I had my first outing using my power wheelchair, a slick blue Permobil C300. Consistent deterioration of the muscles in my legs, arms, hands, feet, torso and neck, made the manual wheelchair not a viable option for a weekend trip. This body needs support!
My husband loaded up the manual and power wheelchairs into the back of the Ford Ranger pickup truck. No wheelchair van as yet. He used a two-piece hinged portable aluminum wheelchair ramp and walked it up using the controls. Thank God I didn't have to remain seated in it I would've felt like grandma Clampett rolling down the highway.
Anyway, we loaded up everything we could think of including my curved fat-handled silverware, scooper bowl, nonskid mat, Poise pads, supplements, waterbottles, beach towels, a body pillow to wrap around my torso and a horseshoe-shaped pillow that clamped around my neck. Several false starts later and then down the road we went.
This is a new adventure for us you know traveling with all the paraphernalia needed to assist a person with ALS. Lucky for us we're only going 3 1/2 hours down the road to a very good friends house. And then next morning we will awaken, load up the stuff, and travel out to St. John for what promises to be a hot day watching little boats with big motors maneuver around a handmade slough race course.
Our first "forgot" turned out to be a freestanding mirror, the second "forgot" was my red T-shirt. Now this normally would not be a problem except for the fact that we packed very light in the clothing department. My feelings were hurt, my ire was aroused, but I had to get over my anger. After all we do the best that we can do and the good Lord knows my husband has a lot shoved on his plate at this time. Honestly, I was quite unkind and I'm not very proud of my actions.
Travel was fairly uneventful except that we had to make many stops at rest areas and they leave a lot to be desired for cleanliness. Our stop at the Kittitas Valley Hospital to use the restroom and ended with a scalded tongue when we decided to buy a cup of coffee at their gift shop. Yikes!
Was the travel worth the trouble? I would say it was.
We had a great weekend. The action on the course was eventful. I got to talk with a great couple and we got some nice photos from a professional photographer who turned out to have lost his mother and aunt to ALS. Small world! Wow!!!
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