Category: Random Thoughts

Travelling while Disabled

3 women say they were abandoned by wheelchair workers at CLT | 13wmaz.com

The struggle is real. Lumy shared this story with me last week and it struck a chord with me for a number of reasons. Last weekend I travelled from the Charlotte airport to Atlanta and I was struck by the poor experience I had. Unfortunately for all the airports thru which I travel, I live in Atlanta and the Hartsfield Jackson airport is as far as I am concerned, the gold standard of airports and all cities should strive for the model used in ATL. ATL is (annoyingly) HUGE, is always under construction somewhere, somehow and at any given time there are always 5,000,000 people passing thru but believe me when I tell you that shit is efficient. Queues are constantly moving, there are signs EVERYWHERE so you definitely know where to go and the shit just runs like a well oiled machine. Maybe I’m also spoiled because there are “Special Services” queues everywhere and every step of the way…but then, it’s not like ATL is the only airport with “my” lanes. As a result, it annoys me to no-end when I go thru a schupidy, rinkydink airport that is quarter the size of ATL and my experience is sub par at best.

In CLT, I had to go thru the normal queue where there were 1000 people AND their luggage – rolling thru the tight queue lanes in a scooter or even for someone pushing a wheelchair is not easy, especially when bending corners – I always have to hope that I don’t ride up on the pole base; worse yet if I happen to have my luggage trailing behind and it rides up on the base and ends up at a silly angle so it’s twisted, increasing the potential to fall over…and…and…u get the drift. Then I get to the top of the TSA line and when I say the lady was barking at people, I really mean barking – she was horrible. Since I don’t walk thru the scanner, I always have to wait for someone to escort me and long story short, by the time that asshole came, I ended up barking right back at her too. I’d ended up telling them 3X that I couldn’t walk (side story about this…it took me a long time to come to terms with the fact that for purposes of going thru TSA security, I needed to say that I cannot walk – talk about a psychological hurdle); and I had to deal with her attitude making the assumption that I could walk because she saw me standing on the scooter. I was irritated, pissed off and needed to get away from these people before I started spewing bad words.

Back to the ladies’ stories. I cannot begin to explain just how happy I was when I found out that I could travel with my scooter. It affords me so much independence and because I use the scooter, I’m just a regular traveler because I don’t need wheelchair assistance, so nobody looks at me twice and I do my thing. Once pre-scooter, the wheelchair person rolled and left me at gate B12 (I had gotten out of the chair) and then the gate agents announced that the gate was being changed to D15. When I asked the agent to call for a chair for me, she looked at me and said, “What??? You can’t walk?” The other problem for me being in a chair is that I can’t work those things! Reading their stories, it’s quite possible that they couldn’t either. People using wheelchairs make it seem so easy (to me) but I’m assuming that comes after practice and therapy. Whenever someone remarks about my scooting skills, I say, “unfortunately I’ve had years of practice” and it’s true – I knocked over shit, rolled over people’s feet (this really happened in the airport once…it was a lil boy and I was mortified but he didn’t react, so I kept it moving) and drove way too fast ALL the time in those early days. Some might say that I still drive too fast now, but at least I know how to control Optimus et al vs. the other way around. Even before I had a poc hand and a spastic left arm and I tried to roll a chair where I wanted it to go, I couldn’t…and it was one of the hardest things I’d ever tried to do. So, couple the fact that you may not be able to work the chair with the pressure of having to pee? Gracious! I cannot begin to explain to you just how frustrated/annoyed/upset/all those sorts of words they probably were.

The airline, airport and wheelchair company “powers that be” should be ashamed of themselves and need to do better. There’s no excuse for what those women went thru.

Anyway, till next time…allyuh hol’ it down.
Stax

Club ’72

This year marks 17 years since I was diagnosed, 25 years that I’ve been working for the bank, and I still can’t believe either. This year was also one of those milestone birthdays that I’m still a little confused about. Where the hell did the time go? As I’ve gotten older, I’m much more aware of my mortality but I cyah tell a lie; while I am extremely grateful to be around (Lord knows I have many peers who are not), I haven’t quite grasped the idea that I am the big 5OH! When? What?? How??? Dealing with ms (and even the ‘vid over these past 2 years) has taught me more than ever that stressing about things over which I have no control makes no sense. I can prepare for the future, and I’ll hope for the best but because I just don’t know what the disease has in store for me or what trajectory it will take, there are things that I cannot plan for or worry about because I will go mad and potentially miss out on life. I can put my affairs in order, stay as active as I can, eat “properly” (for the most part) but I don’t spend time thinking about whether there’s going to be a day that I cannot live on my own or that I cannot walk anymore or that I cannot do the things I enjoy doing today because that worry and stress is not worth it. I live in the moment and focus on what I can do today. Now more than ever, if I want to do something and can afford it within reason, I do it. Life is just too short and u never know what is around the corner (heard the perfectly awful story of that the other day). A lot of my peers are members of club’72 and so I’ve been going to birthday parties and reconnecting with peeps. That coupled with the fact that we’ve been cooped up for the past 2 years makes 2022 a grand old time so far. My friends and I clean up well, we look great and we know how to party and have a good time!

All Club’72 & (1 or 2) Honorary Members
  • Gift1
  • Gift2 – “f*ck 50” in Morse code
  • Stop 1…
  • Stop 2…party done!
  • BigRed. IYKYK!

Catalyst Sports

It’s been a while but I’ve had some long days at work and just haven’t had time to post.

The Catalyst Sports organisation is one of my best finds ever. I’ve talked about Catalyst before – this is the group with which I am able to rock climb. The group affords people with disabilities to enjoy/participate in different sports that we would not be able to under normal circumstances. I started rock climbing in 2018 and we would meet every Wednesday night for indoor climbing and I was even able to participate in one outdoor climb that was an amazing experience…but then, covid came along and everything shut down, including the gym. Rock climbing was out, at least for the hour. Mid 2021, the gym re-opened and eventually Wednesday night rock climbing resumed but at the time, I wasn’t comfortable yet. It was around that time that meh boy J started cycling and I remembered that the Atlanta chapter of Catalyst has a cycling program – I looked into it.

They offered hand pedaled and foot pedaled bikes and I was able to rent one on a monthly basis if I wanted. I thought about it and as much as I wanted to use the foot pedaled, I decided it might be best to go with the hand (a little back story – there was a time when I felt comfortable using a stationary bike in the gym and then I had 2 falls after using it (the last one resulted in a black eye) and that was then end of stationary bike use). Fast forward to 2021 and I decided that I’d rather be safe than sorry so I went with hand pedaled. The issue that I knew I could have is that the bikes are low so getting on and off by myself would be close to impossible BUT maybe I could ask my personal trainer to help me and we could incorporate bike riding into our weekly routine – I had a plan. Well, u know what they say about the best laid plans – sigh, altho I did get a chance to ride in Piedmont Park one Saturday. As it turns out, a few months later, Catalyst started monthly group bike rides and I was able to take advantage of those – for $10, I could rent a bike and ride with a volunteer or 2 on one of the bike trails in the area.

It was while on the last of those rides where I was really struggling with the hand cycle – u see my left arm is spastic too and (especially) when I need/want to use it, it tends to lock up so I don’t have the arm span that I have on the right side. That day I was REALLY struggling and it was getting me upset so I told Brad, the volunteer who was with me to forget it – I had taken soooo long to ride 1/4 mile, and he suggested that I try a foot pedaled bike. I was skeptical because at the end of the day, I would still have to function at home but I figured what the heck; I’ll give it a shot. Well it turned out that it was the best thing; I took 15 minutes to ride the same distance that took 45 on the hand cycle. I was ecstatic – hey, it’s the little things – and I refused to think about what the situation might be at home. When I eventually got there, I took it easy and happy to report, I had no drama; I’ve already signed up for next month’s ride and can’t wait to get back on to see how far I can go. On that same day, I found out that they were getting ready to launch the kayaking program and I can’t wait to try that out even tho I’ll probably have the same arm challenges, but we’ll see.

Anyhoo, I’m in Trinidad as I write and I have Mackeson to drink and good food to eat so I gone so but first…a few pictures.

Scooter Drama

Who was out both scooters for a couple days? this chick…that’s who – I cannot make this shit up!

So a few weeks ago I decided to go do my eyebrows because I was tired of looking like a caveman and because I was also feeling for samosas, I could kill 2 birds with 1 stone since there’s an Indian cafe right next to the eyebrow place. Perfect! The weather that day was also perfect so I had to get out. I did my usual – request the Lyft car, roll outside to meet Keisha (hoping for the best because I’m still very judgmental when it comes to female Lyft drivers) and we were off. 15 minutes later, we pulled up, she unloaded Optimus, I sat and powered him up and the horn started blaring. Confused, I pressed the horn button because I figured that it was depressed and I just needed to jiggle it or something. Well, that did nothing. what the?? we dismantled the thing and put him back together and, as soon as I turned on the power, the horn started blaring again. steups. well, I was there for a reason and I wasn’t about to go back home, so I just had to go bold and hope that I didn’t piss off too many people. Luckily, it was only happening when the power was on so I had some control. My eyebrows done, I had to decide if I still wanted to go get samosas. I did, so I entered the restaurant. It was my first time in there and I was thoroughly embarrassed when I discovered that it was a small, intimate dining room (it looks much larger from outside). Anyway, everyone was sitting enjoying their lunch and here came Stacey with this constant blaring horn – sigh! Anyway, I got my samosas and a few days later Optimus was in the shop.

A week later, I went to brunch using Max (the new one). P dropped me home he took Max out the car, put the key in, turned it and it broke in two – 1 piece was in his hand and the other was in the keyhole. What the?!? We got me inside somehow (boy was I glad that I hadn’t taken Lyft home) but for 2 days, I was grounded. Optimus was in the shop and Max couldn’t be turned on. Luckily, it wasn’t an issue because I work from home and I actually didn’t have to do anything for those 2 days. It was during that time, that I discovered that most locksmiths in my area don’t touch mobility scooters with a 10 foot pole, primarily because of how small the key is, but luckily I found one who came out and took care of my issue.

I can’t make up these stories…it’s never a dull moment when I’m involved. Geez! Anyway, I gone so, talk to allyuh later.

Stax

Hulk

March 28 2022

I just wanted to republish some of this post from 2018. Blaxx died today…sigh. In my opinion he could do no wrong and year after year he churned out bess tunes for carnival. He might have fought like hulk these past few weeks but alas…Blaxx will be missed for sure and in my opinion, his absence will give true meaning to the phrase “somebody missing!” in carnivals to come.

The post – This year though, there were a number of tunes with messages. Sometimes a song has to grow on me – I listen to a Trini radio station all the time and so the more I hear the tune played, the more I like it.  Well, from the time I heard this one, I loved it and when I realised that it was a song with a message and I actually listened to the lyrics, I loved it even more and I decided that it’s going to be my theme song going forward.

Here are some of the words:

“Never let your problems get you down, stay focused and keep yuh ground…what doh kill you should make you stronger so my problems is like steroids…and all now dem still cyah kill me no…so as they box me down so I’s get up, they have to wonder how ah does get up…I just won’t stop…I feel like hulk RAHHHH – RARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!…move any mountain, I trample any building…trample dem, trample dem…step on meh problems…kick out meh problems…trials and testings does come before blessings but we have to be patient yeah!
You see the most high never give us more than we can bear but he give us the strength and the will and the power and the courage to handle our problems thru him so on the count of 4, I want everybody step on their problems. 1-2-3- 4….trample dem..manhandle dem…dismantle dem..kick out dem, kick out yuh problems…so as they sink you under you float, ride out the storm dem just like ah boat, so as they push you down so yuh get up. They have to wonder how u does get up…now everybody shout…I feel like – HULK!”

It can be everybody’s theme song, that’s how we should all deal with our problems.  For me, dealing with everything Multiple Sclerosis throws my way the way I do most times? I feel like – HULK!!!

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