Our bags are packed and we're ready to go. No, we aren't leaving on a jet plane. Tomorrow morning we are waking up Robby before dawn and embarking on a childhood rite of passage. He is going on his first long distance road trip.
We have been preparing Robby for the trip for weeks. We have shown him where Grandma's house is on a map, and we have been talking about all the fun adventures that we are going to have in Ohio. We even promised him a trip to an amusement park, but he is most excited by the promise of ice cream and going to "The Wal-Mart." At this age, he is still relatively inexpensive to amuse!
If history is any indication, I suspect that my stump is going to become uncomfortable about 4 hours into the drive. Sitting down with my leg in my prosthetic, without moving, forces the front of my limb to pivot against my socket. After several hours the pressure point begins to burn and sting. It is not uncommon for me to spend the remainder of the trip with my prosthetic removed. I never would have imagined that my amputation would impact my ability to sit during a long car trip.
Unfortunately, merely removing the prosthetic does not fix the problem. Without equal weight bearing through my legs, my sound side begins to ache and my lower back becomes tender. Finding a comfortable position becomes a struggle until we arrive at our destination. Hoping to avoid my "squirming dance," I am packing blankets and pillows of different thicknesses to prop my stump in the car. I am hopeful that my preparation will yield a comfortable trip and that the limb/leg/back discomfort can be avoided!
Even if I can thwart the stump pain, I know that it is going to be a long day. The 8 hour drive offers little in terms of scenery or variety. I have been mentally preparing myself for a barrage of "I'm bored" and "Are we there yet?" I am ready for hours of whining and complaining, and I don't have a clue as to how Robby will behave!
Yes, going on a road trip with my sweet husband certainly equates to one of Dante's levels of purgatory. I am held captive, forced to listen to him complain about every inconvenience or discomfort. His lamenting usually begins after about two hours and continues until we arrive at our destination. Simply put, he is horrible on road trips. It is ironic that he can sit behind the steering wheel on his computer and gleefully "race" 500 miles, but I digress.
Robby has proven to be an agreeable little traveler. He is accustomed to sitting in the car for the 2.5 hours it takes to drive to my mom's house. We are in uncharted territory asking him to sit in the car for over 8 hours. Despite our pre-baby affirmations that we would never buy one, I must admit that we purchased a DVD player for the car. I am hoping that the novelty of watching CARS and Veggie Tales in the car will be enough to keep him occupied.
I've filled the cooler with snacks and drinks. I've charged up my IPod so that I can, at least temporarily, block out Scott's complaints as well as the sounds of singing vegetables and talking cars coming from the back seat. I will be relieved when I arrive at Grandma's house. I hope that she has a full bottle of Tylenol.
About Me
- Peggy
- I am a below knee amputee. More importantly, I am also Mommy to two boys, a very active 10 year old (Robby) and an mischievous toddler (Timmy). I have learned that being a parent with a disability can create some unusual and sometimes humorous situations. This blogger is available for hire! Let's talk and learn how a blog can expand your business.
If you position yourself right, you should be able to make it forever with the leg off. Is your left arm ok? Throw the leg into the trunk, shove your left elbow into the armrest and lock your arm. If your left arm is bad, sit in the back on the driver's side, lean hard to the right, and lock your right arm.
ReplyDelete