What is Gimpy Guide anyway??

On May 19, 2006, I sustained a knee injury that required surgery. I've never recovered. My mild Muscular Dystrophy impaired the healing process. I have enough nerve damage, muscle wasting and bone loss that I'm on crutches or a walker full time and a wheel chair for long trips or on bad days. It became a battle to stay ahead of the MD as it consumed more and more of my mobility and fine motor abilities. I decided to see what was out there for mildly disabled people.

I found nothing. The travel guides were for wheelchair users or older "slow walkers". The wheelchair guides had too much information on some issues and not enough on others. The "slow walker" guides went to museums and knitted afghans. Yawn!
Where were the guidebooks for the people who had a broken leg? If I wanted to go see a rock concert at my local arena, what arrangements did I need to make for someone using a walker after hip surgery? If I used a wheelchair at the art fair downtown, were there bathrooms I could get to if I could go up a few steps? Could I navigate the beach employing the hot bartenders if I had a friend help me and went during off peak hours with crutches? My friend is recovering from a stroke and we need to know where to go for dinner. I've run out of insurance for physical therapy, can I use a personal trainer instead? What are some of the alternative therapy options?

The concept of Gimpy Guide was born.
It is for anyone who has mobility issues for whatever reason. Temporarily or permanently.

I chose the term "gimpy" because:
1. It's used quite often in Australia to describe everything from a the limp resulting from a sprained ankle to someone using crutches or a walker.
2. I liked the idea of being exactly what I meant. Not DISabled or Handicap-able. Why take a word and undo it to describe what my mobility issues were?
3. Gimp is a braid or decorative trim frequently used to apply the finishing touch to a garment. It's a bit like high dollar rick-rack. Those curtains or 80's tapestry blazer are more complete with it. (I actually still think about that blazer.)
4. Let's face it, Gimpy Guide is catchier than "Kind of Disabled Diary" or "A Little Bit Handicapped or is it Handicap-able How To" or "It's Just A Broken Leg and I'll Be Healed in 3 Months But, I'm a Bit Lost in The Meantime Blog".

And, do check back in. Up next; a two part investigation into pain and how it relates to depression, stress and healing.