Making Things Easier

When you're in pain, or are having mobility issues, getting out to have some fun can take its toll. It can add to your pain, fatigue, and cause you to be cranky, even though you went out to have fun. At times it is just easier to stay home with Netflix and books.  Unfortunately, this causes all sorts of unwanted issues including stiffer joints, sedentary lifestyle, missing out on fun, loss of contact with friends and family, weight gain... The list goes on. This can cause stress at home, at work, with your friends...why doesn't she ever go out? Chronic pain and mobility issues are so much more than a physical issue. The gradual loss of independence gets frustrating. One day you realize you aren't walking to the store on your own anymore because you can't carry home groceries the next day you, avoid a fun outing because there will be too much walking.... It gets way too easy to isolate yourself. Fortunately there are ways around this sort of thing. 

Last week Hubby took me to a mobility store and rented a wheel chair. I slightly protested, citing that I wanted to be able to do things on my own. One of my dirty little secrets is that I hate asking for help, or needing help. The biggest reason for the wheel chair was our fantastic family trip last weekend. We drove to Fargo, took a train to Chicago, and went to the 2015 Wizard world comic con. This event was huge. Their convention centre is so much bigger than ours. Their comic con is easily 3 times larger than ours. The wheel chair facilitated movement around the show floors (yes, multiple floors). It aided waiting in line to see my sweetie, Nathan Fillion. The wheelchair even got us to the front of that line along with all the other people in wheelchairs. Believe me when I tell you, the lines were long, people stood for a looooong time. There was so much walking involved in comic con, I NEVER would have made it. 

My boys were awesome. They pushed me around, stopping when I asked to see a booth and took me close to the washrooms when needed. I have to admit, it was a sweet deal. It allowed me to spend the entire day on the floor with the boys, all the way to closing time. I was even able to wheel myself to some booths when the boys stopped to look at comics and graphic novels! To be honest, I probably wouldn't even have made the walk across the street and through the convention centre to get our entrance bracelets. Don't get me wrong, I can still walk 20 minutes on a treadmill but a treadmill has the rails on each side and no one to bump into and I go at turtle speed. Walking freely, with just my cane is getting tougher. Good thing surgery isn't too far away. 

So here it turns out. This wheel chair that I didn't even want was amazing. I had feelings of guilt though. Worried I was being a burden on the boys, slowing them down...when actually, the chair sped them up.  No more waiting for me. I even made sure the the boys took advantage of laser tag shooting zombies. I really don't mind waiting for them to do something awesome like that, especially with so many sites to see and people to talk to at comic con! I know they felt bad leaving me out there but I still had fun. Next time I will be shooting zombies along with them!