Let's play catch up!

Well, well, well...it's been quite a long time since last I blogged. Lots has happened too...good news, bad news, sad news.

Bettye Irene Huffman Towse
Jan 24, 1937 - Dec 24, 2013

Sad news...I lost my Mom to Alzheimer's on Christmas Eve, 2013. It's ok though...really...she's where she wanted to be. She watched her own mother go through that disease and said many times that she did not want to live her life that way. So yes, I miss her something fierce, but I'm also happy for her. She's no longer a prisoner in her own body, she's young and beautiful, she's with my sisters and other family members that have gone ahead.

Remember Bettye Boop, mine and Mom's electric wheelchair? Well, her roving days are over as well. The old girl gave us her all and her best, toting Mom all over Savannah, GA and then me, here in VA.  She allowed us independence and lots of fun and we are both so grateful. With some TLC and a few dollars, I'm sure there's still some life in the old girl. I just need to find the right place for her to go. For now she's resting quietly in the barn just waiting to go to...I don't know where yet.  Besides, now that we are living in the country again I really can't use her. No more easy sidewalks...now it's back roads and crazy drivers.  Just wouldn't be safe and she couldn't handle the rough terrain anyway.  She's a city girl!!

That being said, I DO have a new friend thanks to a sweet friend.  My health has taken a turn for the worse even after the neck and back surgery. At home I'm pretty much bedridden and often rely on the help of my walker to get to the bathroom or around the house. However, away from home I still need wheels. The old fashioned push-type foldable wheelchair worked for awhile but was becoming a burden on both Mike and Matt. I'm a "fluffy" girl and sometimes that fluff gets to be a bit much trying to push me up even a small incline. So back this past Jan I began trying to convince my insurance that I needed an electric scooter. Lots of paperwork and explanations from doctors, and just this huge ordeal. You'd think I was asking for organ donation or something.  Then my friend, Julie, stepped up out of the blue. She had just recently lost her Dad and she happened to have HIS electric scooter. Without hesitation she gifted me that scooter!  Even delivered it to me. We met up in the parking lot of Walmart...how perfect, right? Of course we both started bawling and hugging each other. What an absolute Godsend she is. Thanks again Julie!!

Another piece of great news...granddaughter #2 came into the world on Dec 5th, 2014!  Charlotte Jean is her name and what a cutie pie she is! Hard to imagine she'll be 2 in a few months.  Heck, Emma just celebrated her 5th birthday and will be starting kindergarten this fall!  Seems like the older I get, the quicker time goes by. 

Well, I think that's enough catching up for now. When next I blog, it will be what's going on currently.

See ya soon!!
           

Scary day tomorrow...

Thursday, July 25, 2013

You might as well know...I'm a big chicken! Yeah, I know I ACT like I'm all tough, & most of the time I am. But tomorrow I'm having a mylogram done & I'm worried something awful. I just hate the idea of a needle being stuck into my back.

As ya'll know, I have severe back problems. That's why I toodle around in Bettye Boop.  Well I'm just sick to death of all the pain & I have never believed in better living through chemistry, aka, pills. So last week I met with a surgeon to find out what my options are. His name is Dr. Sharma & I liked him from the moment he stepped into the room! He was very personable & friendly. He actually made eye contact. He answered all my questions & didn't make me feel rushed. I could feel his spirit when he shook my hand & that's ALWAYS a good sign. Don't know if he can help me yet, that's why I'm having this test done tomorrow. But at least he's willing to pull out all the stops to find out if he can. He's even gonna consult with my cardiologist & that's something none of the other "experts" have done.  I did have a talk with the nurse that will be taking care of me & I told her about my fear. She's gonna talk to Dr. Sharma & see if I can have a sedative of some kind to help me stay calm. I hope the hell so!!  After it's all done & I get back home, I have strict orders to lay around & do nothing. Really?  Hmmm...I think I can handle that. So if ya don't mind, how about sending me cyber courage, strong healing energy.

Looks like me & Miss Bettye won't be toodling around town for a little while.  She's sick! She's been sick for about a month or so...okay, more than a month but I just didn't want to admit it. She's been making strange noises & her speed ain't what it used to be. Well my goodness, the poor thing ain't had a check up in probably 8 years. And when Mike found out we went out yesterday & didn't tell him we were going, he had a small fit.  Bless his heart, he's just worried that Bettye will break down somewhere. So, until we can get her to Winchester & have her fixed, Miss Bettye stays parked & I'm housebound. So now I have to save up to get her fixed. They want $85 an hour!! Plus, it's a little over an hour's drive to get her to where she gotta go to get fixed. With Lowe's cutting his hours back & we got bills to pay, I'm afraid Bettye moves to the back of the bus for a little while. Don't you worry though...I'll find something to write about until we can hit the road again.

Lastly, today marks one year since my sister, Jenny, passed away. I miss her. She used to call me at all hours of the day AND the night...mostly somewhere between midnight & 4 am! Oh & come to find out, I wasn't the only one she was calling, even though she said I was. But that's ok. I would give anything to get a call from her now. Of course it would probably freak me out & there's no telling how much it would cost me! I mean, I don't have international calling so I don't even wanna think what a call from Heaven would cost. Still, it would be nice. So Jenny? I love you & I miss you. You make sure that you & Cyndi are there with me tomorrow, ok?

Well...it's almost 1 am & I have to get up early for this test. Don't know if I'll be up to blogging tomorrow. After all, I have strict orders to do NOTHING. But I'm pretty sure I'll have something to say by Friday. Until then...

Continuing where I left off on Tuesday...

Phew! Setting up a blog can bend yer brain, can't it?  I'm just flying by the seat of my pants, trying to figure out how to make the page not look like an idiot is writing it. If you're just joining, welcome! If you're returning, happy to have you back!

For a couple of weeks I'd been puzzling & puzzling & querying friends, trying to come up with a name for this blog.  A front runner was Annie's Wheelchair Adventures. Probably would have worked, but it just seemed...boring. Then there was 4-wheeling...naaaah.  And so the list went on, but nothing was jumping out with that "ah haaaa....that's it!"  This morning I decided to venture out while it was still cool enough. Since I'm out by myself with nobody to talk to, I get to spend a lot of time thinking as I'm rolling along. Maybe I should name my chair. Hmmm? Not a bad idea. Ok, what shall I name her? Well, I got this chair from my Mom.  Her name is Bettye, with an "E".  Mom loves Betty Boop.  I like having the word "Adventures" in the title. And then it happened.  I had the ah ha moment! Adventures with Bettye Boop!  That's it! Notice the spelling? Did that to honor my Mom. Cuz let me tell you...before Alzheimer's stole her brain, that lady TORE UP the streets of Savannah in this very same chair! During one of my visits I had to rent an electric cart just so I could keep up with her.  And she became an advocate for wheelchair-bound citizens. Sadly, the streets in Savannah are not as well done as they are here, in Manassas. So she contacted the Mayor's office & challenged him to take a ride around the block in her chair.  He rose to the challenge, took the ride by himself & was shocked at how difficult & dangerous it was for her & many like her. I don't know what the outcome was because shortly after that we had to bring her to Virginia because she just couldn't live alone any longer. My Mom now lives in a hospice facility in Oklahoma. She's in the end stages of her disease. I miss her so very much. But I think she would be pleased that I'm using her chair the way she did...to hang onto independence.  So all of my adventures in Bettye Boop will hereafter be dedicated to my Mom...to Bettye!

Until tomorrow...

Tuesday, July 23, 2013 Wheelchair adventures...a look back.

So, I'm gonna restart this blog thing AGAIN. And I'm gonna TRY to be consistent, though I'm not promising anything.

Because my back has deteriorated so much, I'm now reduced to using a wheelchair when I leave the house. I have two, actually. For my travels with family, I have a regular pushable kind that folds up & fits into either the truck or the car.  Being a "fluffy gal" can make getting me around a bit of a challenge depending on how steep the incline may be. Matt's young & strong so he doesn't have any problems.  Mike hasn't had to push me around very often but when he does, he scares the hell outta me! We crash into door jams, walls, almost hitting people! 

Now my other chair, the electric one, is great except for one small problem. It's heavy as hell! Takes 2 men & a boy to lift into the truck & unless you practically disassemble it, it won't fit into the car!  But gosh, the freedom I have is incredible. Here, in Manassas, there are sidewalks everywhere & I just love to venture out on my own & explore my local area. I can spend the entire day out & go almost anywhere I wanna go, 

I'm slowly "tricking" it out with some essential tools. I have a small zippered pouch that hangs from the left armrest where I keep my cell phone & ciggs. YES, I'm a smoker! Get over it! Nuff said about that. In front of the pouch I have a cup holder that I love. It's great for that all-important bottle of water or for when I grab a soda. On the other armrest, behind the joystick that I use to steer & power forward & back, is my ashtray. Just because I smoke doesn't mean I should be unkind to the environment (I truly dislike inconsiderate smokers!). It's an ashtray with a flip-up top which not only helps to snuff out the butt & keep off the streets, but makes it friendly when I go indoors to stores or restaurants. Hanging off the back of the chair is my backpack that contains a rain poncho, a cooling/absorbent towel, extra medication, hand lotion, sunscreen, umbrella (great for the unexpected rain storm or for shade), my ID, & a few other things. Most important...a 2 liter bladder so I can have water with me at all times. It even has a mondo-long flexible tube so all I have to do is reach over my shoulder, grab it & start sucking! And still plenty of room to put shopping bags for those quick trips to the store. I have a leopard-spotted seat cushion. Not the best, but hey...I look like I'm stylin'! Last, & most important...the recharger! DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT! I don't know what the distance limit is on a full charge yet, but if I start to run low on juice I just have to stop somewhere, plug in, & wait till it charges back up.  Only had to do that once & only for a few minutes cuz I was soooo close to home.

A few weeks ago I came across a really cool app for my phone. It's called MapMyRide. With this app I can track where I've been on a GPS map, know what speed my chair is going, & how much time spent traveling. It talks to me too. If I stop it says "workout paused" & when I start going again it says "workout resumed". Every mile it tells me how far I've gone so far, at what speed, & how much time. This app is actually for cyclists but it's working great for my adventures. I can save my trips, I can even participate in contests for prizes if I want to. Of course I can't compete with what cyclists are able to do. I wish. Another thing this app does is tell you how many calories you've burned. Again, I WISH! I would be soooo skinny now!! I can also play my music on my phone & the app continues to run in the background & will still give me my stats without shutting down the music...it just pauses it for a moment, tells me what it wants to tell me, then the music resumes where it left off. One of these days I'm gonna try to create a map picture. That's where you use the map to draw a picture, like somebody did the shape of a guitar. That's one of those contests this app has. Think I'll wait until the weather cools off a bit though.

Even though I have one of those huge umbrellas plus the poncho, I still don't go out in the rain. And if it's Africa hot out...forget it! Besides, I can't steer the thing, hold an umbrella, & smoke at the same time. I wish I could figure out a way to attach the umbrella to the frame so that I would have shade all the time leaving my left hand free.

It's interesting traveling around & experiencing life from the level of a wheelchair. Just navigating can be a challenge. If I'm rolling through a residential area I go from a level sidewalk to listing to one side because of driveways. I've taken to carrying a pair of garden clippers with me because of trees & shrubs & other vegetation getting in my way. I fought with one of the apartment complexes for a month, trying to get them to have their landscape crews cut back the shrubs & tree branches that were blocking my path. FINALLY they did it, but only after I threatened to report them to the county. It's just easier if I do it myself. While I'm on this subject, the nicest thing happened for me.  A few days before Father's Day, & not long after a major thunderstorm, I was observed by a gentleman & his son who were sitting at a stop light, struggling to make my way down a sidewalk I take to get to the store. This particular section of my route is heavily wooded & vegetated. Because of high winds from the storm, lots of branches & debri were either hanging waaay low or were broken off & laying on the sidewalk, right in my way. It truly was a struggle to get to the store that day. Well, I needed to go to the store on Father's Day. Lo & behold, when I arrived at that part of my route, there was this man & his son, ON FATHER'S DAY, cutting back all that stuff! I just couldn't believe it! It was HIS special day & there they were cleaning up that mess just so I could roll on through without difficulty. I am not ashamed to admit that it brought me to tears, I was so touched. I hugged them both & thanked them genuinely. Such a loving random act of kindness.  Wooo, I'm choking up just writing about it. But isn't that a wonderful story? I'm so glad I shared it with you!

On the other hand...I was rolling around in Old Town Manassas. OTM is NOT very wheelchair friendly in that I cannot go into pretty much any of the shops & most of the restaurants. I had to pee. And no I haven't figured out how to rig up a porta-potty on this thing yet! I tried the 7-11 but the manager turned me away saying he didn't have a public restroom & no insurance to cover me if I used the employee's. Yeah, right! If ya got insurance for me to shop in your store, then ya got insurance for me to sit on your damned toilet! Really? So anyway, I DID remember that there is a public restroom that IS handicap accessible...even has the electronic door!...at the old train depot. So even though I had to pee REALLY bad, I had no choice but to hold it til I could get to the depot. Getting into the depot was easy, but going into the restroom, not so much. I had to leave my chair outside the door & walk in under my own steam, which isn't an issue as far as my walking that short distance. I was more concerned with leaving my chair out there, unattended. Let's face it, there are enough crazies in this world that I have no doubt would have no problem stealing a damned wheelchair! But I had no choice...I had to go! So I go inside, do my business & come back out...my chair was still there. So I figured while I was there I would check out the depot. There were lots of flyers to gather with info about the doings in OTM. Plus I found out that this depot is still active (that's another story for later). Did I mention that there were two men in the depot? Oh...well...there was. I then noticed that through another door...a regular door, like the bathroom's...there was a room with displays to look at. I wanted to go check it out. Now, one bad thing about having an electric wheelchair as compared to an electric cart...There's no conveniently located basket to put stuff in. So I have my free hand full of brochures I'd just picked up & trying to figure out where to put them so that I can open that door. I started to tuck them up under my leg & of course they all fall out of my hand spilling onto the floor. Don't it figure? Now I had been on the road for a couple of hours, & it was getting close to the time that I would need to take my next dose of pain meds but not quite close enough. In other words, I was starting to be in a lot of pain. Do you think that either one of those "gentlemen"...and I use that term loosely...would offer to help? Even to just pick up the brochures on the floor instead of me having to lean over to get them, causing my back to hurt even more? Oh HELL NOOOO! Still determined to get into that room, I managed to retrieve my brochures, successfully tucked them under my leg, & began struggling to get that door open so I could roll on through. It may sound like it should be easy to do, but you try it sometime...it ain't! First, I have to fold back both of the foot rests for easier maneuverability, then I have to roll up to the door & get close enough to reach the knob or handle, then roll back, pulling the door open as I go. Then hold the door open with one hand while driving the chair through. Sometimes it's like trying to thread a 2x4 through a needle! And STILL, those asswipes didn't even offer to help! Finally, after struggling, I just said F it & gave up. I was tired, I was hurting, & I was pissed. Well, maybe not pissed, but certainly disappointed. As I was leaving the depot, I said over my shoulder, "Gentlemen, just remember...God don't like ugly." One of them said something but I didn't catch what it was. I'm pretty sure it wasn't nice.  So I experienced one extreme to the other...random act of kindness & just plain meanness. I just love the psychology of humankind.

 Well, are you sick of reading yet? Cuz I need to take a break & eat something. It's now noon & I haven't even had breakfast yet. Not being a good diabetic. Back later!

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