WOW!

WOW! Last night was a trip. I wish I had felt better but still a lot of fun. I diod the Information Fair at the City Library—the fair was put on by the local spinal cord injury unit. I was curious why the unit chose not to have the function on their floor at the medical center but being there at the library I understood. There is just not room on the Rehab unit. What was weird there was not a whole hell of a lot of room at the library either. I think the Information Fair would have come off a whole lot better the rehabilitation staff had just used one of the gyms on campus.

Yesterday was a completely full day as I explained in yesterday’s blog—especially with my chair repair. Anyway I suddenly realized it was five o clock and I was supposed to be at the library at 5:30. However, I got into one of those boss and employee discussions as I was leaving so I ended up being late to the fair. I still had to collect the materials I planed to distribute at the function, load them into my van and drive over to the library. Of course, then, being late I could not find an acceptable accessible parking place round the building. I circumnavigated the block at least four times before electing to park in underground parking. This worked out ideally and I was able to push the disability thing afterward and got a deduction on the parking. The four hours I was inn the library underground parking cost $.75—I made out like a bandit.

The event was held on the top floor of the library sort of difficult to get to but I made it. I was blown away when I finely got the Info Fair. All the vendors were lined up against walls of the room we were in. Then there must have been thirty of forty people in wheelchairs and their families milling round. One of the things I hate with public meetings and general public get-togethers is the way people “pack” into rooms and leave no for egress. Blockage is bad enough with able bodies but add wheelchairs and then total stoppage occurs specially when you need access to an exit. I cannot imagine why no one thought of access and egress when this event was being planned. But I have to admit I was impressed at the number of spinal cord injured that were there and I found out this is just the gimps their program has served in the past year and half or so. There is even more wheelchair folks in the area. They served a dinner of subway sandwiches, chips and bottled water. Not really appetizing though I did grab a sandwich by the end of the night. I met some interesting folks and gave out way more cards the I usually do at events like this. I usually do not think these info fairs have much of an effect over all but I felt different tonight maybe tonight I actually think I may have helped someone. But I was tired , way tired when the event was over.