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Home / Thoughts / Other's Thoughts / Laying plans

Laying plans

Written by Alex on Monday, April 24, 2006

Since I am a person who likes my ducks in order I have created a list of things essential to getting my new life going. I have decided when and where to officially start and while it seems a far off time it will accomplish two things for me, but more on that later. Here is the list.

Each subject will be addressed, just maybe not in the order in which it is listed as the matter of importance may change between now and then, or something better may come along.

1. Create a plan.
2. Get a better chair.
3. Possibly resettle and find another job.
4. Work on technique.
5. Re-evaluate the plan.
6. Tell my mother.

Let’s start with the first part first:

1) Create a plan.

After pondering the situation for a while I have come up with a plan that I believe will work with the least amount of hustle. The first thing I have had to do is decided what my level of disability will be, how far I’m going to take this, how far I’m willing to take this. I’m an active person so I want to make sure that I still can be active on my own terms. I know that for a person facing a real physical disability they have no choice, but herein lies the rub, I do have the choice and will take it. I had an unusual accident several years ago and will use that as a catalyst to my troubles. I have already begun by wearing a brace on my knee (both for effect and because it really does hurt). Also since I will be taking a trip this fall I will be able to use it as the reason for the "sudden onset".

Being somewhat of a klutz anyway when I return from my trip I will have tripped and fallen off of a stair ’shredding’ my knee again. Then of course most of the parts will heal over time but by then I will have developed a neurological disorder that will keep me from going back to even 90% of my previous self. This will also allow me the opportunity to wheel or crutch at will without undue questions.

Does this plan seem optimistic? Simplictic (sp)? Heck yeah! This plan is overly simple, but I have learned from the past that simple usually sticks with people and complicated slips.

There are several thing I will have to deal with no matter what happens.

Some I’ve thought of already, others will crop up along the way. I will always have at least a bit of guilt for lying to friends and co-workers. I will always have that shadow of doubt about being found out, especially living in a smal community who has known me for years and years as an AB.

There will be no dramatic "Oh, my God, you mean she had an accident and won’t walk again!" Nothing so staged or artistic as I don’t want to live the life of a para, jsut with enough of a disability to be comfortable and happy. Later I do plan to check out the possibilities of job, life etc in another place where I will be more of a wheeler than a crutcher. We’ll have to wait and see how things work out when I get to that part of the list.