Returning home part 1

When I was first paralyzed I wasn’t too worried about how difficult it would be to get outside, I was focused on getting back to walking and doing my therapies. The problem with working out inside was the more I did it, the more I longed to get outside to go for a run, a bike ride, or even just walk around the yard. The gap between me and the outdoors was getting bigger and bigger every day. 

A large part of me only wanted to get back to the outdoors on my own terms, which at the time meant doing things how I used to. I have since acknowledged the freedom that adaptive equipment can provide me but I still keep in mind risk, not only for my fragile paralyzed body but for the protection of my shoulder's longevity. 

I finally decided it was time to check out some adaptive equipment of my own. I got in touch with the courage Kenny outdoor recreation program and set up a time to get fit for a handcycle. I had a blast learning about the history of hand cycles and tried a couple out before I inquired about a sports chair. A sports chair is just like a normal wheelchair but the wheels are angled much more heavily and there is a wheel in the back to keep you from tipping over. These two things combined allow you to turn fast with ease and push as hard as you want without tipping backward. 

Even though I had tried many sports chairs at Craig hospital, the idea that I would be able to bring this one home made me ecstatic! I could move so fast and could hardly stop thinking about all the fun I would have playing sports including pickleball and tennis with my friends. I also took home a hand cycle which I would soon find out was almost impossible to use on a gravel road without putting way more strain on my shoulder than I wanted to. 

The following day I felt very low, spinal cord injury is always two steps forward and one back.  I felt that I couldn’t do anything on my own. I wanted to blow off steam, but I also wanted to show myself I could do things independently. I stormed off to get into the hand cycle after successfully getting on I was only able to get up the first hill of our driveway before turning back. I literally just wasn’t strong enough to outpace the mosquitoes that were eating me alive. 

After returning to the garage and barely finding the strength to transfer back into my wheelchair I decided the paddle board would be a better option, I went down to the lake, grabbed a paddle and life jacket, and slipped the board off the dock, and transferred on. There were way fewer bugs and by the time I got out to the middle of the lake I was finally at peace.