Wheelin'

Today I took delivery of my new vehicle.

A hot Topaz 9000 wheelchair.

I am excited! This has re-opened some slowly closing vistas. I can get around the house just fine, except the stairs can have their moments, but nothing insurmountable. I can walk into a restaurant, into the pharmacy to get something, and most of the big retail outlets have Amigos to zip around in. The 'rub' came when it involved walking a distance, like evening walks with Mary, visiting a museum or aquarium, or walking around downtown Ann Arbor on a Friday or Saturday night. These had become very problematic. Now, I am not the kind of a man who thinks that his wife can just adjust, because he can't or won't admit that there are some bio mechanical issues he has to make allowances for. With a nice vacation coming up, I said to myself, "This will not be messed up by me being unable to get around!"

To make a long story short, I talked to my doc yesterday, and today the Topaz 9000 arrived. It is a rental through the U of M health systems, as when I lose more weight, I am going to get a new knee. So, it will be temporary, hopefully. At least that is what I am working toward. I am quite happy, now Mary and I can go for an evening st/roll (good pun, huh?) and do some more fun things.

I had over heard an older man talking to his son, at my doctor's office. The old gent was vehemently arguing about not wanting a wheelchair. "It just means I'm getting old, goddamit! No!" His son said "Dad, you're 82!" This elicited a snort, and his dad said "I'll sit on my ass in the house all day before I get in a wheelchair!" This feeling, and various permutations of it abound in the land of "Never admit to looking (and often acting) your age." Face lifts, ass lifts and tucks, several kinds of suction, botox injections, hair dyes, and so on, are the things used to convince oneself they you are not undergoing any type of aging. It can get rather funny at times. As I was shopping today in our local Meijer's, there was this lady ahead of me in the aisle, probably about my age, but really trying not to look it. I putzed up on the Amigo and stopped behind her cart. She was in front of it getting something, and seeing me she straightened up and said "I'll be right out of your way." "No problem" says I. Then I noticed a look of horror on her face. "Huh?" I thought, and I followed her gaze, from my face to her shopping cart. I almost burst out laughing. Since I was seated, my eye level was exactly at the level of the little kids seat in the cart where we all put small items when the kids no longer fill the seat. In her cart was a big can of Metamucil, a big box of glycerin suppositories, and some 'personal lubricant'. The very fact that I might have seen these things and come to the conclusion she was having some pretty normal effects of aging, seemed to be bothering her. In spite of internal laughter, I didn't bat an eyelash.
She really moved along.

We all get old. It is no big deal, if we just move into it, because nothing will stop it until we die. That is a fact.

So, me and the Topaz 9000 are getting ready for a few adventures. Rock and Roll!!!!

Tim