Getting nervous

[Silvermist]

:D I like you people. :D I am very happy that I decided to go ahead and rent the scooter. I didn't realize how worried I really was about it until I booked it and suddenly I felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. And this morning, I am still in pain from my mall adventures on Tuesday and Wednesday. I thought I'd be over it by yesterday morning. It just reinforces to me that I made the right decision. I made t-shirts for the Disney portion of our vacation -- one of them has a picture of the Little Mermaid (as the human) and it says "Celebrating the joy of walking again". That was part of the reason for this vacation - it's our 25th wedding anniversary, but we're celebrating my recovery from the accident too. I think I'll have to wear it on my first day at Disneyland though because it seems pretty certain to me now that I'll be sitting most of this vacation and not walking a lot.

 

I have to say, I feel like a poser sometimes. I have Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction which is more common in pregnant women. In fact, I did have it with both of my pregnancies. Which I suppose is why I'm so susceptible to it now. It was hard for me to ask for help when my injury was debilitating all day, every day. Even when I had to get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and I had to support my body weight on the bed to "hand"walk around it and into the ensuite bathroom merely 10' away from the end of the bed, and it took me 7 minutes to do that and it hurt so bad I was in tears before i got to the potty, I couldn't make myself wake up my husband to ask him for help. I'm sure that others who have become disabled also found it hard to ask for help at first. Independence is a great thing but eventually I learned: if I need help -- ask for it! My recovery went in waves. It took a little over a year before my physical problems were improved enough that I felt almost like me again. Unfortunately, being in Canada, it can take a long time to get an appointment to see a specialist. The exam that the specialist did aggravated my injury and poof! I was back to square one. So I had to start over again. :mad: I do know what it's like to be disabled, but mine is part-time. That's where the "poser" thing comes in. Y'all are so kind and understanding and helpful. And some of you will never get out of your chair/scooter. I will/do. In fact, for me the scooter is optional and if I couldn't afford the $xxx to rent it, I wouldn't. It's going to definitely enhance my vacation because my alternative would be staying in my cabin all day while I rest with a pillow at my knees to stabilize my pelvis and pop painkillers. But see, this is where I have trouble asking for help. The last thing I would want to do is to abuse the help that is available for handicapped people. Most days I'm able-bodied. It's when I get tired, or over-work my pelvis that the SPD rears up and reminds me that I need to slow down. I had to retire. And I have a head injury. But even that isn't enough to convince me that I can consider myself disabled. My Dr doesn't consider me disabled -- I have asked him numerous times for a handicap tag for my car for the days I can't walk as well as other days. He won't give the ok for one. :rolleyes: So my husband drops me off at the door while he goes and finds a place to park.

 

So I thank you all for your generous advice and encouragement. I've been very up front that I have a part-time disability and y'all have never said "well this is just for people who will never get out of a chair". I really appreciate how non-judgmental you are. People who have never been there, done that think that if you are in a wheelchair you aren't allowed to get up and walk a bit or stretch etc. They don't understand like y'all do that there are varying types of disabilities and that sometimes you can see the disability, but sometimes you can't. I wish you all the very best!!

[xxoocruiser]

TO: Silvermist

 

 

Enjoy your vacation. Don't think twice about any comments or looks you might receive from others. Just have fun ! Being Breast Cancer Awareness month , I love your Pink Ribbon Button at the bottom of your post. In addition to having MS , I am a 4 year Breast Cancer Survivor. So your button means a lot to me.

[uppitycats]

Thank you, silvermist, for your kind words.

 

Have a great vacation, and congratulations on your anniversary. We're working on 43 years, ourselves... :)

[DisneyKidsDad]

Have a great vacation Silvermist and don't worry about those dopes that give you the stinkeye. :eek:

 

BTW...33 years today for me.

[Silvermist]

TO: Silvermist

 

 

Enjoy your vacation. Don't think twice about any comments or looks you might receive from others. Just have fun ! Being Breast Cancer Awareness month , I love your Pink Ribbon Button at the bottom of your post. In addition to having MS , I am a 4 year Breast Cancer Survivor. So your button means a lot to me.

 

Congratulations!!!! My sister-in-law is a 2 year survivor. My grandma was a 34 year survivor (she actually beat breast cancer but died from lung cancer 34 years after her mastectomy which was a result of being a test subject for the first cobalt radiation treatments). Breast cancer is my "hot button" and I own waaaaaay more pink than a middle-aged woman should. ;) I have a very dear friend walking in the Susan G Koman walk for the cure that I gave a large donation to, despite the fact that it's an American charity (I donated from the heart, not for the tax break) and she is walking for my SIL and Grandma. One day we'll solve the puzzle. In the meantime --- fight like a girl!!!

 

Thank you, silvermist, for your kind words.

 

Have a great vacation, and congratulations on your anniversary. We're working on 43 years, ourselves... :)

 

Have a great vacation Silvermist and don't worry about those dopes that give you the stinkeye. :eek:

 

BTW...33 years today for me.

 

Congratulations to both of you! Happy anniversary DKD! Our actual anniversary is on Tuesday, the 12th. Just a few more days and ta-da! A quarter century! You don't hear a lot about couples being married that long anymore, do you? In our circle of friends, there is only one other couple besides Dan & me that have not been divorced at least once.

[uppitycats]

We know LOTS of people who have been married that long.....but to different spouses along the way :D

 

Yeah, these days 6 MONTHS seems like a long time, for some! :)

[wizard-of-roz]

Have a wonderful cruise and thanks for all the good info. on the wheelchairs.

DH bought a wheelchair a few years ago when he found that when his hips and legs said he was finished walking, it was long before his head wanted to stop!!!!! Or, when the seats he goes to sit on are so low, he needs help to just get up and out.

So, we always take his wheelchair onboard with us. He pushes it along until he can't walk anymore and then I do the rest.

We've learned that if we don't bring his along, we'll wind-up having to rent one. As we did onboard the Splendor, in January. It cost $50.00 for the week [quite frankly] I'd rather have the money to buy a trinket or two!!!!!

He may invest in an electric one, one day, when he's worn me out!!:cool: