It May Be Time For A Wheelchair
Late last night, my spine suddenly was on fire... I had difficulty getting up out of my chair... I had difficulty sleeping... rolling over was excruciating. Today is even worse. The pain has been absolutely brutal.
The pain is a searing, burning pain in the lower half of my spine... radiating to my hips, around my kidneys and through my groin... whenever I try to put any weight on my legs, my legs experience tremors and the pain instantly jumps to a big fat 10 on the 10 point pain scale.
There are times when I almost ended up on the floor because I could not stand on my feet without actually seeing stars due to the intense pain. Reaching out for the couch, the bed, a chair and the kitchen table helped me keep from being a heap on the floor. This has been an exceptionally bad day.
Most times, despite my extensive spinal injuries, I get around just fine (with pain, but I get around just fine) but there are times when my spinal injuries are excruciatingly painful. During these painful times, I realize that I need help getting around. In this case, I've been using my cane to get around the house but even using the cane was iffy.
Actually, Sheila had to go searching for my cane today. I couldn't remember where I had left it and I was in no condition to go searching for it on my own. Thankfully, Sheila had a pretty good idea of where it might be and found it quickly.
It is times like this when I wonder what I (we) would do if this happened while we were at some event, especially an out of town event. What if we were at a shopping mall and my spine had enough? What if I could no longer stand because of my Systemic Mastocytosis?
I do bring my cane whenever we travel out of town just in case but the cane can only help so much. I've also been carrying a tiny folding stool whenever we need to do a lot of walking so that I could get off my feet for a bit when necessary.
If I have spinal pain like I have now while we are at an event out of town like our annual train show in Springfield, Massachusetts, my cane would not help much.
When this sort of pain hits me, I need to get off my feet and stay off my feet. When we are at home, this isn't much of a problem. Well... getting to and from the bathroom is a struggle but I can manage it. When we are at an event like the train show at the expansive Big E, I really would need some sort of wheelchair.
The idea of a wheelchair is also wise because my Systemic Mastocytosis can be even more debilitating... and it has been even more debilitating while out and about. In the past, I would sit and load up on emergency medications and extra medications and then just wait until I can walk again safely. A wheelchair of some sort would be more appropriate.
So... today... I've been shopping online for portable, folding wheelchairs to keep in the trunk of our car. If I have a problem, then Sheila can retrieve the wheelchair from the trunk while I sit on a bench, my little folding stool or even the floor. Having access to our own wheelchair would be a wise idea at this point.
I have absolutely no problems accepting the fact that I occasionally need the help of a wheelchair. The problem I have is that I can't find anything that is lightweight and relatively comfortable.... oh yeah... while also being relatively affordable. Also, this purchase cost has been tough to justify when I suspect I would only need to use it once or twice each year... for a short while each time. It would make our life abundantly easier though... and there is the peace of mind knowing that it is there in the trunk if I need it. I would no longer worry about walking too far from the car... and, I do worry about these things.
Also, I hate being a burden to those accompanying me. Refusing a wheelchair would be selfish and I would be a considerable burden to everyone trying to get me from one place to another. A wheelchair makes sense even though these times are relatively rare.
I think it is time to purchase a lightweight, folding wheelchair and stop putting off this expense.
The pain is a searing, burning pain in the lower half of my spine... radiating to my hips, around my kidneys and through my groin... whenever I try to put any weight on my legs, my legs experience tremors and the pain instantly jumps to a big fat 10 on the 10 point pain scale.
There are times when I almost ended up on the floor because I could not stand on my feet without actually seeing stars due to the intense pain. Reaching out for the couch, the bed, a chair and the kitchen table helped me keep from being a heap on the floor. This has been an exceptionally bad day.
Most times, despite my extensive spinal injuries, I get around just fine (with pain, but I get around just fine) but there are times when my spinal injuries are excruciatingly painful. During these painful times, I realize that I need help getting around. In this case, I've been using my cane to get around the house but even using the cane was iffy.
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| One wheelchair option. |
It is times like this when I wonder what I (we) would do if this happened while we were at some event, especially an out of town event. What if we were at a shopping mall and my spine had enough? What if I could no longer stand because of my Systemic Mastocytosis?
I do bring my cane whenever we travel out of town just in case but the cane can only help so much. I've also been carrying a tiny folding stool whenever we need to do a lot of walking so that I could get off my feet for a bit when necessary.
If I have spinal pain like I have now while we are at an event out of town like our annual train show in Springfield, Massachusetts, my cane would not help much.
When this sort of pain hits me, I need to get off my feet and stay off my feet. When we are at home, this isn't much of a problem. Well... getting to and from the bathroom is a struggle but I can manage it. When we are at an event like the train show at the expansive Big E, I really would need some sort of wheelchair.
 |
| The above wheelchair comes with a carry case. |
So... today... I've been shopping online for portable, folding wheelchairs to keep in the trunk of our car. If I have a problem, then Sheila can retrieve the wheelchair from the trunk while I sit on a bench, my little folding stool or even the floor. Having access to our own wheelchair would be a wise idea at this point.
I have absolutely no problems accepting the fact that I occasionally need the help of a wheelchair. The problem I have is that I can't find anything that is lightweight and relatively comfortable.... oh yeah... while also being relatively affordable. Also, this purchase cost has been tough to justify when I suspect I would only need to use it once or twice each year... for a short while each time. It would make our life abundantly easier though... and there is the peace of mind knowing that it is there in the trunk if I need it. I would no longer worry about walking too far from the car... and, I do worry about these things.
Also, I hate being a burden to those accompanying me. Refusing a wheelchair would be selfish and I would be a considerable burden to everyone trying to get me from one place to another. A wheelchair makes sense even though these times are relatively rare.
I think it is time to purchase a lightweight, folding wheelchair and stop putting off this expense.
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