Watch Your Wheel

Some days are just more physical than others. The only real item I had on my agenda today was an appointment with Standard Optical for an eye exam to get a new prescription for glasses. I made the appointment for 10 o'clock figuring I would have enough time to get dressed and get up to the corner catch my bus and get to 5300 S.

I was lucky I rolled in a few minutes before 10 o'clock. The office was all but deserted except for three employees sitting in the back of the office. Employees seemed locked some sort of bickering debate as I rolled in. The oldest male was disheveled say the least bit overweight, there was an overweight female who may have been the receptionist seemed to delight in doing the opposite of anything the male asked. The third individual somewhat younger tending towards obesity location dressed in a black suit and white shirt and skinny tie. The entire batch looked like losers from an optometry game show. However, they did stop arguing long enough to sign me in and have me fill out the information that they asked me over the phone the day before. That done it was time to get me into the exam room or more specifically the exam chair. I have to admit a cynical as I am, I am usually ready for just about anything that deals with disability. I have to admit though I was sucker punched by the fact the exam chair of course bolted to the floor did not spin their turn it was fixed in the forward position to the eye exam materials. What followed was a Marx Brothers routine and getting me out of my power chair and perched on the exam chair. The exam chair of course was slick Naugahyde and I could barely keep myself inside the chair. I really thought I was going to slide out and I was dead. It was during this time that Queen Joan entered the room, Queen Joan is the O D and she rules. Queen Joan is nice but it's definitely a step above the rabble trying to serve me in the chair. There was questionable if I was going to even be able to test right for the eye exam. Long story short I think we are able to pull it off, the eye exam but it was difficult and took true creativity.

I left Standard Optical eyes fully dilated with Windows weird black plastic sunglass things they see seniors wearing long after the senior has anything to do with the optometrist. The senior thinks it's cool. I mean you could use these devices is welding goggles the plastic is that dark and difficult to see through. But I left dilated to the bright afternoon sun. I had the time so I figure for the heck and decided to visit Murray public library during nice facility not far from the optometrist's office. I was okay crossing the road, I was okay navigating my way into the library which was much darker than the outside and it took my granny shades off. I was okay, I could see and I spent some time looking around the library. I'm quite interested in seeing how I might be able to use the library and I Legacy project. So I was interested in a row of rooms off to the side of the children's pit. Turns out this short row of officesbelong to staff. Having noted this I turned my chair to my left and then literally fell off the floor and into the children's pit!The events happened so quicklyall I can remember was “oh no!”and knowing I was going down and wondered what was going to happen to me. I am amazed at how much the human body is like a bag of cement whenever I get the floor. There I was on the floor and thank God the power chair actually rolled over me not over me but over me it didn't touch me as it went over my body. I still haven't figured this out but I'm not questioning.

Immediately one of the librarians ran out of her office and asked if I was okay, I was of course but there's no way I was getting back in my chair by myself and we ended up calling Murray fire department who dispatched three paramedics take care of the downed grandpa. I was pleased that the crowd did not form. Paramedics were great asked all right questions, held my pants on and lifted me into the chair. The chair seemed okay. I seemed okay just a little rug rash on my shoulder. I left as soon as I could. I caught the bus home kind of freaked out usually I bounce pretty good, I recover pretty good but this time I was spooked. I'm still a little spooked over how safe I am? But I am going on with my life hopefully I will get a chance to live much longer. I was glad that and this challenging day.

Gang Of 10

We are a blended family, we're a mashup family, their families large part made by adoption of one sort or another but we are a family and are coming together. We're family is now scattered all over this great country coming together for a reunion is no small feat. I frankly don't know how the other kids doing, those who live in other states must pull up the business of the cold for a week or so to make the trek, this year, to Utah. In years past the reunions have always been invoicing. We have made the trek most times for the voice he reunion but there've been a couple times we didn't make it. Car trouble are just plain poverty we didn't make. I don't I will even considered going downto Colorado or Kansas or Illinois. These guys always made the trip out to Boise and now to Salt Lake.

I'm feeling the reunion is coming together. I shlepped together a Facebook page and oddly enough people are reacting to it positively. The pages be liked and commitments are being made and Facebook. This is great for planning the event. I called my sister Leah this morning and she gave me some great ideas to consider . I've already decided, with Leah's help on a spot for the evening meal Friday night before the reunion. We still have to put together some events that well entertained younger family members hopefully will be able to put something together that will be viable, memorable and fun. Mark A has volunteered to run a sound system and I want to see if I could give him to assist in the legacy portion of the event. I must confess I feel a little bit spooked because the event seems to be coming together to easy. But, we'll just have to do the best we can; people are going to show up that's for sure if we do nothing more than sitting around tables and talk like old people that we will have a successful reunion. If we do more than just sit around and speak to each other well that's just icing on the cake. I hope the Smith family will have many more reunionsbut I don't think we will with the players that are alive now. I was remarking today to someone that I am amazed that all of us are still living. That's 10 kids all alive and relatively good health but that can't last forever. But for now we are family, we are a force to be reckoned with the our gang of 10.

Reunion 2013

I'm finding one of the joys of retirement is the misguided thought that I have nothing to do. True I did carry on for the first two months about what I was going to do with my life and what could I do to keep busy. Well that is all changed. As I believe I have mentioned I have become involved in the Wellness program because I physical therapy project that does not include a real physical therapist. The wellness program is ran by University rehab takes place in a late hours of the afternoon when there physically accessible rehab gym is open and staffed with a trainer. I did not think I was going to like the program but I have changed. I can see the Wellness is for me. I can use this time to strengthen, work on balance and even lose weight if I so desire… It's up to me. I attend the Wellness sessions three times a week for an hour. However factor in two hours of travel at least it takes the whole afternoon three days a week.

I have also become involved with the local senior center. I don't know how much I'm going to do for these people I'm receiving some weird vibrations and I don't know if it's me or them but I have to find out. I got roped into doing their Facebook I don't know just what that's going to take time wise. I have meetings with their folks tomorrow and the end of the month and we will have the see what they expect.

Then I was contacted by my brother asking me if I could help out with the family reunion is being held in Murray this year. I of course is happy no am happy to be part of this gathering. Frankly, I am pleased that Carl contacted me with this assignment I just hope I can be of service to those I love. Boy, this is mushy. My brother was kind of surprised to see how busy I had become. I was to once I started telling him everything was up to. Still bringing this reunion to fruition shouldn't be that big a deal. I doubt this reunion will be as dynamic as others we have had invoicing particularly since we had some great Parks and a great river. I don't know how many younger family members will be here. We do have a lot of younger family i.e. kids which need to has something to do. I think the old ones for seniors like me just want to sit and talk to the other family members as long as we can but that's not fair to the others so you have to be thinking on what to do on that level. I have set up a Facebook page for the reunion and I hope various family members believe messages and ideas things we can do at this family function. I myself would like to do a brief legacy project which would entail filming as many folks that would be open to telling the story and that story of the Smith family.

Don't Give Up

Don't give up on me, I am going to write again, soon I promise. Rest assured I am well and settling nicely into retirement.

Get Back On The Horse

I really wanted to post this Sunday when the event happened but life just seems to get in the way. Last summer when I was going through all those issues with the decubitus ulcer on my butt I. E. Pressure sore I sort of gave up driving. Actually, even before the decubitus I was driving less and less. I hate to drive the truth be known, but transferring to the driver seat of the van with little or no protection for my butt made driving a painful and somewhat dangerous ordeal. So after the fling in the hospital I sort of gave up driving. I use public transit so much anyway given up driving was not a major sacrifice. I get back and forth to my work and most everything else very well with public transit. I bus or train everywhere and the system works. DeeDe is always happy to drive me where I need to go when I need to get to somewhere public transit doesn't go in this usually works well to. I tend to become complacent and take the easy way out. I don't like that about myself but I'm afraid it's a truism.

About a year ago maybe shade longer, in an effort to pare down, we got rid of are more expensive cable provider went with the local city provided cable provider at much less expense. For the most part this provider has met our cable needs but we of become less and less satisfied with their service, equipment and quality of viewing. We have started trolling cable channels looking for movies. Only find one we want to watch we record the item on the cable recorder. Many of these films are saturated with commercials (which drives me crazy) but at least we can fast-forward through commercial breaks. If the video is good then I tried to find the video on red box so we can watch the whole movie without commercial breaks. I know just another step to elitism. The trouble with red box is that they just have their current selections they don't really have an inventory of older CDs. I suppose if we were tech savvy we could figure out a way to download the movies from the Internet. We have never done that and besides our television set is older and seems intimidating hook up to the Internet if indeed that is even possible. So I remembered blockbuster and they should have a number of older titles and they did. I diligently researched where the film was I wanted and found a blockbuster nearby. The daily and Sunday the transit was barely running so I figured why not? Why not just saddle up get in the van driver blockbuster and get the film. My rear end had been healed for some time DeeDe did a great job in taking care of me. I was a little intimidated at driving but figured I can do this.

The day was actually pretty nice as I drove out of the driveway and headed east and came to the address listed on the Internet. I've been here many times that something didn't seem right and it wasn't. The blockbuster was empty and I remember the blockbuster had been one of those shucked off by the Corporation last year and effort to save themselves. They circle the parking lot and decided to download anyway and at least go to the grocery store and pick up a few items. As I made a right turn into the parking area I felt the front wheel go up on the sidewalk. I had turned too sharply and before I knew it I was on the sidewalk there is a large crash from the right side of the vehicle. I could neither advance or retreat. There was an old guy walking in front of my van and this all happens he froze his face anguished and told me not to move. He told me I had driven over a stone, a large stone, a small boulder sharp pointed and had slid itself under the running board the passenger side. I can either go forward or backward without causing damage. I rock back and forth trying to free myself but he just shook his head and said I need to call my insurance agent. Who really calls their insurance agent? You want me to get out and look at the mess I created but I told them I was in a wheelchair and could not do that especially the van was situated. By this time the younger fellow strolled by looking at the vehicular carnage. And the both of them began to direct me in the best way to free my van. Damage been done the running board had been brutalized by the stone and he guided me off the rock the noise was gruesome but I did get off the stone and except for the cosmetic damage the van seems to be okay. I have not driven the van sense. But not because I was afraid to I just didn't need to. I have made the decision to continue driving. I'm basically a good driver but I need more practice so it's back on the horse and regaining control of my life.

Wellness

It seems I'm fully immersed in the Wellness Program of the University rehab program set up by University of Utah. I had my doubts going into the program since it doesn't even start are open till three o'clock in the afternoon and traditionally been well wasted physically by that time. But I said I would give it a try and I have and am indeed glad that I did.

I have had a bit of a challenge wrapping my mind and life around retirement. There is so much time to fill I was becoming worried that I would just be a set at home retiree but with the wellness program and exploring other volunteer options in my neighborhood I am finding my day quite full. I'm doing Wellness three days a week, at least, and I have been a discussion with folks at the Heritage center here in Murray and I can see if I don't watch out I might overextend myself timewise. Who would've thunk? I am also trying to cook more at the house and that to is filling my days. Trips to the market to gather fresh vegetables for dinner and take a couple hours. I'm traveling mostly by UTA and that seems to be working well. True if I chose to drive I can see I would not get any more done because of the physical expense I would spend getting into out of the van and just driving to say nothing of the risk. I will explain this further in another blog later this week. So my days are becoming full and I am pleased with that. I am also finally exploring more art options. I found a good art store on 2100 S. that's right on bus route and got some supplies and now I must push myself to draw more possibly and paint. The weather has not been ideal yet but we have had a few days of extremely nice weather in the 70s and I can see travel of the delightful once the other stabilizes.

Wellness is interesting. The program is pretty self-directed now have gotten all the preliminary physical baselines out-of-the-way. The facility just off 2100 S. 11^th East is fairly accessible by public transit. I can get there and back on a regular battery charge though sometimes I have charged for an hour after a workout. I have a trainer and that is interesting. I'm still just a few weeks into this project and I think I am a little over excited… I want to do more. If anything I feel a little frustrated in that I don't feel I am being challenged enough. I would like to be pressing more weight but the trainer says I need to pace myself. One builds muscle by actually tearing down previous muscle, interesting. So the first day I have a fairly rigorous workout using the arm machine, and the rowing machine and a couple others. I work out for an hour and that's it. The next day I go I work on just one or two of the weight machines and spend the rest of the time stretching and a lot of the stretching I can do at home which is cool. But the middle day is mostly stretching and letting the body recover. The third and final day of the week I work out is again more strenuous. The arm bike I can see and feel can be a fairly rigorous workout pumping and ever-increasing strain for eventually 30 min. at a time. I am currently pumping just 15 min. and that's okay. I know once I get to that 30 min. mark I will be quite exhausted. Still I feel I could be doing more but I will defer for the time being but my trainer says have faith in her wisdom. So I go to the workout and it is 45 min. to an hour and I'm usually out of the center by for clock and home by five if I make my corrections. So this is about the same time I was usually getting home.

The best part is I can feel I'm losing weight which is splendid. My transfers are getting better my pressure releases are better and I even think my spasticity might be coming down which is really great. I am even making more salads for the evening meals I think that is helping too. I am feeling good, not necessarily great yet but I think I could see that coming. I am even contemplating getting back into the pool and swimming at least once or twice a week. Maybe even getting my hand bike repaired back out onto the road.

I'll discuss more about the project I'm working on at the Heritage center which will and include managing a Facebook account that to seems exciting if not a little daunting.