Friday, April 26, 2013

Oh, My, A Goal

Something I haven't told you about.

Several weeks ago, a few months maybe, one of the footrests on my manual chair broke. We thought that we might be able to get it fixed but the weld simply didn't hold. We tried to order one and found the process wildly difficult and the replacements incredibly expensive. I think it went on so long only because it went on so long. I mean when you deal with something on a day to day basis a lot of days can pass by without much notice.

When Joe and I were coming home through Buffalo we saw, off to the side of the road, a place that sold wheelchairs. On a spur of the moment decision we pulled off and Joe went in. I watched him as he walked through the store carrying the one good remaining footrest with him. A few moments later he was back in the car with a replacement. We both marvelled at how quickly and easily it was done. We were further shocked by the fact that the replacement piece was considerably cheaper than we'd expected to pay.

But, man, it's hard getting back into using the chair the way I used to use it. I found that with only support for one leg I could not push the chair any distance. Holding one leg up while pushing was just way too difficult. So, of course, I ended up getting pushed more and more often. I could do short bursts of distance but that's pretty much it.

Now, I'm able to push myself again but I've lost a lot of strength in my arms. I am now working on the motivation to NOT be pushed because I want to build up my stamina and my distance in the chair again. I used to be able to go long distances and up small inclines. No more. But my goal is to get back what I've lost.

I am a determined man.

At least I think I am.

But for some reason I'm finding it hard to get all excited about building up the endurance and capability again.

I figure if I state here, publicly, that my goal is to be back at full strength at the end of next month, then I might more likely do it.

So, yes, I'm using you.

Feel free to hold me accountable next month on the 31st.

12 comments:

Kris S. said...

Go Dave, go Dave, go Dave go!

I oh-so-gradually started running again after many years of NOT having done so, and now--about five months in--having started by walking two minutes and running one for what felt like weeks on end--I'm running 3.5 miles.

Slow and steady wins the race, etc.

I can come up with other cheesy inspirational sayings over the next month if you need them.

Go Dave...

Colleen said...

Go Dave!

Andrea S. said...

Go, go, go!

wendy said...

Okay, Dave...shall we collectively highlight that date? ;-)

Anonymous said...

Dave,

thats a good resolve. And I will mentally cheer you on!!!

Julia

Anonymous said...

You can't give up functionality, not if there's any hope of getting it back.

I love life, but it takes, takes, takes, especially as we get older.

I fight for mobility, for morality, and for the ability to do what I want to do. Every day.

Once you let something go too long, the road to get it back can seem almost unsurpassable.

But, if it is possible, if it is an achievable goal (or you even think it is an achievable goal), and you want it, you have to keep fighting for it - or pretty soon you can't.

No one will fault you if you can't. But if you don't try, even if no one else faults you, you will fault yourself.

If you need moral encouragement, just ask for it.
Alicia

Anonymous said...

Good luck! Your challenge due date is my baby’s due date, so I will def remember, but I guess I may not be checking the blog that day.
I will be PUSHING it too!

Tamara said...

a friend is on some diet/health program, and she posts her progress on Facebook once a day. she says it helps her stay motivated ...

Jeannette said...

I suspect that as you start to regain some of the strength you've lost, you'll find yourself getting excited about the regaining the rest of it.
Good luck, and ... have fun!!!

Jayne Wales said...

I have done that before on facebook to keep me motivated. I think it is a good plan. Problem is for me and hopefully not you , that It is often a fantasy. My friends are so kind they easily forgive me and so it goes on. I spent a year not walking as a kid and my knees are playing me up so I'm seriously looking at the best form if exercise because that was where it all started those years ago. You and I together on this one. Written from my bed! Ooops

Anonymous said...

Oh, can I ever relate.

I had a nasty back injury in October. My then brand-new rescue dog knocked me over, and because of my disability, I had a pretty bad soft tissue injury. I spent literally months mostly in bed, because sitting or standing was agonizing. I went to physical therapy, but the strain of getting there was making my pain and spasms worse, so we stopped. Everything stopped. Out of the blue, I had a month where I felt better over the holidays, which was great because I got to spend them with my family.

I'd been hurt badly enough that they thought there might be a spinal fracture or a spinal cord injury in the neck, so then it was off to x-ray and MRI, though in the end, neither of those were the kind of injury I had.

Just shy of two months ago, I dislocated 2 ribs while catching myself and stopping a fall, because of my disability and the lack of muscle tone because of all the horizontal time. I'm back in physical therapy again, and I'd probably be improving more but we had to move, so I've been doing too much and pushing myself back into spasm.

Anyhow, I'm now in the process of trying to regain all that strength and stability I've lost, and fighting the pain and weakness to do so. My doctor very firmly told me that I was to join a gym after my round of physical therapy was over, because I just can't maintain enough muscle tone with my home exercises to prevent injuries. I'm not sure that was a major culprit in this series of injuries, but he's right about the general picture.

I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about all of this. I was something of a gym rat before I developed my secondary condition (fibromyalgia) and my life changed so radically. Maybe I can get into taking satisfaction from it again. I hope so. Because otherwise, this is all going to just feel like a ton of work.

Maggie said...

Okay. I'll restart my yoga regimen (3 years after a back injury, and 6 months after my doctor said I could go back).

Let's all hold each other accountable.