Man Vs. Wheelchair
Before I begin, let me give you a little background. I've had my wheelchair for a little over two years now. With that comes some natural wear and tear. Over time, family members and friends would unknowingly twist the handles as they were talking to me.
One day, my teacher was pushing me to my class. All of a sudden, I went off of the sidewalk and into the flowers. I kept my cool because I've been pushed into a door(on purpose). Yes, some people have a twisted sense of humor. I've also been guided down a very steep hill with two friends on each side. Rolling off of the sidewall? No problem. It was all part of it. Of course, my teacher was embarrassed and grabbed the handles. He thought he could push me onto the beginning of the sidewalk, which went upward a little, with one hand. Not as easy as it sounds. The handle came off. Well, I came home and told my mom that my teacher was concerned because the handle had come off. I don't think she really understood because she said, "OK, I'll see if I can find some new ones."
Another time, a friend of mine was helping me to class. We were talking about an upcoming class when the handle was really loose. It came off. I told my mom about it. I remember her saying she couldn't find any at our pharmacy. At this point, we had tried super glue on the handles for my walker, so we knew that wouldn't work. My teacher suggested the powder that people in band use. He said it would start out as a powder, then get hard. I was frustrated because we couldn't find anything.
Finally, my mom got to see it first hand. She was pushing me up the ramp to get to the house when the handle came off. She couldn't believe how easily it slipped off. She asked our pharmacy about it one more time. They said they didn't carry the kind with several hand grips, but he gave her some suggestions for stores that might.
Fast forward to today. One of the stores was right near where I take PT. My mom went in there and one person said they didn't have any. A man finally found some with one hand grip. My mom brought it back to test it out.
She got it on a little, but it wouldn't budge after a certain point. She's got muscular arms from lifting my wheelchair in and out many times a day, even though she doesn't work out. She called one of the male PTA's over to help, thinking he would have more success getting it on. It's only a piece of rubber, how hard could it be? He pushed and pushed. It went on a little further, but it wasn't enough. He gave it one final slam.
He decided to call in the big guns--McKenzie (Name has been changed to protect the innocent). She pushed and pushed--so hard that the wheelchair moved even when locked. The male PTA held the wheelchair. I was beginning to wonder if they could do it. Holding my breath, McKenzie got it. Score! The downside-that was only one.
My mom was able to get the second on further than she thought she could. There came a point that she didn't push it because she didn't won't to hurt herself. She decided to wait for McKenzie. She pushed, but it just wasn't going any further. She said it was bending.
Next, my PT gave it a shot. He pushed, and he also felt it bending. He said he might be able to get a better angle if I got out of the chair. He turned it over. He pushed and pushed and pushed. It was slowly easing up. That wheelchair had nothing on him. He was pushing so hard that he had to switch knees because it was getting sore. My mom and I said, "It's OK. That's close enough." He was still pushing and said, "One more push!" Looks like I wasn't the only one that got a work out today.
*Picture taken from Google
One day, my teacher was pushing me to my class. All of a sudden, I went off of the sidewalk and into the flowers. I kept my cool because I've been pushed into a door(on purpose). Yes, some people have a twisted sense of humor. I've also been guided down a very steep hill with two friends on each side. Rolling off of the sidewall? No problem. It was all part of it. Of course, my teacher was embarrassed and grabbed the handles. He thought he could push me onto the beginning of the sidewalk, which went upward a little, with one hand. Not as easy as it sounds. The handle came off. Well, I came home and told my mom that my teacher was concerned because the handle had come off. I don't think she really understood because she said, "OK, I'll see if I can find some new ones."
Another time, a friend of mine was helping me to class. We were talking about an upcoming class when the handle was really loose. It came off. I told my mom about it. I remember her saying she couldn't find any at our pharmacy. At this point, we had tried super glue on the handles for my walker, so we knew that wouldn't work. My teacher suggested the powder that people in band use. He said it would start out as a powder, then get hard. I was frustrated because we couldn't find anything.
Finally, my mom got to see it first hand. She was pushing me up the ramp to get to the house when the handle came off. She couldn't believe how easily it slipped off. She asked our pharmacy about it one more time. They said they didn't carry the kind with several hand grips, but he gave her some suggestions for stores that might.
Fast forward to today. One of the stores was right near where I take PT. My mom went in there and one person said they didn't have any. A man finally found some with one hand grip. My mom brought it back to test it out.
She got it on a little, but it wouldn't budge after a certain point. She's got muscular arms from lifting my wheelchair in and out many times a day, even though she doesn't work out. She called one of the male PTA's over to help, thinking he would have more success getting it on. It's only a piece of rubber, how hard could it be? He pushed and pushed. It went on a little further, but it wasn't enough. He gave it one final slam.
He decided to call in the big guns--McKenzie (Name has been changed to protect the innocent). She pushed and pushed--so hard that the wheelchair moved even when locked. The male PTA held the wheelchair. I was beginning to wonder if they could do it. Holding my breath, McKenzie got it. Score! The downside-that was only one.
My mom was able to get the second on further than she thought she could. There came a point that she didn't push it because she didn't won't to hurt herself. She decided to wait for McKenzie. She pushed, but it just wasn't going any further. She said it was bending.
Next, my PT gave it a shot. He pushed, and he also felt it bending. He said he might be able to get a better angle if I got out of the chair. He turned it over. He pushed and pushed and pushed. It was slowly easing up. That wheelchair had nothing on him. He was pushing so hard that he had to switch knees because it was getting sore. My mom and I said, "It's OK. That's close enough." He was still pushing and said, "One more push!" Looks like I wasn't the only one that got a work out today.
*Picture taken from Google
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