Traveling Alone

Since last November most of the things I have done outside of my house have been with a caregiver. But this time when I returned to Tulsa, I decided that I wanted to make the trip back alone. I know that this doesn't seem like a huge deal if you have never have two good feet, but for me it was a major accomplishment to make the 1200 mile trip by myself.

Let me put the situation into perspective. Last year I was able to walk a mile in about 15 minutes; now it takes me about 45 minutes. So I was a little nervous about sprinting through the airport trying to make it to another terminal.

The American Airline staff was excellent. Because I was in a wheelchair, I was allowed to go to the front of the security line. The guy wheeling me around LAX was running people over right and left, and I was holding on tight. (Can you imagine this picture?) I also got to board first with the "children flying alone" which is a another perk. You have to look for the silver linings.

The Dallas/Ft. Worth airport is great for people with mobility problems. They have electric trams going up and down the different terminals, so it's easy to catch a ride. Unfortunately, I missed my connecting flight, and by the time I arrived in Dallas the trams had shut down for the night. The poor attendent had to push me in a wheel chair for what seemed liked ten miles. He wasn't in the best of shape, and I was more worried for him than I was about my getting to the departure gate.

I have to say that I was kind of proud of myself for getting to Tulsa without any major problems. My sister will be here next week, and I am looking forward to her company. I am also looking forward to her helping me through the cafeteria line. It's really tricky trying to balance a full tray and manage a cane at the same time.