I Did Not Go...

Yesterday the snow came followed by cold air, really cold air. I was also supposed to drive up north to participate in an Information Fair in Syracuse. Not far maybe forty miles away. But this was forty miles (up and back)after a full day of work. Forty miles most of which would be in the dark after an all day storm. The snow fell all day till 3:00 pm and I was planning on leaving about 4:00pm because I wanted to at least drive up to Syracuse in as much daylight as I could. The Information Fair was to start at 6:00 pm and end no later the 8:00pm.

He snow worried me as it fell and luckily, the ground was still pretty warm from the recent Summer and Fall so the snow was not accumulating and no snow accumulation is good. I did not want to go to this I&R I could say I had a feeling but my boss seemed insistent that we go and really as the day progressed I kind of got into the spirit. I was going to go smile, pass out information and drive back very safe and leave early today with the two or three extra hours I would earn. As the snow fell, all day, the staff kept telling me not to go, Dianne called a couple of times worrying about me going—but I was going. I had driven into work and ofcourse some one was parked right next to my van and I could no access my vehicle and had to have Frank drive the van out—then there were last minute calls as I was trying to leave and eventually I finally got free of the office in my van a little after 4:00, the sun was shining brightly now and felt I could make the trip. As I transferred into the driver’s seat from my wheelchair my world stopped.

I mean literally stopped. I drive from, what is called a six point power seat. This seat swivels, raises up and down ad slides back and forth under the stirring wheel. What happen was some how there a short had developed not allowing the driver’s seat the ability to slide me forward! I messed and messed with the switch which drives the seat and the seats various functions, and eventually got the seat to move forward to a point where I could drive safely. I figured that when I got to where I was going I would b able to get myself out of the seat one way or another. The biggest fear I now had was to be somewhere in Podunk Utah and be trapped in my van after dark. I decided then and there I am not going to Syracuse—I am going home and I did—and I am sure that made all the difference.