a blog of a twenty-something's journey with chronic pain...life...and...laughter
Welcome to my Blog, I hope you find some resonation here. Living with pain is a constant battle and it doesn't only hurt those suffering with the pain but those around us.
Feel free to share with any friends and family.
Other blogable topics: healthcare, therapy, meditation, relaxation techniques, exercise, nutrition, acupuncture, chiropractic care, wellness... and an assortment of comic relief, and a smattering of warm fuzzies.
The second installment and the continuation of the (mis)adventures of HarleyHotwheels (my trusty beast of a wheelchair) & yourstruly. You can read My Story here.
Some good news is that I’m standing up for longer periods of time, this is a recent development. Awesome. Still standing hunched over, but standing is good! Standing is fabbbbuuulloouuss.
I still need Harley in my life though, not letting him go anytime soon, at least not until the surgeries are done and I’m in recovery.
We’ve been exploring the neighborhood lately. This is a bit of an overstatement because in a city with as many hills as San Francisco, wheelchair exploration is quite limited.
In a city like SF, and in my neighborhood , those on wheels must battle many obstacles.
Obstacle # 1 - The Obvious.
- Hills. As mentioned above. I like to refer to it as the “Roll-away-Risk” (RAR)
One must curb their wheels and hit the brakes, to prevent from rolling away.
I live on a hill, a few blocks from the base. So, if I want to, say, go out my front door. I have one option: to roll to Union street (on the corner) and head west. If I wanted to go anywhere else, I’d risk rolling straight downhill, and into the San Francisco Bay.
If I decided to try and turn Right out of my front door, I would be facing an uphill battle. Literally. Pacific Heights is known for it’s HEIGHTS. I’m not looking to do any wheelchair climbing anytime soon.
It’s the sad truth, but we do what we can. It’s ironic that I spent my childhood in theflattest state in the union (arguably), wheelchair free, and NOW that I need a flat wheeling area, I’m in San Francisco, the city by the bay with the steepest hills. Ever.
I’m thinking of taking up wheelchair luge.
Obstacle # 2- The Battle for the Sidewalk.
- Living in a neighborhood such as mine, when on wheels you’ve got to look out for the mafia.
No, there’s no Godfather here, but there are MOTHERS. Or, my ultimate favorite nemesis, the NANNY. The Stroller Mafia is alive and well and TAKING OVER THE SIDEWALKS. They have one thing on their mind- to grab that Mocha Latte (Non-Fat, of course), head to pilates, play date at the park, mommy/nanny/me time…. all while texting the latest news about the Bacehlor finale to their ‘besties’. And this plan does not involve a gimpy red-head on wheels, getting in their way.
I’ve had to literally stake out my plot of side walk. Stare-downs have occurred. I’ve won some, but lost many. I almost was plowed down several times by Mommies and their SUV of luxury strollers.
It’s a crazy world out there.
Obstacle # 3 ‘The Dude’
There is a group of men out there who just looooveeee to compliment the gimpy girl. Maybe it shouldn’t be an obstacle, but it is a distraction that slows me down!
I’m trying to get somewhere Mr. Dude. I don’t want to know about how you think I “make that wheelchair look goooooddd”.
Please. That color is not good on you. And, you’re standing on my yellow curbless curb. Thank you.
All in all. Life is wheelin’ on by.
Much love to you.
<3 H & S
