Painiac

If you can’t laugh at it, what else is there to do?

A few years ago, as described in the blog post titled  My Story, I spent a lot of time chair-bound. Something like the majority of late Summer, Fall and some of Winter 2007-08,  I spent some quality time with a chair.

Now, It looks like I’m back for more. Been bonding with a wheelchair (I’ve started calling him Harley Hot Wheels) for about a month now. We’ve become pretty inseparable- things are getting serious. I think it’s about time I introduce him to the family…  that will come in due time when I get my surgeries.

So, seeing as Harley and I are sticking together for a while, I thought what better place to chronicle our love story and adventures of misfortune than here @ painiac??

Here it goes. Welcome. Enjoy. Laugh. Cry. Whatever. Just check in when you can. And feel free to leave us (Harley too) a note.

<3  H & S

1.

One of the things I’ve learned with Harley, is that a wheelchair is quite the conversation piece. Sort of as the ice breakers of all ice breakers. You know those paranoid people suffering from agoraphobia? Well, they should all be handed a set of hot wheels, like my Harley, and BAM- I bet their lives would change! People just love asking questions… some more personal and invasive than others, like when the lady at Absinthe in Hayes Valley asked me (surely after having one too many gin & tonics) - “SO, this thing, this wheelchair, it’s not like, ya know, PERMANENT, is it??!” I smiled and said, ‘No, thankfully. But, what would you have said if I said YES!?” She looked at me blank face and replied ” Oh, well… I’ve seen you around, so ya know, I just… knew..”

Sure ya did Lady. Whatever makes you feel better…

2. Or, how about the passersby who approach me, while I’m wheeling about, and ask with a loud and slow voice, in the manner you speak to a toddler, tea cup poodle, or patient with dementia, “ Whhheerree dooo yoouuu wanntt tooo gooo, youngg laaddyy?”

I simply answer: “Won’t you excuse me, I’m on my way to Graduate school. Lovely day, isn’t it?”

3. But they’re not all happy to chat.  I’ve noticed people glance at me out of the corner of their eye, and shuffle away. One woman asked me “Do you find that people are nervous around you?” Yeah, yeah I do. Thanks for point it out lady.

4. I think the comment that wins overall is this:

‘Well, look at it this way. At least you’re pretty. Right?’

sigh.