second wheeling trip!
31Mar07
I headed out for my second wheeling trip today. The long delay between my first and second is due to the fact that I live in an area that has snow all winter, and I figured wheeling while there was tons of snow around was likely not a good idea while a new wheeler! My first wheeling trip was during a break in the snow, and now it’s spring so the snow’s all gone.
It was wonderful. It felt right. I came home and was just… happy.
I don’t think I’m going to post a big entry about this trip, because it was just a short little trip out to have lunch with a group of friends downtown. It didn’t feel like a big event, it just felt like a trip out. It just felt right.
A few quick notes from this trip:
- I worry too much about what other people’s reactions to me using a wheelchair are going to be. I got together with a group of friends this morning, some of whom knew I use a chair sometimes and some of whom did not. Nobody reacted in any way, really. Everyone just treated me like they always do. A few people ooh’ed and aah’ed over my chair being ‘different than your average wheelchair’ (it being a Quickie GPV and not a depot chair!), but that was it. If only I could remember this whenever I start to worry about people’s reactions!
- All the routine things you have to learn when first wheeling are much, much easier after even a little bit of experience. This was only my second trip out, but all the little things like curb cuts, ramps, streetcar tracks, etc. were all so much easier than the first time.
- When you’re wheeling with someone else (someone else walking, that is), nobody asks if you need help, in contrast with wheeling alone. I know people are just trying to be helpful, but it gets annoying to be asked by every person walking by if I need help or if I’m waiting for someone to come take me somewhere.
- Getting used to wheeling in the community is as much about route-finding as it is about learning to actually operate my chair. On my normal route between my house and the nearest transit stop, there is a mild uphill section, then a mild downhill section, then another mild uphill section. Mild if you’re on foot, anyway! I decided to try a different route while wheeling today, and discovered I can cut out about half the slopes on the way, making it much easier to get there. I also discovered today that getting off transit somewhat uphill of where you want to be is much easier than getting off at the closest possible stop, which may be at the bottom of a hill. Wheeling a longer distance at a slight down grade is a lot easier than wheeling a short distance uphill!
- I really need to move to a more accessible house so I can do this more often without needing help to get out of my house.
“6. Wheel more often” ?
Glad you had a good time out! You seem to really have needed it.
Glad to hear that it helped to make you feel so much better. If only I could figure out a way to go ‘out’ in my proper condition.
Huzzah!
Snow sucks. Wheeling in slush is the pits, your hands get covered in salty slush, your skin dries up, cracks, then you get more salty slush in the cracks. Yeouch. Gloves just disintegrate.
I think one thing you’ll find from wheeling more often is that it becomes less about *wheeling* and more about just being yourself. I think that’s an important shift in awareness :)
Continue to tell us more :)
I was happy to walk with you. Run after you, really, but it was good exercise either way.
I’ve never wheeled in the snow before but I have a funny feeling I’ll get the opportunity when I move to the US. To be honest it doesn’t snow where I live, the closest we’ve ever had to snow was a severe hail storm.
There is a noticable shift in awareness. After a while I found I looked in mirrors and glass as I wheeled past because I couldn’t quite believe I was so much closer to the “ideal me” rather than focussing on the actual using of the wheelchair stuff. (yea I’m real eloquent tonight).
ps. When do we get to pimp out your awesome ride?
I wanna get hydraulics on that thing, maybe some subwoofers…. *plotplotplot*
Hi Robin, loving the wheely stories!! I’d really like to talk to you about something but can’t find a contact email. If you feel you could, please email me at funnyfeet2000@hotmail.com and I’ll fill you in. Thanks so much, kate x
Sounds like you’re getting the hang of it. You’re much better than I am; I had to “practice” late at night during my days off (around 1am-4am, because I don’t own a car and am too recognizable around my neighbourhood during the day) for about 7-8 nights before I finally decided I was ready to do it “for real.” And like you, I have to wait for a break in the weather; in winter, it’s only rain and never snow, but it’s not a good idea getting wet in the cold (this being Canada and all).
Your post from your first wheeling trip really helped things out for my own “first trip.” Just wanna say thanks for that. :)