How I started to rock walking with a stick
View this post on Hive: How I started to rock walking with a stick
Dear reader - Steem has been renamed to Hive since May 2020. My content therefore has moved with me to Hive, and I hope to see you there: peakd.com/@soyrosa.
Thats awesome you found something that makes such a drastic difference. I had a concussion that took 8 months to recover from a couple of years ago, and during that time I had many physical issues that made walking and standing difficult. In retrospect i wish I had gotten a cane, to save me from physical pain and panic in long lines, and also to give a visual cue like you mention. I actually never even thought of it while I was sick, as an option. My worst experience was the Toronto airport...delays and crowded waiting areas and they even made us stand on the tarmac for 30 minutes in the cold! I was trembling in pain and was afraid to ask for help because I was sure I would break down sobbing ! I looked fine from the outside too. So i know what that experience is like! Happy for you that you have this tool to help. I do have a question...how do people in wheelchairs get around places like Lisbon?
Thanks for your reply and sharing your personal experience as well @dflo! That sounds HARD! I guess for me there was this point I realized 'this situation I'm in will be forever', and I really started to realize I had to figure stuff out, to create permanent solutions for the challenge I was given.
But for you, the situation was temporary, so maybe there was no realization of needing / finding help! I hope there will be no 'next time', but if there is, I do truly believe you will have to find ways to ask and get help. Pain sucks, it drains you, and it's often possible to ease some of it. Not just physically, but also emotionally.
Airports are really heavy and I will soonish post a blog about my experiences on airports as well :-) So sorry you've had such a bad experience, I know how it can feel to be in pain and not knowing what to do :-)
As for your last question: it's a good one! I was actually very aware of people staring at me! And then I realized you see almost NO people with walking sticks / canes, or in wheelchairs. I guess this city just filters those people out (natural selection anyone? ;-)) and if you're disabled and live in Lisbon you'll just end up moving to one of the cities close to Lisbon that is not built on 7 hills ;-)
Lots and lots of stairs and skewed paths and 30cm wide (yes! really!) pedestrian lanes will definitely limit any person who is in a wheelchair :-/
At the time I had no way to know if it was temporary or not. Maybe by now I would have figured out to get a cane. I think I was also just not as logical.. I was so sick, and well.. foggy brained.. and it was hard to really think of everything I needed. I am grateful that I recovered so much but I had several months where I wasn't sure what was going to happen. Now I am only left with some sensory issues, although my hips and legs still get very tired and will tremble if I am standing in one spot for too long, but its not how it was. (I am not sure why that happened, it may be that I was just in bed too long and I still havent regained strength? I have been thinking about visiting my physical therapist to check in and see if there is something I should be doing ) Anyway I shared the story because I totally relate and understand how life altering it is, and it just makes me glad to see that you are finding things that can bring you back to "yourself" in a way, allowing you to enjoy things that you have always enjoyed. Thank you for sharing.
Sounds like you're in need of a physical therapist indeed! Don't give up! I really believe almost everything that happens to us can be fixed somehow... Sooner or later.
I would at least suggest you try to request the 'assistance' I've mentioned in my post. You can often find the option during the booking of your ticket online, it's super easy. After that you'll just go to the check-in desk of the airport and they will arrange it from there. You will be guided through security and through all the lines (even from the gate to the plane) in a wheelchair, either by someone from the airport or you can ask your travel buddy to push the wheelchair.
They never ask questions like 'why do you need this?', they just accept that even though nothing is visible you'll need the help and they help you.
Just try it one time and find out if it works for you. To be so weak from standing sucks and you shouldn't have to go through it :-)
Good luck and again thanks for sharing!
Thank you, I will consider it the next time I have a flight like that if my legs are still being weak! I dont know why i didnt look into that when i was seriously ill! I guess I didnt forsee how hard it would be because it was my first time. I just flew again in Dec and it was very smooth , we were seated while we waited and stuff so I had no problems. When I was very ill, I couldnt stand for more than 5 minutes or so without it becoming shakey and painful. I can do that now, and I can hike again. So i feel much better but it can still be a problem if a line is going to be a very long time. The physical therapist also taught me its easier to keep moving than to stand still, so I try to move if I can, even just shifting weight from side to side helps me last longer in a line. Thank you for the understanding and the tips though.
I love this post! I don't love that you're in pain, but this story is so empowering. Rock that walking stick, sister. I'm so glad you're able to adventure, using this wonderful tool. Also, those boots are AWESOME! As are the views you show with each footsie shot. And that's a big walking day for someone for whom walking can be a challenge. Kudos! Keep being you. :)
Thank you so much @katrina-ariel! :-) I felt empowered indeed! And thanks for the compliment on the boots, I love them! They look really cool and really have changed for me the amount of steps I can take in a day, they are supporting me and doing what they're adapted for :-)
And as for me keep being me: I will! I was a bit lost for a while but I feel I'm back again :-) Thanks!
I'm glad this has helped you regain your mobility.
Thank you @choogirl! I'm really happy too. I think we both feel that not traveling is not an option ;-)
what I really love when I go out of the train and there is some women with heavy luggage and there is no gentelman who helps take it downstairs... how you manage it, if you need something bring with you? It must be pretty hard!
That's a good question!
It's just one of those things I now have to think about beforehand! Since I need to have less weight on my feet my boyfriend said: shouldn't you carry a trolley instead of a backpack? But I told him no, because I will have no hands left if I have to carry a trolley.
I got this andriod phone that can take pictures using a voice command. I wonder if there are apps you can get to make your phone do that?
I will try to find that out! :D
@soyrosa your flexyfoot definitely does look hip. From your stats, it definitely seems to get the job done and yea it can be a bit tricky having people stare at you and wonder why you are using a stick..but for me, personally I think your comfort is the most important thing to be considered. Cheers
It really is indeed @thejotographer! It just takes a while to fully embrace it and feel 'whole' again after losing a part of yourself :-) But I'm getting there! And indeed, from my profile you can learn I still travel a lot so no complaints :-)
So many steps! Very cool. Upvoted :)
Thanks a lot! :D
im resteeming this. great post
That's very kind of you! If you have questions about the Flexyfoot please ask :-)
Welcome to Whaleshare Discord, glad you were able to get your mic figured out.
Thanks to your very quick reply! Glad you were there to help me figure it out. Hope to see you around!
@soyrosa its great to see you getting better and start traveling and may i hope you get better soon, greetings
Thanks for the kind words @jackjohanneshemp! :-) I'm very glad too!
Glad you Can get to your feet again. Thanks to med. tech.
Yes, it's so cool people try to reinvent stuff to better our lives! :-)