Reflections of My Life

What would you do if you were me and had limited mobility to get around............. as you all know, I have a mobility chair ("Jazzy") that I loved using and getting out and about on. Made my life pleasant and fun. It broke down and has been sitting in my bathroom now for over a year. I have to move it every time I need to take a shower (hard to push). Moving it using the manual option because it will not turn on. I think it may be a easy fix within the wiring or batteries.

Sonny is coming here today after he buys a used mobility chair (same brand but a little different model) he found on marketplace. He wants me to use this one and he will put mine in the storage room until he can come here to pick it up when it is not a rainy day. Then he will work on mine at his house in his work room shed. I had decided I did not want another one or even to fix mine. That I could live without it. I was tired of having something that has to be fixed or that could break down when I am out on it. Never know!

After saying all that..........I could go to the Grand Union, the dollar store, my foot doctor appointments, my hair appointments, the ATM machine, the parks, even physical therapy, etc. Freedom! Not having to put off doing things due to not having a ride. Should I say yes, and accept it? I suppose if I change my mind he would come and get it. His plan was to buy it to resell it as that is how he makes extra money (or that is what he said).

What would you do in my place? My knees are very painful right now and I can't walk to my foot doctor appointment next week. If I had the mobility chair it would be a nice ride. Hmmmmm......
 
katlupe said:
What would you do if you were me and had limited mobility to get around............. as you all know, I have a mobility chair ("Jazzy") that I loved using and getting out and about on. Made my life pleasant and fun. It broke down and has been sitting in my bathroom now for over a year. I have to move it every time I need to take a shower (hard to push). Moving it using the manual option because it will not turn on. I think it may be a easy fix within the wiring or batteries.

Sonny is coming here today after he buys a used mobility chair (same brand but a little different model) he found on marketplace. He wants me to use this one and he will put mine in the storage room until he can come here to pick it up when it is not a rainy day. Then he will work on mine at his house in his work room shed. I had decided I did not want another one or even to fix mine. That I could live without it. I was tired of having something that has to be fixed or that could break down when I am out on it. Never know!

After saying all that..........I could go to the Grand Union, the dollar store, my foot doctor appointments, my hair appointments, the ATM machine, the parks, even physical therapy, etc. Freedom! Not having to put off doing things due to not having a ride. Should I say yes, and accept it? I suppose if I change my mind he would come and get it. His plan was to buy it to resell it as that is how he makes extra money (or that is what he said).

What would you do in my place? My knees are very painful right now and I can't walk to my foot doctor appointment next week. If I had the mobility chair it would be a nice ride. Hmmmmm......
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I think it sounds like a good idea. Freedom vs depending on rides? Use the scooter! Have your hair done, go shopping, enjoy being out and about. :)
 
I was in the laundry room doing a load of laundry when in zips Sonny on the mobility chair he bought. Turns out the guy he bought it from used to live here. Upstairs. He does not need it anymore. He is all better from whatever it was he had. Working full time and has his own house. His wife died a few months ago.

Anyway I drove it a bit. Practiced the zero turns as that is the most important thing for me to be able to do. In the elevator especially. So I cleaned it up and it is better. I am going to keep it outside my door in my entrance area. I can charge it by running the cord under my door. That way I can keep my bathroom clear. It is SO big without the chair in it! I love it!

My neighbor said she will ride alongside me to test it going to the Grand Union. If it ever stops raining.
 
Yesterday a lot of things were going on here. Involving the manager. Her boss came here yesterday and worked in the office. She saw people there (probably re-certifying) and she was up on my floor when I came out my door and I met her and paid her my and Jeff's rents. Nobody mentioned our manager that I heard. So I figure maybe she lost her job. Not sure.

In the afternoon I visited with a friend of mine that lives downstairs. She has two beautiful cats. I get my cat fix by visiting friends who have them for pets. Cats always make you feel welcome when you visit. My friend who lives across the hall has one cat and he comes out to greet me.

Today I have my water delivery coming and will try to get the rest of my laundry done too. If the laundry room is not too busy. I want to spend a bit of time driving the new (to me) mobility chair around to get the feel for it. It seems to go real good. I know the guy who used to own it was not gentle with it always driving fast and hitting the bumps. I am a more cautious driver. Because I do not want to need a repair. It will be fun again once I start going outside with it.
 
I learned from another tenant that our manager is out sick. She did not get fired. Her doctor said she could not come back to work for two weeks. Too bad there is no way in these modern times for her to let everyone here know this. I believe someone had complained by phone to the company or her boss. That is why the boss lady was here. And she said she would be back next week.

I spent much of my day yesterday watching Teepa Snow's videos. My friend with dementia is getting worse. I saw a big change in her the first time she came here with her daughter. The whole situation with her husband having an operation and his recovery and having her daughter stay with them has affected her. Change. I had a talk with her daughter yesterday when I found her in the laundry room alone. It is hard on her especially since her mother does not know she is her daughter. If she calls her Mom, she will not respond to her.

One of the things about living in a senior apartment building is watching the people you have become close to get physical conditions that eventually will take their lives. I think my background as a CNA is helpful with me handling that. Not that it is ever easy.

I will try to get my laundry done today. I didn't get to finish it the other day. Trying to get my bathroom in order now that I am not putting the mobility chair in it. Maybe I will have to when I charge it. I am not sure about the cord reaching the outlet now since it is behind the bookcase. Hard to get to. Suppose to rain again today, all day. At least the grass is really green and growing.
 
Aunt Bea said:
I have a similar situation with an outlet behind a bookcase.

I solved it by plugging in a power strip that I turn on and off when I need to plug something in.

When not in use the strip portion sits on top of the bookcase.
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I use those and some other types. But I tested the charger this morning and it will reach.
 
katlupe said:
In May of 2018 I moved from my off-the-grid (off the utility grid) homestead and left behind my beloved horses, one cat (she would have hated living in an apartment) and my marriage. It was not a spur of the moment thing. As I was getting older and was doing less and being dependent on my husband for many things, I had become quite depressed. I kept telling him. One big problem was that even though it should have been very cheap living there, he kept using credit cards (including mine) and had a motorcycle and truck (that I was not comfortable driving so did not) payments. Sometimes we did not have food. In the beginning there, I had 16 raised garden beds and dried and canned lots of food. But as I got where I could barely walk, less and less.

Once I started getting my Social Security, I was eager to leave and told him I would. Until then I had no money. When I sold stuff on eBay we had to use it for food, hay or gas. He did not think I really would. The day actually came that I was able to leave. Mainly due to applying for senior housing that is subsidized based on your income. It was a lifesaver for me. I had not been to a doctor in years (and I was almost 66) or a dentist. I was for most of my life a stay at home mother because my first husband had his own business and my son is disabled. So I took care of him. I know people put down others who use services that are available to people with low incomes, but sometimes it is not something you do on purpose. This was my only chance and I was getting older. I do not regret it one bit and my life has turned around.
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You endured your way through a kind of hell and through perseverance overcame negative circumstances and made your way out. (I've had a hard time "holding my head high" when it was learned I lived 'free' -- on welfare. To the casual distant observer I looked fine, -- they could not see how badly shaky I am. If they were close enough, the shaking was do to alcoholism, drugs, or some other ignorant prejudged reason. You have earned a great deal of praise. 🙏
 
I relate so much to your homesteading. I did it too. Just about exactly the way you did. We didn't have horses. We had hogs and goats. I think chickens are a staple. :) We put up about everything like you. Oh the work. So many a summer day was picking our food, and then putting it up. But when winter was upon us heating up some frozen sweet corn sure is good. :)

I remember the mornings were 76 degrees at 5am. Putting a long sleeve shirt on, spray myself with mosquito repellant then get my hat to swat at horse flies. We are after about 2 quarts of wild black berries. As you reach into the bush to pluck the berries more scraps on the skin happen. It is unavoidable. Why do we do it? Then after they are picked they are processed and canned which takes another 4/5 hours. The same goes for the other 20 veggies we get mainly from the garden.

Every year for 15 the tiller was out tilling about 4 acres and then a garden was produced within a few weeks. We watered and weeded and fed the veggies. We loved our veggies. We had a tunnel of green beans on the front window. We dug and maintained several drainage ditches. We pruned and fed each plant for what they needed. We also had to protect the gardens from deer, muskrats, and racoons from raiding and stealing. That involved electric fences, and that's a whole other story. :)
 
Paco Dennis said:
I relate so much to your homesteading. I did it too. Just about exactly the way you did. We didn't have horses. We had hogs and goats. I think chickens are a staple. :) We put up about everything like you. Oh the work. So many a summer day was picking our food, and then putting it up. But when winter was upon us heating up some frozen sweet corn sure is good. :)

I remember the mornings were 76 degrees at 5am. Putting a long sleeve shirt on, spray myself with mosquito repellant then get my hat to swat at horse flies. We are after about 2 quarts of wild black berries. As you reach into the bush to pluck the berries more scraps on the skin happen. It is unavoidable. Why do we do it? Then after they are picked they are processed and canned which takes another 4/5 hours. The same goes for the other 20 veggies we get mainly from the garden.

Every year for 15 the tiller was out tilling about 4 acres and then a garden was produced within a few weeks. We watered and weeded and fed the veggies. We loved our veggies. We had a tunnel of green beans on the front window. We dug and maintained several drainage ditches. We pruned and fed each plant for what they needed. We also had to protect the gardens from deer, muskrats, and racoons from raiding and stealing. That involved electric fences, and that's a whole other story. :)
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Oh yeah........the electric fences!

If I hadn't started having trouble with my knees or the swelling in my feet, I would have tried to stay. It is a freedom that I don't feel here. Never affected me when there were power outages because I always had power. Wind and sun. The other problem was money. I wish I hadn't gotten the horses because they were expensive.

I do miss my garden. I foraged for wild foods and loved doing that. And the forest..........I loved living in the forest (well until a bear killed my cat). Till then I never had a problem with the critters. Coyotes were all around us but never seemed to come on our property. Probably due to the horses acting up when anything new came around.

Now though, I think back to all that work and know I could not do it today. Running water, a laundry room and a refrigerator with a freezer are luxuries that I do not take for granted and never want to give up. :)
 
Elsie said:
You endured your way through a kind of hell and through perseverance overcame negative circumstances and made your way out. (I've had a hard time "holding my head high" when it was learned I lived 'free' -- on welfare. To the casual distant observer I looked fine, -- they could not see how badly shaky I am. If they were close enough, the shaking was do to alcoholism, drugs, or some other ignorant prejudged reason. You have earned a great deal of praise. 🙏
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Yes, other people can be so judgmental about other people's circumstances. They do not understand life and how things can change even for them and their cushy lives.
 
Elsie said:
You endured your way through a kind of hell and through perseverance overcame negative circumstances and made your way out. (I've had a hard time "holding my head high" when it was learned I lived 'free' -- on welfare. To the casual distant observer I looked fine, -- they could not see how badly shaky I am. If they were close enough, the shaking was do to alcoholism, drugs, or some other ignorant prejudged reason. You have earned a great deal of praise. 🙏
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Both my mother-in-law, and my eldest brother have/had MS... and a lot of that saw them wobbly as they walked..( m-i-l) ended up in a wheelchair full time and has now passed ) and my brother who also has had a life long stammer, is unsteady on his feet when he walks at times, and people just presume he's drunk..same with ex M-I-L... the Irony is neither one of them drinks alcohol..but people are very quick to judge
 
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katlupe said:
Yes, other people can be so judgmental about other people's circumstances. They do not understand life and how things can change even for them and their cushy lives.
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Hi there K - how is Norwich goin these days - hearing about it reminds me of the one in UK where a good friend of mine once lived - and hearing you and Poppy talkin about it at times seemed to make it come alive a bit?

Norwich NY just reminded me to seek out this : looks nice and tidy and clean as usual
 
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hollydolly said:
Both my mother-in-law, and my eldest brother have/had MS... and a lot of that saw them wobbly as they walked..( m-i-l) eended up in a wheelchair full time and has now passed ) and my brother who also has had a life long stammer, is unsteady on his feet when he walks at times, and people just presume he's drunk..same with ex M-I-L... the Irony is neither one of them drinks alcohol..but people are very quick to judge
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Not all ailments show on the outside. Sonny has heart issues and does not have the place card hanging from the mirror but has a handicap license plate instead. If someone starts to question him parking in a handicap spot he just points to his plate.
 
smiley said:
Hi there K - how is Norwich goin these days - hearing about it reminds me of the one in UK where a good friend of mine once lived - and hearing you and Poppy talkin about it at times seemed to make it come alive a bit?

Norwich NY just reminded me to seek out this : looks nice and tidy and clean as usual
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I think it is a good place to live. Always have those complainers about it on fakebook but most of them would complain wherever they live. Pretty soon we will be having activities in the parks and at the fairgrounds.
 
This is the church where Pappy & Thelma were married. Still here and looking good. On Wednesday, (after Memorial Day, I think) they offer free lunches to everyone. Sometimes it is hot dogs grilled outside and free drinks. To anyone who shows up. They will even urge you take two. Also they have a food pantry there. Very short walk from my building.

church.JPG
 
katlupe said:
Not all ailments show on the outside. Sonny has heart issues and does not have the place card hanging from the mirror but has a handicap license plate instead. If someone starts to question him parking in a handicap spot he just points to his plate.
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it's the same with people who have conditions like Kidney diease et al....

In the UK I don't know about the US, but public toilets and restroom have signs on the doors of the disabilty stalls.. stating ''Not every disability is visable ''... because on many occasions prior to this people were being lambasted and shamed if they used a disabled toilet without an obvious disability

nediv_boars_head_v02_1126_633_90_s_c1.jpg
 

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