Tender Mercies

I told you about my suggesting someone gift me a cane (Dec. 2019), my helmet hat, (Feb 2021), and the doctor telling me to get a walker. (7/ 2021 in Transparency page)

I drug my feet for a while, but when John took me to look at walkers, I decided If I was going to get one I wanted one with large wheels, because I could see me using it out in the garden, and I felt small wheels would get stopped by fairly small rocks. And as I was checking various designs with seats… a must, because the doctor said, if I had a walker, I could sit down if I became too tired. Then I saw it… the Cadillacs of walkers… I don’t even see a brand name on it, but It has risers with arm braces with hand brakes. The design is especially good for me, because posture becomes a problem with PwP, and It encourages me to stand up straighter instead of leaning over and looking down at my feet like I have seen many walker users do.

I used it some, to weed the raised garden boxes, while sitting on it. but it was just sitting tucked away in the house most of the time, until we needed to attend a funeral in Utah. Now, I recognize having the walker as a tender mercy. We can put the computer case in the bag that is attached onto the front of the walker and hang my bag (to go under the seat) and John’s C-Pap machine… both over the hand grips. Then, I can walk as fast as I want to… John tows the check on bag on wheels with one hand and hangs onto one of the hand brakes to help me slow down when we go down a grade. It is so nice going through the airport without having to carry any baggage.

When family came to Florida for a visit, we went with them to spend a day at NASA. The walker again came in as a tender mercy, enabling me to sit down, and being escorted into special seating along with all accompanying family members.

I have been feeling so well we decided to fly to Utah for Education Week at BYU.

I again used the walker as we made it through the airport terminals. Such a blessing. Then, again at education week, the classes are located in various buildings all over Each class was 55 minutes long, and then we had 25 minutes to get to the next class. There are in excess of 80 presenters to choose from, and when you find a presenter you like, they have three or four more days of information to share. That is what happened to us, we marked our plan for the next day. The fabulous teacher was in a building very far from the other classes we were most interested in. To get there wasn’t hard on me because much of it was down hill. But the return hike was going up a long up hill paved path that spiraled upward. John, bless his heart, had me sit down on the walker seat and he pushed me the rest of the way up the hill. Another tender mercy.

I had packed my HurryCane and I’m so glad I did. We were being hosted by our Son who has a guest room in his Payson home. I have been using the cane at home when I get up in the night, just for security… so I don’t festinate. The bed in the room is an awesome select comfort bed, but it is really high compared to our bed at home. So, as I was attempting to get off of the bed in the middle of the night (for a potty break) I fell off of the bed! But there was a tender mercy, my right hand fell squarely onto the handle of the HurryCane enabling me to break the fall.

Encouraged by our successful visit in Utah, we were home only 6 days when we flew off to Missouri to my Sister’s newly opened Bed N Breakfast.. It is located in a small community , Trenton, a little bit over an hour’s drive from the Kansas City airport. We visited with some of her other guests and we learned they had come to do research for a book they are writing. My sister was able to get them information for two tours with the Amish people… one which included a horse and buggy ride. During our week visit, we were able to visit 5 sites from Church history that we missed seeing as we took our 50th anniversary journey across the country. The walker was again very beneficial to me as we traversed the airports. And the cane was very helpful within her home. Tender mercies abound.

P.S. For those in my local Parkinson’s group: This could explain my month long absence from the group. I plan to be back next week (the 14th), but I have a dentist appointment tomorrow at a conflicting time.