A Man and His Dog

I am now a little more than one month into my retirement and I'm still getting my retirement legs and I'm finding retirement is a bit more challenging than I anticipated retirement would be. I find it challenging to structure my day with meaningful things to do and not waste the day or the week. I'm surprised at how quickly Friday's come along. I'm surprised at how quickly Friday's come along and I have not updated my blog. I'm surprised at how little sketching I have done. The surprises worry me know little bit. Granted I've had my hands full with minor traumas and duties. Applying for Social Security, state benefits and attending to medical needs and appointments. The collapse of my manual wheelchair notwithstanding has taken a lot of my time in trying to get this issue resolved. Not only getting our ordering a new chair but trying to get the broken chair repaired. It just seems like so much energy to get these little things done and it should be so much energy consuming. The fact that I was left with less than ideal backup options for manual wheelchair which would allow me to maintain my independent lifesp
tyle has also been frustrating and eye-opening. I'm amazed, once again, how quickly and completely I can adapt to new situations. Case in point: having the use the manual chair I had a garage for these needs. The manual chair is a solid frame and way too large for my needs but I have been getting by to the point where this kind of becoming comfortable. However on a good note I have received word that my old wheelchairhas been approved for repair, the park has been orders and hopefully the chair will be repaired by next week send. This is been most frustrating. Gratefully, the chair is under warranty and should cost little for the repair, at least to me.

In the meantime, life goes on. I have been pleased at how close have been able to stay with my work mates from my last and final employment. Yesterday we met again for a” staff meeting”. Our staff meetings are actually lunches where we discuss mainly how I am doing in my retirement. Yesterday we met at the restaurant and the Gateway Mall across the street from my old building. I was concerned that I would have enough power to get to the restaurant and back home with the power in my chair but that was not a problem. The trip into the city was uneventful, I got my coffee, caught the bus then the train with ample time for my appointment.

I noticed I got off the train at the planetarium stop at the mall. A homeless guy with the dog on a leash got off with me. Not a big deal. As I got off the platform and on to the sidewalk I hadn't gone far, and the morning sun when I heard a crash behind me. Startled I whipped around my power chair and there was the guy with the guitar, the homeless guy with his bike and my dog he was laying on the sidewalk right just been. He must've been 10 yards behind me there were a number of other homeless guys begin to crowd around. I could see the homeless guy was writhing on the concrete. I could tell immediately the individual was suffering a clonic tonic seizure. The seizure was not as violent as many I have witnessed but a seizure nonetheless and someone had to do something. I am always a bit stressed about who has responsibility and who should take the first step in the event such as this. And since no one seem to be stepping up I thought the least I could do was make the phone call to 911. Luckily, I noticed there is another person with a cell phone and ham working through the same catatonia that had seized me and he in fact was beginning to dial 911. I made eye contact and asked him are you dialing he acknowledged in the affirmative.

The morning was a bright and beautiful spring morning, still crisp from the morning temperature. I could see the seizure person mildly thrashing on the concrete. There were a number of other homeless folk helplessly wandering around the down vagrant. Some were trying to verbalize psychotically what was going on as I move forward to the individual the crowd began to dissipate. Interestingly the Samaritan with the cell phone and I tried to get closer to the victim of the seizure when suddenly his dog began to bark rabidly. I was impressed a little spooked but impressed at how well the dog guarded his master. In fact the dog so well guarded his master complications begin to arise.

Luckily as we waited for 911 response mall security begin to appear. Mall security gathered around the circle and basically scratch their heads. I was looking for something to put under the seizures head, as he was rhythmically pounding the pavement with the side of his head. As I try to get closer to the person the dog barked savagely. This was also the case with mall security as they tried to assist the seizing person. Eventually the fire engines arrived and an ambulance. The dog standoff continued until eventually one of the firemen grabbed the leash and dragged the dog to a nearby lamp post.

The man with the seizure was coming around. His mouth was caked the spittle there is blood from his mouth from where he chewed his lip. He was still way groggy but the paramedics bundled the man up and whisked him into quick response vehicle. The event was over. I made my way over to the restaurant where I met my party. I asked him if it's seen the emergency vehicles. Enough time had passed where the vehicles were now gone. However Amy indicated she had seen a dogcatcher truck. My heart broke I am sure animal control was called to take care of the noisy beast. I kind of hoped somebody would've stepped forward to take care of the pooch. In fact a couple of hippie looking types did offer just that but they're just pushed aside. No I think the black and white protector was sent to animal control hopefully to link up again with his master. I kind of doubt that though. I think the clock started for the pooch on death row.