Wheelchairs

     I still can remember my first wheelchair. I was little, about 5, and I had PT, and we were waiting, and they pushed it to the hallway. Then I got my red one in or before 1988 because there is a picture of me sitting in it at MaMa's gravesite. With my brother dressed in his uniform, it had to been in 1988. I think I picked out red for gamecock. Then, a motorcycle group helped us to get a used electric chair. I loved that chair and could control it well, but it was too big for me. In middle school, I got a new wheelchair that fitted me. Remember, I was a teenager and wanted to be cool, so I got a pink wheelchair. Boy, it could fly, and they programmed for low speed. We tried it once to see how long it would last, and it went around 18 holds at White Pine Golf Course, if I remember right. That was a memorable chair because important things happened within that chair. I danced at my proms. I graduated from high school. My parents and I started going to church. I rode down to accepted Christ. I went to Columbia Voc Rehab in it. I raced in it or pulled other chairs with it. Somehow, I figured a pink chair wasn't for a job, so I wanted another chair. A man gave me his father's Scooter chair, and I used it until 2011 when my counselor tried to get me everything for my business. I got a Scooter, which I have now for church. My red chair was hard to push, so I started looking and talking with our doctor. She wrote a prescription, and it took a while, but I got a purple chair before Dad got so sick. In 2023, I saw an advertisement for electric chair on tv that Mom may handle for the van, and we ordered it. It was too heavy for Mom, so I rode around the driveway. We made it a point to go outside daily. I felt like a kid riding a bike and Mom sat watching. We used the purple chair when we went somewhere. Mom and I had a hard time shopping, but we made it with everything in my lap or I tried to push a cart while she pushed me. I tried to let her go shopping by herself, but she wanted me to go because she knew I wanted to go out. Now, my brother can handle the electric chair, and we take it everywhere. It is so much easier.

     For some reason, I can't push myself in a push chair. I probably gave up when I was little, or everybody pushed me. I know I have strength in my arms to lift myself. I'll try to push myself, but it is like a turtle crossing the finishing line. 😆😆😆