King's Island

"There is no place like home. There is no place like home." I'm tapping my heels, but it isn't working. Perhaps my "good witch" that is supposed to transport me back home is shopping or, more likely, drunk somewhere.

This past week we've been in Ohio visiting with Scott's family. Despite having a nice time, it is always stressful staying in somebody else's home, with different etiquette expectations and rules. The issues with my blog certainly didn't help me feel relaxed or comfortable.

We have had a busy week, which has helped ease Robby's and my homesickness. Yesterday we went to King's Island which is an amusement park in the Cincinnati area. I was thrilled that Robby was able to spend the day having fun and playing with all of his cousins whom he sees so infrequently. All of the little ones were so excited and Robby, being an amusement park expert, was eager to teach them about his favorite rides.

When I was at Disneyland I learned about preferential ride access for those who had mobility impairments. I can walk for miles, but I become uncomfortable quickly when I am forced to stand still. My stump becomes uncomfortable and pressure points quickly begin to ache. It is difficult to accept that I now fatigue more quickly when I am standing versus when I am walking, but that is the reality for many leg amputees.

I learned that a line pass is not a universal accommodation at amusement parks. At King's Island I was told by Guest Services to walk and stand as much as I could, and to return when I was forced to use a wheelchair. I didn't press the issue, but I was disappointed with both the demeanor of the Guest Services representative and the amputee unfriendly policy.

In anticipation of Robby's favorite rides, I opted to wear my activity leg in lieu of my Proprio foot to King's Island. Robby loves the log flume ride, which typically leaves us wet. Actually, I am usually the one who is drenched while he merely becomes spritzed. In any case, I wanted to avoid the awkward decision of either removing my prosthetic or trying to wrap it to protect the computer components since the Proprio is not waterproof.

Wearing my activity leg, although practical from the standpoint of ride access, might not have been my wisest choice. The socket is comfortable, but the angle of the MOD III ankle has not yet been perfected. I am still forced forward in my socket, causing my stump to rub on the bone spur/bursa. By the end of the day, my limb was angry.

Last night my stump was doing the jitterbug kick, keeping both Robby and me awake. (We sleep in the same bed at my Mother-in-Law's house while Scott is on the couch.) Robby kept pleading for me to "stop my dancing leg." The stinging and the kicking was relentless through much of the night. Needless to say, neither of us slept well.

A long and fun filled day followed by a sleepless night equals a grumpy little preschooler at Grandma's house the next day. On top of being sleep deprived, my leg is hurting. When all I really want to do is kick my leg off, crawl back under the covers and sleep, I am forced to push on, "act normal" and try to keep Robby occupied and well behaved.

Right now I am sitting on the front porch, watching Robby roll his cars back and forth. I am thankful for the few moments of calm when I can release the pressure in my socket and rest. I'm hoping that my little guy will lie down with me and take a nap soon. If I can't convince Robby to take a nap, Robby Rotten might make an unwelcome appearance in Ohio and I'm not sure I have the stamina to stop him!