This first week back to work and without my sister has been both exhilarating and exhausting. I know that there are certain things I must live through in order to get to where I want to be. As I figured, the knee walker was a big hit among my students and colleagues alike. Yet, without my sister to remove it and retrieve it from the back of my car, I had that added burden.
I was still faithful to my crutches up until Wednesday. For some reason, on the hump day, I rationalized that if I could take three steps without crutches to deal with the knee walker, then I could limp down my apartment stairs without crutches to go to my car. The newfound happiness I had, tossing those crutches in the closet was wonderful. At the same time, I know not to over do it. I still have chairs strategically placed in my apartment in order to prop up my injured leg and I use the rolling chair in the kitchen/laundry area.
Since this was anti-bullying week at school, the culminating activity was dress up like a superhero as a show of support against bullying. I dusted off my standby Halloween “Storm” costume, which is always a big hit. The knee walker added an extra oomph to the ensemble. One teacher claimed that I’d scared him since he initially did not know what had just went gliding by. A student photographer came into my room to take my picture. All in all, it was a terrific way to end the week even though I’d stayed after school every day to tutor students. A bit excessive, but on Tuesday and Wednesday, I collectively called 21 parents to inform them that their children needed to attend tutoring.
Saturday morning, I put the first paint onto my latest canvas. I’m always happy when it comes to the first layer of paint on a new canvas, but this was especially wonderful since it was the first time that I’d set up my canvas on the balcony myself without the burden of crutches. I painted until one of my friends arrived to go with me grocery shopping. I only needed her assistance to get the rolling cart, reach certain things and carry the bags up once we were at the apartment. I did as much as I could do from the rolling cart. As if reading my mind, she offered to take me grocery shopping again next Saturday. I was actually thinking if I’d be strong enough to do it solo. I’d still use the rolling cart, but I want my independence back as soon as I can. Yet I took her up on her offer.
Nonetheless, I find that people are very willing to help me out if I just ask. I’m sensitive to not playing the “poor me” card, but later that afternoon, I went to a beer brewery anniversary party. I arrived early to get a close parking spot. The meetup organizer was already there, setting up the gazebo. I actually helped by rolling my knee walker on one part of gazebo legs while he scouted for some cement weights to keep it from blowing away.
Once again, I forgot to bring a hat, but I didn’t have to wait in line too long to buy my anniversary glass. One cool phenomenon is that when I was ready to get my second beer and the lines were long, no one had a problem with me rolling to the front to be served. Sort of balanced out my universe when I came home on Friday and two able-bodied people had parked in “my” handicapped space to unload supplies. Granted, they were only there for about ten minutes, but they’d pulled into that spot when I was right behind them. I was dressed as Storm, but I still glared at them as I limped by. Thoughts of taking pictures and sending it to the police had crossed my mind.
Then a woman I’d just met at the brewery party, went with me to one of the food trailers. She was very cool about helping me out, stating that she was also hungry and had been thinking of going over to that trailer to get something to eat. She carried our food back to the gazebo. I was happy that we could use the knee walker as a temporary table. I’d offered a couple of people a seat when I was in the lawn chair; so I feel that I helped out as many people who had helped me.
Speaking of which, the friend who is supposed to come over early to help me load up the car for the Austin Writers Roulette has car trouble of his own. Looks like I may have to go pick him up and bring him back over to my place. It’ll be worth it since he’s also one of the poets on the line up.
Feels good not to be just a taker!