3 ways to "do something" helpful

One of the goals for Gimpy Guide has been to support and educate. As I speak with new patients or those who have had mobility issues for a while, one thing keeps coming up....friends and family aren't sure what they can do to help. The following are 3 ideas that come up frequently.

1. Offer to help around the house
"What day would be good this week for me to come by and do a load of laundry, sweep or vacuum the floor, pick up the dry cleaning, go to the post office, change a light bulb, weed the garden, mow the lawn, take out the garbage....?" Trust us, we would absolutely love someone to dust that vent or ceiling fan (we never noticed they were so dusty until we couldn't do anything about it).
2. Schedule a time each day or week to give us a call and just check in
Sometimes, just knowing that there is a scheduled call can give someone the strength to push a little harder at physical therapy that morning or postpone that meltdown from frustration. We may feel more comfortable sharing if we are reached out to with those calls than placing the call ourselves. Sometimes, we may not answer but, we know you remembered to call.
3. Offer to take us somewhere
Having mobility issues is not only frustrating but, can be very scary. Have you ever realized how slippery the floors can be at a supermarket? Is it really necessary to spritz the fruit and surrounding floor several times a day? The lovely stadium seating at the movie theater is daunting with crutches or a walker. And, if your gimpy person indulges in the bucket of popcorn and accompanying vat of soda, they may need assistance navigating those same steps in the dark. Perhaps more than once.

Repeat as needed depending on how long your friend or family member is gimpy. Please remember; even those of us who have been gimpy for a long time or, expect to stay that way still need a bit of help. No matter the system in place, or how brave the face, there are still moments of frustration over tasks, fear that we've gotten in over our heads and worry to go places on our own.
And, thank you.

MCI airport in Kansas City

Kansas City's MCI airport is composed of 3 U or C shaped terminals. The floors are some designed in a dizzyingly galactic design. They are slippery. On the up side, most everything is located on one floor with access to baggage and curbside parking mere steps from the departure gate. The gates are not well marked at the curbside. Drop off points labeled as ticketing gates may be nowhere near the actual gate. Be prepared to stroll along looking at the array of stars sliding past your feet as you progress through the "C" to your final gate point. As of January, there were no scanners in view.

Chicago Mart/Holiday Inn

Claustrophobic revolving doors greet guests of the Chicago Mart. Please do take a moment to punch the handicapped button to slow them down. They are small enough that the shuffling required with crutches or walker wouldn't provide you enough time to clear the threshold.
Once inside, visitors are greeted with a huge expanse of slippery, white floor. While there are no mats to provide traction, there are plenty of useless signs warning that the floors are slippery when wet. Between visitors with snow on their feet and the Mart's desire to keep the white floors looking nice, the floors were ALWAYS wet and slippery during my stay. The upside was an amazing doorman who escorted me through the special employees door on my departure saving me from the turn style shuffle of my arrival.
The Holiday Inn lobby is located a short elevator ride up from the Mart's entrance. The staff were friendly and accommodating. We were gifted a switch to a beautiful corner room with a smile. The views of downtown Chicago and the river were amazing. This is now one of my favorite places to stay. The bathroom is a bit too small for a wheelchair and a large walker may not fit through the door way, crutches and a folding walker fit through with no problems. Do make an inquiry if you are traveling alone as there are brutal, narrow stairs to ascend with your bags from the parking area.

Tenacity in Queensland

The people of Australia and Queensland in particular are amazing. I am taking a brief detour from the chronological order of my travels to comment on what I've seen.
Currently, I am in Adelaide, South Australia. No where near the flooding. However, the news reports are on constantly. So, for anyone outside Aussie, I'd like to share a bit of the reports coming in.

"Please save my brother first" from a 4 year old who ended up getting swept away. "Mostly, I'm worried about my little sister" from a 7 year old. "Two men I didn't know saw us moving things out of the house and just walked in and helped us load the rest of the trailer. Then, the received a text of another family needing help and went to help them too". As repeated by a news reporter in Brisbane standing in ankle deep water with a half blackened cityscape behind her.

There have been NO reports of looting. No whining that insurance probably won't cover the damage. Homes across the state have opened up to strangers to provide clothing and shelter. Without expecting payment of any kind other than gratitude.
I am so amazed at the amount of money that has been raised for the victims from around the world.

I am inspired by the way the Aussies are looking out for others, doing the hard work to make a difference and not complaining. The news isn't badgering those who have lost loved ones, allowing them to grieve and not be sensationalized.

My heart goes out to those who have lost loved ones. May peace be with you.

To the rest of Queensland and Australia:
Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!.........Oi! Oi!Oi!
Good on Ya!

Iowa-gotta go

I found myself on a road trip to Iowa in a snow storm. NOT the most fun place to be. The roads were slick, traffic was slow and the floors in the service stations were scary. However, there was a bright spot in this drive through Iowa: the rest stops.
I wish I had taken my camera they were that great.
The cement on the way in was the old school swimming pool kind. Bad news for the rear of your swimsuit or tender feet but, great news for traction on crutches. There were long, thirsty mats lining the entry AND to the bathroom. The handicapped was the first stall in the row. YEA!! I wasn't in time out by being in the corner stall. The wide, easy to maneuver doors latched securely. The towels were located close to the sink. I prefer to dry my hands before having them slip on the handles to my crutches.
If more restrooms could take a lesson or two from Iowa, the world would be a happier place. Really. The pebble in the pond theory works. Especially if you've encountered me or anyone wiped out on a slippery bathroom floor during a concert or sporting event. It's hard to maintain love and light when your whole backside is covered in wet toilet paper and grime. And, that's if we didn't get hurt in the fall.

4 out of 5

I think it's, "Four out of five dentists recommend Trident sugarless gum to their patients who chew gum.", or, something similar. My problem is that I've always been the weird kid who wondered:
Who was that fifth dentist? Why didn't she recommend Trident? How did they choose the dentists involved in the recommending panel? What was recommended instead of Trident? Was it another gum or no gum? And so on, and on, and on.
The problem with that type of thinking is I never have the answers I feel I need in order to make any statements about gum.
I am no longer going to hold myself hostage to the need to know everything before I post. The blog will retain it's journal/post card style while Gimpyguide.com will be more professional and content laden.
And, just in the nick of time as I am about to embark on some more global adventures.
Coming soon...road trip across a blizzard like Iowa and it's rest stops(they are THAT good).....Chicago Market....LAX (large enough to warrant it's own post)...Australia.

Laser Treatment Part 3

This has been the most difficult post for me to write. There has been a long pause in posts because of it. I know that once it's "out there" I can't take it back.
The hardest part of laser treatments wasn't the lifestyle changes, it was the friendship changes.
Once I stopped all alcohol, cigarettes and going out, I discovered all this time and energy!! Wow, what the heck had I been doing with my life??
I realized that much of my time had been spent "hanging out",discussing hang outs and planning future ones. With people who didn't remember the plans. I really noticed that if there is a group of people drinking, they can discuss and dissect the same event or thought for a ridiculously long time.
I found myself frustrated at the repetition, the smell and the unhealthy aspects. I began to avoid those places and people until I decided what to do. The emails and phone calls started. People were concerned about me. They wanted what was "best" for me and not meeting for drinks was unhealthy and antisocial. I wasn't "fun" anymore. When I explained that I would meet at the gym or go swimming, that was met with dismay.
One friend actually did meet me at the pool while I did some pool therapy. I was there about 2 hours. They had 2 beers, lit up a cigarette as soon as I left and then went out with the "fun" friends immediately after. The next day they were "hung over" at a another friends birthday party.

I have no problem with my friends who drink. I was there with them for a long time. In fact, I have brought very moderated alcohol back into my life. I simply want to make healthier choices. What is fun for me at this point is reading a great book, researching medical breakthroughs for the disabled, getting to church more often, volunteering, spending time with my children, and taking classes.
When I did a whole food cleanse, the facilitator said,"As your food changes, so do your friends." As we grow and move forward, we meet new people on our path. Not all the old friends will come with us. They're not meant to. They have their own paths. I can't drag them with me or feel horrible that I'm "leaving them behind". This is my life. I am the only one who can live it or make choices about it. As much as I love my friends, they are responsible for their own choices and outcomes.

While I enjoy the Erma Bombeck style of my typical blog, I know this entry is extra casual and disjointed. I'm aware that if I edit, this post may never get out. Thank you for ignoring the lack of structure in favor of the content.