Travel Travails and other Woes

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 I was wondering what I can write about this time. I have given a brief about MS, explained its types and described how I got diagnosed in the first instance. 

What next?

Do I write about the times I struggle to unscrew a water bottle cap or undo a knot tied on a polythene bag from the grocer shop? Or the times I fervently try to open a small packet of some spice to use in cooking, which has been tightly secured by a rubber band wound many times over to conserve its freshness, because my fingers are just not able to pull it??

Do I write about how my right foot refuses to lift off the floor when I'm walking because my sole feels a wee bit clammy on a rainy day or sweaty on a hot day?? 

Do I write about how each move, each and every single move, has to be thought out carefully before doing it??

Should I even begin to write about my airport experiences? Ah, the airport tales… where do I begin? Thinking about all this, I can say with complete certainty that air travel reminds me, like nothing else does, that I have a debilitating illness. Right from the boarding pass declaring me as WCHC - passenger needing a wheelchair and assistance - to getting into a wheelchair to cover the vast distances inside.. right from when we enter the airport to the time we exit it at our destination city.. to getting a second look from many people in the airport who see me being wheeled around, I can see their minds trying to figure what is wrong with me, who, in no way looks like a senior citizen with age related issues.. to having one attendant wheel me till the security check, then have another take over to wheel me till the security gate and sometimes yet another attendant taking me from the security gate up to the aircraft. This is now taken care of by my husband and the daughter. And finally being carried over the ramp, still seated in the wheelchair, to board the aircraft from the runway.. that is the most disconcerting, uncomfortable and embarrassing situation. At these times, I would wish I could just disappear into thin air!! Every. single. time. 

I would be the first passenger to board the aircraft but would also be the last passenger to deplane. Aircraft rules. First in, last out. As my husband remarked, after FIFO and LIFO in accounting, now here is FILO.

You would think train travel would probably be a lot easier. Just get to the station, get to the correct platform and board the right compartment and settle in. Sadly, that's not the case. Because the train is constantly moving, being able to balance and stand is an unthinkable challenge. Visits to the loo are completely out of the question.

Road travel has its own challenges. Sitting in a car for long hours is extremely uncomfortable. How often can one stop to stretch? That just adds to the travel time. 

And here again, the loo problem.. What more can I say?


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Went for a drive on Sunday evening. My fourth outing since March last year. It felt good to be out for a change. Had ice-cream and there was a light drizzle. The mood was mellow and chilled out. All was well and MS was just two random letters in the alphabet..

Comments

  1. Ratna22 September 2021 at 11:15

    It was like having a conversation with you, Divya. I was making appropriate responses in my mind, automatically! I loved the hope-filled end. I hope some of us learn to imbibe that hope!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Divya Pai22 September 2021 at 22:42

    So nice of you, Ratty..thanks!

    ReplyDelete

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