My New Wheels…

The last time that I was in the hospital, June 22nd to July 3rd of this year, my doctor ordered me a wheelchair, it’s actually the exact model of the one in my last post. The Cherokee Nation paid for it and had it delivered to my house. I don’t use it in my house but only when I go out for appointments. I can walk about 20 to 30 feet before my legs go numb and my left ankle starts to fold. Once the ankle goes I either hit the ground or set down on the closest thing available, then I have to worry about getting back to where I started from. In my house it’s not too bad, I know my limitations so I only push it so far. I can’t stand long enough to cook anything on the stove, or do any household chores, even taking a shower or standing to piss is a huge pain. I can usually walk up or down about three steps as long as there is a rail to hold on to, any more than four and I wouldn’t even attempt it, and when I do have to go up or down steps it’s one foot at a time, right foot first and I kind of pull my left leg behind me. Most of the time when I get into a car or my sister’s van I have to have someone lift my left foot up into the car, I even have to have help getting my left foot up onto the footrest of the wheelchair. My whole left side doesn’t work right, even my left arm weakens quickly. I had a CT scan the last time I went to the doctor’s to see if there was some type of other damage to my left side (such as a stroke) but I’ve not heard back from them yet, I should be going back at the end of September or the first of October.
I’ve always been huge, a little over six foot tall and over three hundred pounds, most people in my family are big except for one of my younger brothers, he’s about five-ten and weighs about one sixty-five to one seventy-five, and he eats whatever he wants. Ever since my walking has slowed down I’ve gained even more weight which sure doesn’t help the mobility part. Even at three hundred pounds I had to stay pretty active to maintain that weight. I’ve always spent time in the woods, shooting, hunting, fishing, or just hiking around. I had a few buddies and we would get together about three or four times a week and play basket ball,. When Emily was a baby we had horses and there was always something to do to stay active, building fences, mending barns, trimming hooves always something strenuous, all of that seems like a long time ago now. The hardest thing I do now is let the dogs out.
Monday I had to go to the Cherokee Nation to check on some type of assistance in getting some bills taken care of while I’m waiting on my Disability, my sister and I picked up Emily from school and we tried to take care of that (I now have to go to the Creek Nation in another town and file for assistance) after that we went out to eat and did a little shopping (I bought two new dog dishes for four bucks and some change) it was the first restaurant (BBQ) and store (Big Lots) that I had been inside in over a year. We had a pretty good day and I even drove my sister’s van some. I’m looking forward to getting out more now for things other than doctor's appointments and social services.
I guess what my point is that if I keep losing weight it’s going to get easier to get around and I won’t have to rely on the wheelchair. I’m already looking forward to donating it to someone who needs one but can’t afford it. So I’m not going to individualize my wheelchair or, “Pimp It” as Emily calls it, I’ll leave that to the next owner and I hope it still looks brand new when he or she gets it. Peace and take care.