For the last month I've been an invalid (but I'm not invalid {same word, different pronunciation}). Life as an invalid is very different from someone who can walk on her own accord. First and foremost, the wheelchair is both a blessing and a curse. The wheelchair is a true blessing as it allows for mobility, and mobility is important. I want to go where I want to go. But it's also a curse because it can go only forward and backward...it cannot roll from side to side. It cannot roll on a diagonal...it can only go straight. It does not sound like a big deal, but rolling a wheelchair into my spot at the dinner table, takes some fine tuning skills as I have to align myself with my plate--sounds easy, but you try it..it's harder than you think.
There's also the issue of the surface. We are lucky to have level solid surface floors in our new home. They are very easy to roll around on. But, to get outside of the house, I have to go down a stair. You cannot do that in a wheelchair without help. It works best on a smooth, level surfaces. If there is a step or set of stairs, I cannot move the wheelchair without assistance.
Then there is the issue of rolling down hallways or thru doorways. You have to consider the width of hallways and doors. Most hallways are wide enough for the chair, but are they wide enough for a spare arm or leg that might be in the wrong position. Try rolling around in your chair and suddenly you run into the base molding --- how did that get there? Well the bottom of the chair is wider than the top of the chair, and the bottom runs into the molding, and therefore you bang your arm into the wall. Then there are corners. Corners are something walking people don't even think about...but for someone in a wheelchair a corner has to be maneuvered turning one wheel forward and the other wheel backwards in a small arc. I'm getting very good at turning corners, but it's a skill I've learned. Then there's the issue of carpeting. Thankfully, my new house has solid surface floors everywhere and they are perfect for rolling around in a wheel chair....but don't try to go over a throw rug. The throw rug gets caught in the big wheels of the chair and traps the chair from moving forward or back. Carpeting adds traction, and that slows you down and you have to use more effort to move you and the chair over the pile of the rug.
After mastering the inside environment, you then graduate to the outside environment. Going outside is a whole different ball of wax. First and foremost, someone has to get your wheelchair to you. We have a truck, so the chair is stored in the bed of the truck. If we had a car, the chair would be stored in the back seat or in the trunk. A chair is heavy and awkward, and now my wonderful husband has to jockey the chair in and out of the truck bed, and roll the chair to me...never forgetting to lock the wheels as it will roll away quickly without anyone in it. I lower myself to the ground and carefully sit in the chair being careful NOT to release the brakes too early. That step completed, it is time to deal with the surface of the parking lot. Parking lots are not smooth like my floors at home. They are made of asphalt that is lumpy and bumpy, lined with cracks, sometimes there's a rock in the way, sometimes there's a break in the pavement...the chair has to be able to go through all of that. But sometimes you have to roll over cement, brick, pavers, etc. these have seams, and seams are basically the same as potholes...they are hard to roll over, especially if I am maneuvering the chair with my own power. I truly need someone to push me outdoors as I don't have the strength to roll myself. All the wheelchair mastery I learned in the house is not longer applicable. So I'm wheeled around by my husband. A tiny ramp is difficult as now my husband has to push me and the wheelchair up a ramp that has a one, two or 3 degree grade. That does not sound like much, but trust me, it's a lot. It takes strength for my husband to get me up a little ramp. The handicapped crosswalks are a God-send as most have been designed by folks who know how a wheelchair works. The ramps inside parking lots, are designed by parking lot engineers, and frankly, they are not very good at dealing with a wheelchair.
Next, there's the issue of crossing to the street--my husband has to push me down the ramp, holding the chair tightly so it does not get out of control. It cannot be too steep. the pusher has to slow down the chair as it rolls down the ramp, Sometimes there's a "tripper" where the ramp meets the street...not good. But I digress, there's a smooth ramp on both sides of the street...but the street is not smooth. If there are any ruts or breaks in the pavement, the wheelchair cannot roll over them with ease. If there is a small pothole, the wheelchair grinds to a halt as it truly cannot be pushed over a hole that will span both wheels. If there is a big break in the asphalt, I can be jolted out of the wheelchair (that almost happened on Sunday with we went to the restaurant.) And, then we have to remember there's a signal...I have to be pushed in the length of time that the signal allows. We have found out that, cars will not wait for a slow wheelchair...the car wins and I fear that I might be squashed like a bug. Going outside is challenging.
Remember we went out on Sunday. The restaurant had exactly one ramp where I could be rolled onto the sidewalk to get into the restaurant. To get to the ramp, my husband had to push me thru the parking lot (all the handicapped spots were filled). Well, there was a rut in the road, and in the dusky light, neither of us saw it, and I was almost dumped from the chair as I was not prepared to hold on.
That leads to another issue...the sitter and the pusher...have to be prepared for any contingency because drivers don't expect to see people in wheelchairs rolling around in the parking lot. In daylight they can see us, but at dusk, when the light is not very good, we are tiny blips on the radar screen as we have no light.Will the oncoming car see us and stop or will we be squashed like a bug. A wheelchair is relatively tiny when compared to a full sized SUV or pickup truck moving at 5-10 mph. Mastering the outdoors does not happen immediately.
As I enter a building, I have to deal with another issue --that of height. Normally I'm 5 feet 7 inches tall...but in a wheelchair I'm 4 feet tall. No one sees me. My head is below counter height, so if I want to get someone's attention, I have say "hello...can you see me" and the clerk has to actually move to find me on the other side of the counter. In a store, if I need help in finding something, I have to talk up to my helper...a few minutes of talking up, and my neck hurts, otherwise I'm looking at the helper's belt buckle (in a wheelchair there is no such thing as keeping eye-contact...folks are looking down and I'm looking up, and neither of us are comfortable.)
Life in a wheelchair is a lot better than not being able to walk, but comes at a price. I'm very willing to pay the price. I also have a brand new appreciation for handicapped parking places; ramps, and smooth surfaces. When I see another person in a wheelchair, we nod and share a sense of community, that I never shared before. We both know that the wheelchair is wonderful but it has limitations that the walking folks don't have a clue about.
The next thing I have to master is walker. It's similar to mastering wheelchair, but without a place to sit, when I need to rest. I've not used my walker outside, so I don't know what it's like--but I'm guessing I'm going to be learning that soon. Keep watching this space. I'll let you know how I progress from invalid to "valid."