Monday Monday, sometimes it just turns out that way
Oh Monday morning, you gave me no warning of what was to be
(lyrics from Monday, Monday - The Mamas and The Papas)
The second verse of that song just captures today so well. It started off actually about 11:15 PM on Sunday. Ron was backing out of the bathroom and the turning mechanism broke on the front of his scooter. So, he turned the handlebar and nothing happened. That's not good. So, I tipped the scooter over and discovered there was a broken "thingy" that hooked onto the handlebar that made the mechanism work. Clear as mud? How's this for a visual...
I tipped it over and found where it came from, so I thought I could just hook it back there. Wrong. Oh, I could hook it alright - but that doesn't mean that it would actually STAY there.
Do ya know... "neutral" doesn't really mean that you can push it, in the sense that you can push a car when it's in neutral? No, in the case of the two million pound scooter, it only means that it won't "drive" forward or in reverse. Manually pushing it while in neutral is a whole 'nuther thing. So, I put it back in "drive" and s-l-o-w-l-y drove it forward while picking the darn thing up and "manually" moving it to a new location. Getting it down the wheelchair ramp and UP the car ramp was a sight to behold. I'm glad my neighbors all work during the day. I'm sure I would have been the free entertainment for them.
Get down the road, get to the repair shop, and roll it down the ramp - the same way I drove it up the ramp - and, while holding the bar thingy, driving the thing forward into the repair shop. Great salesman - intelligent, too - says, "So, it broke on ya?" No, I really just enjoy leaning over the handlebar of an electric scooter, holding a obviously broken "thingy" and driving it forward into a dealership. "Yes, it did," I said, "and when you're not supposed to be walking, a broken scooter is a big inconvenience."
Lucky for me, they had a loaner power chair. Luckier still for me, it actually fit on my exterior wheelchair ramp without too much difficulty. Took longer to tie down and it's trickier to load and unload, but it is nice. The "touch" of the joy stick is very touchy and the ramp is very narrow. It's much heavier, too, to try and stop as it's going over the edge of the ramp. Note to self... it's much less painful to just let the thing get high-centered since it does have enough power to propel itself out of just about anything, including your grip than to try and stop it from performing said propelling.
Ron, of course, likes the power chair much more than the scooter because it does maneuver easier and he can get in the elevator AND turn around without wrecking into any of the walls OR anyone else's feet. The price is one that we don't like - several thousand dollars - and probably can't get insurance to pay for. We bought the scooter outright about two years ago (so it is out of warranty). Speaking of being out of warranty, we don't know how much it will cost to fix it, but we do know that shipping is $15. Yea... $15 will be a deal breaker or not. It's the PART and the LABOR that has me concerned. He said, "do you want me to let you know before I fix it?" Well, if I had a choice - maybe; but since I don't, I told him to just get the part and fix it. I really have no choice. Just my luck, it's going to cost an arm and a leg. Ron's fresh out of spare parts so I guess it's my turn to offer up a piece of mine.
In addition to that lovely news, it looks as if my trip to see Shaun, Jenny, and the kids is not going to happen. Ron doesn't really feel like going so he told me to go myself. Stacey would come over and change his dressing and Keith would stay with him at night. I could go and have a relaxing weekend, see their new house, and visit with the kids. It seems that Jenny would rather that I not come if Ron doesn't go with me. She is tired (and six months pregnant) so she's concerned that I'll want to be entertained. True, I don't want to spend my entire weekend in the hotel by myself but I didn't want her to think she had to "entertain" me. I thought I might - oh, you know... VISIT and see my grandchildren.
Oh well... better luck next
2 comments:
It's always something isn't it? Good thing they can fix the scooter....and maybe find something you enjoying doing around your area. Maybe Stacey could still come over to lend a hand and you could enjoy a day or two out and about. :)
I like Kathy's idea about having Stacy come over [or have her husband and then you & Stacy can go out] and you can relax a little.
Maybe if you explained to your daughter that you just want to visit and not be entertained she might get it? I understand what she meant, but I don't see the "I want to be entertained" part of this visit. I thought you were going to see the kids and just hang out. Heck, watching your g/kids play is entertainment enough. lol
Whatever you decide to do [and YES! you must do something with this little slice of time] I hope you get to relax and have some me time.
You really need to get away from broken scooters and bandages, 'kay?
Love ya! Take care. :D
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