Re: Lines and big stores like Walmart!

[Guest guest]

SB, Sharon and all,

Just got back from the Walmart experience. Of course there were no

carts to drive. At least not at first. We had a LONG list of things

we needed that involved coupons which always slows us down. I did

almost an hour leaning on the grocery cart and then told my husband

if he couldn't find a motor cart I was done for the day. He had to

go out side to the parking lot to find one!

My Walmart purchases today included a new black cane with a padded

handle, a new ice pack, and a new bed buddy. Do we see a trend here?

LOL I left my ice pack in my son's freezer when we visited for

Christmas. I tell you I'm about ready to get one of those walkers

you can sit down on. That looks a lot more comfortable than a cane

seat!

So SB, you actually drag up a chair at the bank! I like your

thinking. The only place I have ever cut in line because of my

walking problem was at a church party, and I was invited to do so by

the hostess. I was second right after the girl on the walker who had

had knee surgery! OH and once in Hobby Lobby when I was trying to

buy one yarn a lady let me go in front of her and her huge cart of

stuff. But today at Walmart when I was trying to balance myself on my

cane I was almost run over several times. And once I was in the motor

cart I was treated as if I was invisible!

Oh well. New Year wishes to all.

Kathy

> >

> > Ugh! All this talk about walking around big stores has me

jealous

> of you

> > FORMER flatbackers!

> >

> > I did what little Christmas shopping happened this year at the

> drug store,

> > and a couple gifts from the grocery store. All last minute.

That

> was it.

> > Even with my new handicapped parking placard I couldn't bear the

> thought of

> > dealing with a Wal-Mart or whatever. Malls have been out for

> years. Funny

> > how these things have snuck up on me, so gradually that it sort

of

> seems

> > normal not to want to walk more than absolutely necessary. Funny

> how I just

> > kept saying it's a nuisance, it's tiring, I'd like a new body,

but

> I really

> > don't have much pain, and I don't want the risks, pain, and

> recuperation

> > time of surgery, especially since the original Harrington surgery

> was so

> > brutal and this surgery is WAY BIGGER.

> >

> > Dr. Rand couldn't even get out of me that standing causes pain.

> But then it

> > occurs to me that I've been wall-sitting for years as a natural

> defense,

> > also counter-leaning. I get one tiny job done in the kitchen and

> then

> > remember that I have to check my email -- so there I go sitting

> for relief.

> > He suspected that was the case. I've just adapted and become

> incredibly

> > unproductive!

> >

> > http://community.webshots.com/photo/85431158/85489364pXydBz

> >

> > In this pic you can see me (3rd from right) in my wall-sitting

> posture.

> > Maybe I should call it wall-leaning, but I really park my butt on

> any wall,

> > door jamb, whatever that's available. It's so automatic I don't

> know I'm

> > doing it. So yeah, I guess standing hurts, I just avoid it

enough

> to keep

> > the pain level down.

> >

> > Anyway, I'm still jealous, because you folks are on the other

side

> of the

> > big, scary, unavoidable surgery.

> >

> > You're just so brave, and I'm happy for you too, so it's ok to be

> jealous.

> > :^)

> >

> > Sharon

> >

> >

> > [ ] Re: Still Hanging In There/Lorrie

> >

> >

> > > Lorrie,

> > >

> > > You WALKED AROUND TARGET for about an hour and you are only 52

> days

> > > post? That is HUGE! I can barely do that now using a grocery

> cart!

> > > You go girl! You are doing great.

> > >

> > > Kathy

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I had a good WalMart experience today! I got up at 6 AM and had no

problems with parking and didn't have to wait in line! By the time

I got to WalMart, the stockers were mostly finished so there weren't

lots of boxes to navigate like there is around midnight.

My husband's family called and wanted us to all go to the pro

basketball game, then the downtown New Year's Eve stuff. Sounds

like a lot of walking to me, so they are going to pick my son up and

take him while my daughter and I stay home. Hubby won't get home

from work until after the game is over and probably won't feel like

going out either since he has been at work since yesterday morning.

I have been off work for about a week and a half, and am finally

feeling like I am making some progress in getting unpacked and

organized. YIPPEE!! My parents had lived in this house for 40

years, and my mom quit doing much housework after she had her stroke

in 1985. My dad never did much cleaning, either, and it appears

that neither one of them ever threw much away. It has been a

challenge to clean the house and make it mine. It is turning out to

have a pretty nice mixture of my parents' stuff and my decorating

tastes. I am starting to feel a bit more comfortable here. I hope

I can get my daughter's room a bit more organized before school

starts again. It has not been a pain free experience, but I am

working on enough different projects at one time that I can

alternate being low and standing and moving around and sitting. By

the time I have been exhausted in the evenings, I have been able to

get to sleep and stay that way for a bit. Once I know where

everything belongs, my family should be able to help keep the place

clean.

> > >

> > > Ugh! All this talk about walking around big stores has me

> jealous

> > of you

> > > FORMER flatbackers!

> > >

> > > I did what little Christmas shopping happened this year at the

> > drug store,

> > > and a couple gifts from the grocery store. All last minute.

> That

> > was it.

> > > Even with my new handicapped parking placard I couldn't bear

the

> > thought of

> > > dealing with a Wal-Mart or whatever. Malls have been out for

> > years. Funny

> > > how these things have snuck up on me, so gradually that it

sort

> of

> > seems

> > > normal not to want to walk more than absolutely necessary.

Funny

> > how I just

> > > kept saying it's a nuisance, it's tiring, I'd like a new body,

> but

> > I really

> > > don't have much pain, and I don't want the risks, pain, and

> > recuperation

> > > time of surgery, especially since the original Harrington

surgery

> > was so

> > > brutal and this surgery is WAY BIGGER.

> > >

> > > Dr. Rand couldn't even get out of me that standing causes

pain.

> > But then it

> > > occurs to me that I've been wall-sitting for years as a

natural

> > defense,

> > > also counter-leaning. I get one tiny job done in the kitchen

and

> > then

> > > remember that I have to check my email -- so there I go

sitting

> > for relief.

> > > He suspected that was the case. I've just adapted and become

> > incredibly

> > > unproductive!

> > >

> > > http://community.webshots.com/photo/85431158/85489364pXydBz

> > >

> > > In this pic you can see me (3rd from right) in my wall-sitting

> > posture.

> > > Maybe I should call it wall-leaning, but I really park my butt

on

> > any wall,

> > > door jamb, whatever that's available. It's so automatic I

don't

> > know I'm

> > > doing it. So yeah, I guess standing hurts, I just avoid it

> enough

> > to keep

> > > the pain level down.

> > >

> > > Anyway, I'm still jealous, because you folks are on the other

> side

> > of the

> > > big, scary, unavoidable surgery.

> > >

> > > You're just so brave, and I'm happy for you too, so it's ok to

be

> > jealous.

> > > :^)

> > >

> > > Sharon

> > >

> > >

> > > [ ] Re: Still Hanging In There/Lorrie

> > >

> > >

> > > > Lorrie,

> > > >

> > > > You WALKED AROUND TARGET for about an hour and you are only

52

> > days

> > > > post? That is HUGE! I can barely do that now using a grocery

> > cart!

> > > > You go girl! You are doing great.

> > > >

> > > > Kathy

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

If I'm not sure if I will get a cart, then I use my walker, especially if there is some distance to cover. I find the walker is easier on my back than a cane and I have a more even gait, which doesn't wear me out as fast. The only problem I have with the walker, is that I have sore/weak wrists, so I have to change positions a lot.

Llweyn

-----Original Message-----From: [mailto: ]On Behalf Of txbluebelleSent: December 31, 2005 12:06 PM Subject: [ ] Re: Lines and big stores like Walmart!SB, Sharon and all,Just got back from the Walmart experience. Of course there were no carts to drive. At least not at first. We had a LONG list of things we needed that involved coupons which always slows us down. I did almost an hour leaning on the grocery cart and then told my husband if he couldn't find a motor cart I was done for the day. He had to go out side to the parking lot to find one! My Walmart purchases today included a new black cane with a padded handle, a new ice pack, and a new bed buddy. Do we see a trend here? LOL I left my ice pack in my son's freezer when we visited for Christmas. I tell you I'm about ready to get one of those walkers you can sit down on. That looks a lot more comfortable than a cane seat! So SB, you actually drag up a chair at the bank! I like your thinking. The only place I have ever cut in line because of my walking problem was at a church party, and I was invited to do so by the hostess. I was second right after the girl on the walker who had had knee surgery! OH and once in Hobby Lobby when I was trying to buy one yarn a lady let me go in front of her and her huge cart of stuff. But today at Walmart when I was trying to balance myself on my cane I was almost run over several times. And once I was in the motor cart I was treated as if I was invisible!Oh well. New Year wishes to all.Kathy> >> > Ugh! All this talk about walking around big stores has me jealous > of you > > FORMER flatbackers!> > > > I did what little Christmas shopping happened this year at the > drug store, > > and a couple gifts from the grocery store. All last minute. That > was it. > > Even with my new handicapped parking placard I couldn't bear the > thought of > > dealing with a Wal-Mart or whatever. Malls have been out for > years. Funny > > how these things have snuck up on me, so gradually that it sort of > seems > > normal not to want to walk more than absolutely necessary. Funny > how I just > > kept saying it's a nuisance, it's tiring, I'd like a new body, but > I really > > don't have much pain, and I don't want the risks, pain, and > recuperation > > time of surgery, especially since the original Harrington surgery > was so > > brutal and this surgery is WAY BIGGER.> > > > Dr. Rand couldn't even get out of me that standing causes pain. > But then it > > occurs to me that I've been wall-sitting for years as a natural > defense, > > also counter-leaning. I get one tiny job done in the kitchen and > then > > remember that I have to check my email -- so there I go sitting > for relief. > > He suspected that was the case. I've just adapted and become > incredibly > > unproductive!> > > > http://community.webshots.com/photo/85431158/85489364pXydBz> > > > In this pic you can see me (3rd from right) in my wall-sitting > posture. > > Maybe I should call it wall-leaning, but I really park my butt on > any wall, > > door jamb, whatever that's available. It's so automatic I don't > know I'm > > doing it. So yeah, I guess standing hurts, I just avoid it enough > to keep > > the pain level down.> > > > Anyway, I'm still jealous, because you folks are on the other side > of the > > big, scary, unavoidable surgery.> > > > You're just so brave, and I'm happy for you too, so it's ok to be > jealous. > > :^)> > > > Sharon> > > > > > [ ] Re: Still Hanging In There/Lorrie> > > > > > > Lorrie,> > >> > > You WALKED AROUND TARGET for about an hour and you are only 52 > days> > > post? That is HUGE! I can barely do that now using a grocery > cart!> > > You go girl! You are doing great.> > >> > > Kathy> >>