The Home Visit - Day 1

SO and I managed to avoid killing each other.  Mostly because he "got me settled" and then left to do some errands before I could take his head off (and he, mine).

I made it up the 5 front steps to the house no problem, with his help.  Easy.  Not that I could do it alone, but with his help it was easy.   Inside, not so easy.  I never realized how narrow things are in my house - the main hallway to the bedrooms is fine, but the wheelchair will not fit through any of the bedroom doors or the bathroom door. Hmmm. Walker time, except I've never been allowed to use the walker alone, with good reason. But, this is a pretty safe environment (aside from the tub, the toilet, the countertop and the ceramic floors ... maybe not a safe place to fall).  But I manoever around with the walker and do what I need to do.  Goal A accomplished - pee.  LOL ... it's amazing, I never used to give a second thought to using the toilet ... but become disabled and the smallest of things becomes an accomplishment.

Goal B - get settled in the livingroom.  The coffee table presented a problem. It's too big and takes up a lot of room.  No problem when you're able bodied, but if you're trying to swing a wheelchair around, it becomes problematic.  SO's solution was dramatic - he started moving furniture all over the place, pushing this here and that there.  Aaarrgh ... STOP !!  I know he's concerned and trying to be helpful, but please don't take over.  He even stopped  me from opening the curtains and finished it himself.  Okay, ... get out.  Go shopping. Surely there is something you need to be doing right now.  I need to feel in control of my environment, and you need to relax.

I have found "my spot" ... a comfy chair facing the tv, close the outlets so my laptop and phone can charge and where I am comfortable and can easily manouever around.  But it will be an interesting weekend.  The challenges are greater and I'm not strong enough to be independent here.

Loss of independence is a bad thing for me.