Adjusting

My new wheelchair was delivered last week.

I’m not gonna lie: It’s pretty awesome. Not only was it long overdue because of my other chair (that was practically dead), it’s the first of the final steps of my major goals.

What's better on a post about wheelchairs than an inspirational image of a guy running up a huge flight of stairs?

At the same time, it hasn’t been an easy adjustment.

Ben was surprised at how frustrated I had gotten the first day in the chair, and for lack of a better way of explaining it, I told him it was like having his legs cut off mid-thigh and replaced with the legs from someone who is 5’1″. They’re all legs, but they don’t fit the same, and it’ just doesn’t feel “right”.

As I’m writing this, I’m sitting in my chair, completely reclined with my feet propped up. It’s an amazing feeling to be able to do that, without needing someone else to help move me. But at the same time, I’m dealing with relearning how to maneuver around the house without running into everything, since this chair is bulkier and longer than the old one.

In the long run, the good majorly outweighs the bad, and the more I’m in the chair, the more natural it feels. I know before long I’ll be feeling absolutely fine. Until then, it’s just a matter of having a little more patience with myself.

And maybe some touch-up paint for the walls.