ow. My muscles.
we had a school sports day yesterday, and I was volunteered (cheers, by the way) to do the videoing of the races. No biggie really.
Except, as usual - the preparation that went into securing the equipment was lacking. I got down to the field with the Tripod, and had to ask PE where the videocamera was. Then back up to the school to get it. Then back down to the field, and start videoing. This required me to kneel down.
Bad thing for me to do, is that. First, my back starts to really ache, then my legs go numb. Heyho. Then, 30 minutes in, the camera that had been supposedly “on charge” (it wasn’t BTW-you need to switch the mains on for a charger to work, *cough*), popped up with “replace battery”.
So, back up to the school I trudge on legs that were really REALLY starting to hurt. Got the spare battery, realised I’d misplaced my glasses, and swore a few times. Decided to have a sit before my legs gave out, then literally staggered back to the field with limited vision, legs like jelly and stabbing muscle pains.
It seems a few of my co-workers found this rather amusing, and certainly something to make light of until I actually reached them whereupon they suddenly went quiet. Cheers guys, I hope one day you have the misfortune to be in a similar condition so you know just HOW debilitating this condition and operation ridden combo is in those conditions. I KNOW I have problems walking, especially when it feels like both hips are trying to dislocate, and my knee feels like it wants to collapse, along with legs that don’t want to sustain weight and are shaking uncontrollably.
Aaanyway..got back, continued the videoing to the end, hopefully got some good footage. Good to see the kids trying so hard and really giving it all they’ve got, and taking it all so well.
Someone had found my glasses, dropped on the floor. Must have fallen out of my pocket, and are now a little out of shape. Hence, I’m relegated to wearing the “free” spare pair until I have time to get an opticians appointment (in the school break), at which point I’ll have them repaired.
Needless to say, after staggering to the car and collapsing into (or was that across?) the seat, then driving all the way to pick up Jem from Shrewsbury, I was in a SHITLOAD of pain. A shower seemed to help, and I went to bed annoyed at my co-workers, but OK.
This morning however, I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, went to stand, and fell over swearing at the red-hot pains that my tendons and muscles had become. My arse feels bruised big-style - christ knows why. My thighs are a mass of pain, my knees keep collapsing, and my calf muscles..well…from the waist down, I feel like an overtight elastic band. I can get up stairs IF I go up on all fours. If I need to descend, I have to brace against the bannister and wall.
I can no longer lower myself into a chair - it’s more “collapse”, and it takes a few very painful attempts to stand again from seated. Walking in general is also unpleasant.
To all those at MC that find my condition amusing..I wish you could feel the pain I’m in today, then you might just realise how angry I am right now at your pisstaking yesterday. Equal opportunities, my arsehole. I may have mobility and co-ordination problems, but my upper body and my mind are as sound as anyone elses, and my feelings react just as anyone elses would. I’m fucking ANGRY, and damned well FED UP of being seen as “less able”, or “less capable”, or being seen as “OK to rip the piss out of”, because of my disabilities.
Shame on you all. Damn Shame. It’s people like you that make this world such a bloody nightmare for those with disabilities and special needs. You call yourselves “caring”? I think not. Come and meet some of the people and organisations I’ve met in my time, come and educate yourself about what some of them have to cope with, and meet the people who work towards empowering them to do it, and then maybe, just maybe, you might re-evaluate your opinions.
I may be a “bendy legged freak” to some at MC, and yes, I am quoting word for spoken word, but I am, FIRST AND FOREMOST, a person with the same rights and priviledges as anyone else.
and I am ANGRY.
Ah well, it’s just as well we only have 2 weeks left or so until the break. I think I could do with the rest..I’m getting techy these last few weeks. Heh.
I hope you’re feeling a lot better today than you did then.
Naively, I was under the assumption that people GREW UP after leaving school. Clearly not. I mean don’t get me wrong, I didn’t come down in the last shower, I can’t even got to Tesco without some bright spark (who’s clearly old enough to know better) passing some disgusting comment. That’s strangers for you, but we’d all like to think that friends/acquaintances/co-workers would have a bit more savvy.
In some warped way I can understand things like staring, people are curious, we look strange, its inevitable. But to be so spineless when you clearly see that another human being is in a great deal of pain is nothing short of sick.
I wouldn’t wish what I’ve had to deal with on my worst enemy, but at the same time, its during situations like this that you really do hope “What goes around, comes around”.
Keep your chin up mate, what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger. ;)