What Didn't Happen ...

Joe had parked the car and come round to my side of the car with my wheelchair which he had unloaded from the trunk. I stay warm and cozy in the car until I heard the plop of the mat beside my door. My disability disallows me wearing shoes and so during rain or snow or where the surface is rough Joe puts a mat down for me to put my feet on when I get out of the car. It just is the way we do things, and it works.

I swiveled in my seat and put my feet on the mat and then stood up. Joe hadn't realized that he'd placed the mat on black ice, the pavement just had looked damp, and my feet shot out in front of me. Joe quickly moved to place his feet in such a way that he blocked the slide. Even with that, I'm left in an impossible position. I had fallen back such that I had the merest grip on each side of the door. my arms outlined the door and my hands grabbed on wherever they could. So my feet were far from me, my bum was dangling over the driveway and my hands and arm had a fragile grip on the door.

Now I'm panicking. I'm picturing the fall. The hurt. The ambulance. The aftermath. I want none of these things.

I take a breath.

Then I pushed my shoulders back against the door from and began to use the upper body strength that I've been working on to push up. When I was moving I took the chance and released my grip on the car so that I could move my hands further up the frame. I snapped off, snapped on and pushed again. I'm taller but in a more precarious position. I've also been working on my core so I used every muscle I had that would allow me to pull my feet back. I only needed maybe three inches before I could consider lift myself upright.

I warned Joe of what I was doing so he his feet could follow as a barrier to the slide as I pulled them back. He did. Then, I was in a position where I thought now, I can combine my leg strength, the weakest of the lot, plus core and upper body and I did. I stood up and then swung and transferred into the chair.

That's why I've been working out.

That's why I've been enduring hours either at the gym or at home doing exercises.

That's why.

I owe a debt of gratitude to the men and women who work at my gym, who are knowledgeable with disability fitness. I owe a debt to the town of Newmarket who stocked the gym with a few machines that are fully accessible to me. I thank them for their willingness and their welcome both.