I turned the cell phone back on and immediately it rang indicating that there was a voice mail message.
I called right away, it was nearing the end of the day Friday and I wanted to ensure that I dealt with all that had to be dealt with. The message was brief. My new wheelchair is in and I can pick it up when I get back next week.
It's impossible to tell you what this means to me. My present wheelchair has travelled all over North America, the UK and Ireland. Everytime it comes up from the belly of the plane something else has gone wrong with it. The armrests have been knocked off - twice, wheels bent, rubber ripped from rims. It's been through the mill and every day gets harder and harder to push.
Not only that, my present wheelchair was got in a rush. I needed it as I was just out of the hospital and about to go on a long trip to England. I couldn't make it without a chair. I took what they had, it wasn't really crafted for me. It was made for a more, um, generic butt. But this chair, my new chair, was made with me in mind. I'm told it's a wee bit heavier but it's also sturdier and has 'a good roll'.
I'm as excited as if I was getting a new car.
What I remember as I think about moving on to a new chair was that first day in a wheelchair. I had been in intensive care for 5 or 6 days. I hadn't left the room and I had nursing care round the clock. Then the doctor came in and asked if I'd like to get out of the room for a few minutes and maybe go down for tea.
My mind was operating on old contingencies, "I don't think I can walk that far," I said, my heart sinking. "No, no, I'll send in a wheelchair for you."
The chair arrived and it took some time getting me off the bed and onto the chair, I was weak from the surgery and from a year of infections. Not only that I had tubes in my arm and up my ... well, you can imagine ... Even so, I got in the chair and Joe and I left the room and I had the best cup of tea I've ever had in my life.
I was liberated.
Freed.
And my new chair is waiting for me.
Rah!
I can't wait to see where we go together.
4 comments:
we expect photos (surely i am not the only reader that would like to see your new wheels).
Aaarrgh, I don't know how to post pictures to my blog. But my friend who is known to me as blogprincess knows how so I'll ask her. If I can I will. Dave
May you and your new wheelchair travel to wonderful new places together. AND may it not suffer the woes that your current one has while being in the underbelly of the plane.
I can only imagine the anticipation of settling into that wonderful new chair for the first time and taking it for a spin. I shall look out for unidentified flying objects next week!
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