Scooter Saga

There are so many things that make having a movement disorder annoying, but two things really stand out.  One is having to think about every single component of basic activities when I never did before.  Secondly is getting up during the night.  Having a pea–sized, rather than camel–sized bladder makes it more complicated with Ataxia.  I'm grateful to not be cognitively impaired as I awaken, requiring only a brief period of orientation to get the correct direction. However, it's important to remember where I am.  It's either in Lake Oswego with Earl on the left side of the bed, the bathroom is to the right or in Maui where he sleeps on the right and the bathroom is to the left. But, there is one more thing to think about.  Thelma, the travel wheelchair, brakes high in the back.  Louise, the home wheelchair, brakes low in the front. Which chair awaits*? What would be the consequence of getting it wrong?  If facing the wrong direction, I could ...

It's no secret that my political views lie to the left of center.  This post may well offend some more conservative friends, but it won't be the first time.  The 'March for Our Lives' was important to me, but I was concerned about my limited mobility.  I needed Earl to get us there and he strategically parked halfway between the start and the finish.  It wasn't too far before the three of us reached the gathering multitudes and was also easy for us to return to the car at the end. Have scooter, will march Venturing forth in a large crowd when one has a disability and views people at waist level has its disadvantages.  In fact, it can be downright hazardous both for me and those in the crowd.  I learned in Disneyland to keep your eyes straight ahead, pay attention, and move with the crowd*.  I was relieved not to have been involved in any mishaps.  Fortunately, I had Earl and granddaughter Zoe to blaze the trail, but I did manage to scor...

Disclaimer:  I was working on this blog in Maui when the false missile alert occurred.  That seemed more timely, so I put this one on hold.  This posting is a bit unseasonably late. Portland's outdoor Christmas Tree   I enjoy the holidays and have learned to embrace the 'less is more' philosophy of last year*—until this year.  Being raised Catholic, our Thai student had plenty of Christmas seasons, but no country does over the top celebrating like the US, especially the commercial, excessive, and secular parts.  We decided to share the whole experience. The Jingle Bell Walk Special events are part of this season.  Even I participated in both, one traditional and one new.  Every year, Earl organizes a Jingle Bell walk.  They walk from downtown hotel to hotel looking at (and judging) the holiday decorations. This year since the weather was good, Skeeter, me, and the granddaughters joined in.  We were concerned that t...

Just when I thought we could do nothing new in Maui, the nuclear missile alert happened.  It's always something. At 8:00 am, Earl’s out for his beach walk and waiting for the start of the Maui High School canoe races. I’m in the condo when I get the first alert. At the same time, with canoes about to go in the water, all activity was halted.  As a wheelchair-bound person, I was concerned, but not panicked.  I mean, really? First alert 8:04 1/13/2018 To Earl T: Interesting alert. Where would we go for shelter from a nuclear missile?  More to the point, does it matter? E: Not sure. Turn on the news T: The news says if you’re outdoors, go indoors.  If you’re indoors, stay away from the windows.  They said that they will let people know when the alert is over. E: Do they say anything about when the canoe races are going to start? (He was just yanking my chain. He really came back to the condo) 8:34 Oops. Nevermind 😳 My first ...

The Lake Theater and Cafe For the last year, I had been part of a 10–member committee planning our 50th High school Reunion.  Lincoln High in the 60s was the 'downtown' high school and was also the newest, being the 2nd iteration.  Fifty+ years later it's falling, like us, into disrepair and is slated for replacement (unlike us) . Lincoln & committee c. 1967 Although I had physical disabilities, I had only minor cognitive decline, related to being 68 rather than my ataxia.  The benefit was that I still remembered how to design and use a database—very beneficial with the data collection tasks. Accumulating alumni information over the course of a year insured that I would recognize most classmates.  It also gave me an opportunity to catch up in advance of the reunion.  The rest of the committee members didn't have that advantage.  Incorporating the reunion planning committee as a new group into my 'village'* was an unexpected benefit. It was m...

East Coast Fall foliage It had been more than two years since we had ventured on our first roadtrip*.  It was time to move from using a walker to a wheelchair.  That was a particularly difficult humiliation bullet to bite.  I thought I had accepted the inevitability of progression, but I found myself whining, "No-o-o-o!"  Was this the end of the road before absolute immobility? Were my traveling days over?  More importantly, would I strain Earl's back and were my scooting days over? 😱 As with previous transitions, logic and practicality won out.  I was so freakin' slow with a walker. I didn't appreciate how frightening my precarious balance was to others.  Finally, I knew an injury was the bigger personal threat and was to be avoided at all costs.  Thelma and Louise ** became a permanent part of my next chapter.  Wheelchair use gave me greater mobility and freedom than I had expected.  It didn't impact my travel, scooting,...

 I only had Skeeter for a few weeks when our youngest grandchild pointed out that I didn't have a helmet* 😳.  A year later when I acquired my trike, I also needed the helmet for that.  This Christmas, Earl found a new helmet on the web (of course) , a product of a 'Kickstarter' project.  He felt this might enhance my safety when venturing out and would make a good gift.  I didn't really need a new helmet, but this was so cool (and high tech **).  lumoshelmet.com With flashing LED lights, it's visible from a long distance—actually, any distance. I may look ridiculous, but that ship sailed long ago ***.  It really looks and weighs about the same as any bike helmet. I have long wanted a way of turn signalling that didn't involve hands (not many people even remember what car hand signals are.  Neither did I want to be confused with someone having a seizure or needing assistance.)  The helmet comes with an indicator th...