From Walker to Bed - ridden

When I began using a walker I got me a candy apple red one just like my van.  For a walker it was pretty.  Boy, it made me feel so much more secure than my cane.  Standing balanced at my car door and having to give up my walker, balance, push the button to open the big sliding door.  Balance, fold my walker, lift it up, keeping balanced and slide it in front the back seat.  Hold on to the van, push the button to close it and turn around carefully to get in the van.  I LOVE MY VAN!  I still do.  

It is interesting how I got in the van.  Since my left leg has always been the strongest, I balance on my right leg, bring my left up on the foot step that Barry & Stephen installed for me and swing my behind around to the seat.  Once there I was still able to bring both legs in.  When I drove I had to drive with my left foot for both the brake and the accelerator.  Most people use their right for both.  Thank goodness that it worked well for me.  I was still a safe driver and still could go wherever I wanted.  One day I was at Safeway shopping.  When I was done, I put the bag of groceries on my walker and headed out.  By this time walking with a walker was becoming very slow and very difficult.  Picking up my right leg to move it felt like a hundred pound weight.  It was tiring.  As I was slowly walking to my van and I kid you not, the wonderful woman who looked in her 70's asked ME if she could help me.  Wow, the tables had certainly turned in my life.

One thing nice about the walker, besides the security, was that I could put anything on it that I would normally carry.  It was great working, slowly but surely, around the house.  Also when I went out with friends or anywhere with Barry, I walked so slow and any distance was beginning to be so hard and I. Would be so tired by the time I got to our destination.  So the answer to that was, I SAT ON THE WALKER and whoever I was with pushed me!  It made life so much easier leaving the house.  Barry LOVED it a little to much.  He would run it or certainly walk really fast and then swing me around corners.  I'd be laughing!!  People would look at us!  It's so good that I never bad any pride to worry about what I looked like.  That's why going to the cane and then to the walker made no difference to me.  Comfort, comfort, comfort, security and fun is my motto in life.

At home it began getting harder and harder to walk even with my walker.  I found myself sitting in my walker watching TV all day.  Boy, that was a hard switch.  I NEVER watched TV especially during the day.  But what could I do?  My girlfriend, Debbie bean coming over and we would crochet together,  I actually made each of my four kids an oversized, thick lap blankets!  I was so pleased since my right had begun to curl, (spasm permanently.  It was interesting holding the crochet hook but by George, I did it!!  Who is George?

Then along cane my baby girl!  My Great Niece, Meilani!  At three months old, I began taking care of her for two hours, twice a week.  People were in awe of how I could it with my right weak and my right curled.  When you really want to do something, you usually find a way.


Do you have any questions for me?  I will happy to answer.  No question is too small or too big.  Any question about me?  MS? Me & MS?  My life?  Feel free.  I am here.

Sorry this not letting me go back and proof read this and correct this .  So I will just post it.  I apologize for all of the typos and missing words. I think faster than I type,

Boy I'm Back II

I left off at - now i have to walk with a cane.I found a very pretty cane in a catalogue and ordered it.  If I had to use a cane it wasn't going to be just any ole cane.  Mine was classy!  But it's funny, walking down the street with the cane, people would look at me, at the cane, back at me . . . And quickly look away.  "This lady was too young to be walking with a cane, yikes that means something is wrong with her!  Look away!"  It was too funny and I experienced that so often that when I wasn't looking at the ground, watching for bumps, raised sidewalks or tree roots to trip over, I would look the person in the eye, flash one of my young, vibrant smiles and say hi.  I freaked them out.  They weren't sure what to do or say to a young, friendly disabled person!  I cracked up!  I have always smiled and said hi to any one that I make eye contact with, I still do.  You can make some one feel better or . . . freak em out!  Not many people are accustomed to people being openly friendly on the streets.  It's a good thing, no matter who you pass, an adult, a homeless person, a child, even a disabled person.  Everyone likes to be pleasantly greeted. It is a very positive gesture to smile and say hi.  I rarely get any thing back but a smile and a hello.  Some times a surprised one, but that's even good.  Start doing it, it feels good.
I went off topic again.  I'm good at that.  Back to my classy cane.  It did help a lot and there is not a reason in the world why someone who needs a cane shouldn't accept that need and go with it. But you're  too young?  When I received my cane, there was no age limit listed on it.  People might look at me funny?  Who cares!  Trip em with it, I bet you're walking much better than you did before you received your cane.  Accept your cane!  Life will take many turns and you have to follow its road.  While it is or should be a wonderful journey, the road of life has bumps.  Just accept them, be grateful for all that is good in your life and the love that surrounds you.  Having MS, I knew by the way that I was progressing that I would be in a wheelchair someday.  Knowing that, my priority was - as long as I could see my children and grandchildren and hold them, that I would be happy.  How has that worked for me?  Next post.

I'm Back! Boy, I'm Bad, It's Been Three Years!