I am writing this on the 5th day of rain in Brisbane. And it’s just an observation.
Being a spinal patient in the PA Hospital, they made sure I had the equipment I needed to function as best I could. Weather was part of the discussions we had, but like everything, I had no idea. I’d never needed a wheelchair before, let alone had the expectation that I would go home and need one forever?
Some options were extreme. Like a motorised system that took the chair out of the boot and brought it to the driver’s door. Very fancy, and I thought a bit of overkill. I’d had my car modified with hand controls, learnt to drive with them, and practised getting in and out of the car. I practised getting the chair in and out of the car as well. That’s pretty hard and heavy when you’re just starting out.
I opted for the chair to sit on my passenger seat instead of the hoist on the car roof. Now, I’m not sure how much that would have mattered. Sure, my chair stays dry when I’m driving from A to B. But either way, A needs to be dry or undercover for me to get out of my chair, and the same for B at the other end.
So here I am at home. On Day 5. My driveway is under cover so I could leave the house. Wherever I go though, has to be undercover. The pool is not. The gym is not. Most coffee shops are not. Street parking? I think not.
So I’m in a drought of inactivity. It’s funny. I remember having days before the accident with cold, torrential rain, and all I wanted to do was curl up under my doona with a good book. Now? I’m chafing at the bit to go somewhere that requires some physical activity.
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