Ya deal, ya just deal.
When we left for the airport, we sat in the lobby of the hotel waiting for WheelTrans, when it didn't come on time we called and found that I'd mistakenly booked it for 4 in the afternoon, not 4 in the morning.
Whoops.
Grabbed the car, had to use valet parking, we could both picture bills flying out of our pockets, but you do what you have to do and you get to the plane on time. Done.
We got off the plane and I told Joe that there was something weird about my footrest. Nothing to do but press on and press on we did, got to the car rental, loaded the chair in and arrived at the hotel. I stayed in the car while Joe checked in and then we went to get some basics for the room. On getting out at the store, my right footrest disintegrated into little bits surrounding the chair.
Oh shit.
That meant that I had to push around the store holding one leg up while pushing myself. Thank heavens I'm stronger, I was able to do what needed to be done. At the conference the next day I was alternately pushing myself around with great difficulty, lecturing and calling to find a place to replace the footrest. One of the conference organizers knew someone who knew someone and at the end of the day we were off. The place we went to had one but with a plastic footrest, I'm too heavy for that so we found another and they had these nice people there who fit us up and charged us just a few bucks. Done.
At the hotel there was a long, carpeted ramp, I insisted that I could do it myself, and I could, but it was really hard work. But, that's why I've lifted weights and that's why I've worked on my skill at pushing. I made it up two and a half times in one day and when I got to my room, I took off my glove to find that I'd really blistered my right thumb. I was going to have to be careful and yet I had long airport pushes coming up.
Damn.
The morning came and I rolled my thumb a bit when pushing and managed to do okay. Even did the ramp one more time. Joe thought that an ill advised venture, but I get to make those decisions and I made it okay, that reassured me that I'd manage the airports. Which I did. Done.
We get to the car and drive home, Joe and I come up to clear the way of mail and to get me out of the way so he can do what he needs to do. He gets all the luggage up to the apartment and then goes down to park the car. He's back too quickly. Now he's telling me that the car won't start. The rest of the day involves CAA and getting the car to the garage where they will look at it Monday. We've got the girls coming the next day and need a car.
Why us?
Joe walks over to the rental place and rents a car for a couple days, we rent enough that we have some free day reward coupons so that's done. But again, we are picturing money flying out the door and into the garage cash register, but I just got a call from Joe, he's got the girls and they are on the way down. Done.
And in all there I lost my wedding ring.
We talked about this, all of this has been dealt with fairly calmly. Joe decided that disability plays a bit of the way that we 'roll' with things. It's a life of adaption and problem solving and dealing with the unexpected. It's almost like you have to either adapt and survive or give in and whither away. Ya just deal.
Whatever, we managed to do what needed to be done the last couple of weeks, the girls are going to be here in a moment bringing noise and wonderful chaos into our lives. We've still got to deal with the ramifications of some of this stuff, but for now, it's just done.
3 comments:
There's ALWAYS a story when disabled people have to deal. An able person would not have needed a new footrest, just to start with the obvious.
I'm so glad you have your new-earned physical strength to help you power through some of these. If your metabolism works at all, these are the things that can make you stronger - and you must be so glad you started all this way back, because it would be impossible to start now, in the midst of things.
I think you also attempt more things, which frees up both of you to live more.
I'm always exhausted just hearing about The Adventures of Dave and Joe. They do sound like fun, if a lot of work.
Sometimes we get overly annoyed with the small stuff...the stuff that is not "emergency room" level of trouble...so glad you and Joe have developed the abilities to 'roll with it'.
clairesmum
Yes!!! Ya deal, just just deal. I'm just dealing with a bunch of things right now, all threatening to overwhelm but your post has bucked me up. Thanks!
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