This coming week, Carapace and I are going to go where gimps and spazzes aren't supposed to go. Yes, we are going to the beach. The plan is to camp one night, and then spend the next night in a motel so we can go home without carrying sand in our intimate regions. The motel bit I'm not worried about, as long as the room is reachable without stairs. Nor am I worried about the camping bit. Car camping is completely within my capabilities and skill set, and it won't be like we'll be away from civilization.
No, what worries me is the actual beach. I so want to be there, feeling the salt water bounce me around. But I do worry. I can't exactly swim worth crap anymore, with my shoulders always ready to slip right out of place and the one leg's tendency to float in a direction different than the rest of me is going. I don't know...how does one keep a leg from floating sideways? And then there is Carapace and her seizures. They've been pretty much under control, and I do have shoreline life vests for us both. Those are supposed to flip an unconscious person face up. I haven't used one since I was a little kid, so I don't really remember how they worked in reality. I'm hoping that with the life vests, I won't tire as fast and Carapace will have a margin of safety. Oh, and they are orange, which will make it easier for Carapace to see me despite the world being a particularly sloppy impressionist painting when she takes off her glasses. Oh, and I got her some dark goggles, too, which I hope will be good enough for her photosensitivity to not be triggered. And sunburn-prone me will be covered ankle to wrist.
So, anything else I should do to make sure we have fun and that I won't spend our time fretting? What experiences have you all had? Tell me!
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3 comments:
I don't know, unfortunately, since I'm not much of a beach person, but I'd say take some really comfy beach chairs and have a really great time.
I would just say chose the shortest possible distance of sand becuase sand is VERY taxing on the body (and even more so on wheelchairs) so by the time you are done the day, it might cause a dislocation or sprain.
I can't think of anything else becuase here there are giant washed up logs on every beach so haven't been to one in a while (sort of an abilist obstacle course!). Take a cell phone for 911 and tell the lifeguard on duty that Carapace is siezure prone so to scan her in the water more often perhaps. We did this at the pool AFTER Linda had to drag me from the bottom of the pool, hold my head up and THEN start yelling at the lifeguard that could they "please give a hand".
I hope you have a good time.
Oh, friction can be a type of burn too (just talking about the sand).
Hope you had a good time! Glad to see you posting again!
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