivy Tech Library. He had just been to the storytime in the kid area and his Mom carried him with her so she could look for a book. I was near the fiction shelves looking at the graphic novel section to see if there was anything new. I heard him say something like "That man's looking for books." When I turned to look he pointed towards the stairway and said, "She came down the stairs." Sure enough, there was a lady who had just come down the stairs. I agreed with him and then he asked, "Are you looking for books too?" I told him I was, and he nodded then said, "That's my Mommy, she's looking for books." Then his Mom picked him up and asked if he forgot that he was going to be quiet while she looked- he wasn't loud or anything. He apologized and they headed back to the kid area. He waved and said bye so I reciprocated. Poor little guy getting in trouble for talking to the giant in a wheelchair...
Another notable recent kid encounter was at the Tippecanoe Mall. I intensely dislike the Mall. Though it is inside and it has mostly smooth floors. I wanted to use it to get a little exercise the other day (no thanks to my would-be 'helper monkey' who never got back to me) and see how I could deal with all the Mall-people. There were a few little kids who looked and waved while their parents tried to wrangle them or carry them through the flow of people. One little girl was in a big stroller (it may have been one of those 2-kid strollers). Her Mom was slowly pushing the stroller out of a store and I was coming toward them at a respectable pace. She watched me get closer, her bottle tipped up to enjoy the juice or milk or whatever. When I was almost to her she took the bottle from her mouth, waved with the other hand and said "hi." I smiled and returned the "hi" as we passed each other. I heard a squeal of delight from her over my shoulder, I guess made her day...
Encounters like these have helped me get through the many encounters with stupid people. Like the guy whose wheelchair parking tag expired in October last year, but he's still using it. I pointed out to him that it was expired and his reply was "So?" ... A-hole. Or the drunk guy who was ultra-pissed that I asked him to move something so I could get through a doorway. He had obviously placed it there but said he didn't know who put it there and called me "pity party" as he finally moved it (because he was too much of a wuss to throw a punch at a guy in a wheelchair)... A-hole.
I think kids have been more talkative to me because I'm closer to their height in the chair. Instead of towering over them by several times their stature I'm pretty much at their level. I guess they like that. As I've been typing this, a very little girl on her Daddy's lap at another computer has been smiling at me and waving every time I glance up. Kids...
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