04-25-2021, 09:21 AM
Maybe I'm just the kind of guy who sees a silver lining everywhere, but using a wheelchair isn't that bad. It's not like my legs don't work, so I'm not confined. But they hurt when I use them more than just a little, so I use the wheelchair for things like shopping or any other time I travel more than 100 yards or so without a bike or car. Yes, I can still ride my bike some.
But I spent several years using a wheelchair back in the 1990s and over into the early 2000s. I'm quite used to it. I had forgotten that it feels a little bit like a workout. Just chasing my wife around Walmart got me a little sweaty. And yet it was comfortable for me, as my muscles remembered how to do it with finesse. I can go at least as fast as I used to walk.
My wheelchair is by no means as classy and comfortable as the Quickie athlete's rig I had back then, but it's good enough for now. It fits easily into the trunk of either car and really cuts down on the wear and tear on my knees. It's not a bad accommodation until I can get the VA to fix the degradation of my left knee. It's also a lot better than the soreness in my arms from using a cane.
But I spent several years using a wheelchair back in the 1990s and over into the early 2000s. I'm quite used to it. I had forgotten that it feels a little bit like a workout. Just chasing my wife around Walmart got me a little sweaty. And yet it was comfortable for me, as my muscles remembered how to do it with finesse. I can go at least as fast as I used to walk.
My wheelchair is by no means as classy and comfortable as the Quickie athlete's rig I had back then, but it's good enough for now. It fits easily into the trunk of either car and really cuts down on the wear and tear on my knees. It's not a bad accommodation until I can get the VA to fix the degradation of my left knee. It's also a lot better than the soreness in my arms from using a cane.