Me, my wheelchair and scooter, oh my

Carla's canine companions are MIA. They 'don't do rain'.

I’m 65! I have arrived! Arrived without any major ongoing health issues, testament to following the ‘you are what you eat’ and ‘use it or lose it’ school of living well daily.

From the age of 2ish to age 8, it was heavy metal waist-high braces with lots of leather; from 8-12, metal ankle-foot orthotics (AFOs).

Braces free from age 12 to date, save a few months in the 80s with a short-lived relationship with moulded plastic AFOs, I still rely on  axillary crutches, having never felt safe using the forearm crutches of my my toddlerhood. My current pair, beat up wooden things with attached ice picks thanks to A.R. Menzies, certified orthotists, are genuine antiques. I learned recently that the ice picks are not longer part of today’s crutches.

Last year my wheelchair, after 28 years of service was officially retired and, via Tango Medical, donated to the Easter Seals loaner program as it still had life left in it for the occasional user.

Just as with my ‘little red racer’ my new chair is not used full time. Instead, it’s for grocery and other shopping outings in the city where walking would be exhausting. Regardless of age, exhaustion is a key player in the life of one living with cerebral palsy. Having a chair that fits is very important as well; after a few false starts and taking some getting used to, not unlike breaking in a new pair of shoes, my new chair almost fits me.

I’ve lived outside the city for many years and as time passed it became clear that a wheelchair wasn’t going to be enough to cope with hilly roads, particularly given I have a wonky ticker and propelling a chair up even a slight incline made me feel sick. Since 1999, I’ve benefited from a mobility scooter that, on a daily basis for many years, was much enjoyed by my last terrier, Mr. Jake the Cairn.

Like me, the scooter is gettin’ on in years and starting to show its age, and like me, it requires a tweak every now and then. Several years ago, Trent Mundie, then with Apollo Medical visited me here at my home to assess my scooter; it was veering sideways — sorta like me! The tiller/steering mechanism was broken. Trent left me with a loaner while my scooter was being repaired — that’s service! Once fixed, Mr. Digby and I were back running the roads.

Like Mr. Digby and me, it hummed along great until this past winter when it was getting sluggish. I hoped it was nothing more than pooped out batteries as it came close to taking 3 men and a boy to get the seat off to dismantle the scooter into 3 easy pieces during previous repairs. Major muscle power would be required. I had been leery using the scooter in the winter for fear of it stopping and me being stranded. Recently, on a trash to the road trip, I knew I was in trouble when the battery indicator drifted into the white/red zone after only a short distance on a fully charged battery. There was no way I was going to do that again until the scooter was serviced.

A couple of weeks ago, since Trent, now with Embracor, wasn’t available to replace the batteries, he sent his colleague, Scott, who was prepared —  he brought along a little blow torch! When I told him how old the scooter was, he commented that it was in very good shape, going on to say that he’d seen scooters and wheelchairs only 2-3 years old that were really banged up — lots of wear and tear.  No doubt their users gave them a lot more daily use than I give mine.

Scott, from Embracor

Ready to Ride

For persons with mobility challenges, when something goes wrong with equipment, it’s critical that we have access to people who appreciate our need for mobility and safety. Thanks to A.R. Menzies, Tango Medical, Embracor, among others, we can live and work in the community, confident that our modes of transportation will be kept in tip-top shape.

Since the battery replacement, I was able to do what most homeowners do with ease — take out the trash. So confident was I that the scooter would work just fine, I hopped on, not bothering with shoes. Steering with one hand and holding  a box for disposal in the other, I made it to the end of my driveway. Mission accomplished. 

There was only one thing missing. The passing trucker didn’t honk his horn. Hey, I was color co-ordinated with robe, PJs n socks. Next time, I’m bringing a dog!

Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with her geriatric Australian silky terrier and a rambunctious Maltese. She can be reached via email at carmacrockwell@xplornet.ca

Mr. Digby and me, aging in place together

In 2 days, Mr. Digby, already geriatric, will be 16 years old. Actually, he’s advanced geriatric; the term as it applies to a dog sets the age 11.5 for a small breed such as the D-dude. Just as with humans, the senior and geriatric dog experience similar declines and deficiencies which may include changes in sleep patterns, eating habits, daily routines and waning interest in things once enjoyed. Mr. Digby has, in a word, become persnickety.

I  am a senior. By definition, in medical terms, senior is more a function of chronological age - a number. As to geriatric, we think more in terms of health, of physicality, of overall well-being and how the body is performing or perhaps not performing.

For people and pets, fragility includes various combinations of the following: weakness, fatigue or exhaustion, weight loss, impaired balance, decreased physical activity, slowed motor performance, social withdrawal, mild cognitive dysfunction, increased vulnerability to physiological stresses.

It’s important to pay attention to cues that suggest insufficient nutrition, which contributes to significant declines in all aspects of daily living . Perhaps it’s time for a dentist appointment to check for cavities or disease that compromise proper chewing which would impact nutritional input. Ill-fitting dentures would also warrant investigation if eating has declined, particularly if there is noticeable weight loss.

From the outset, to promote exercise, Mr. D. was fed 1/4 cup of kibble morning and evening via a food dispensing ball. In recent months, however, he stopped ‘working for eats’. Hard kibble was the culprit. I started feeding him in the dish he came with, measuring out the portion and pouring warm water on it. His morning repast included an extra 1/4 cup of nutrient dense food to to counter the effect of weight loss due to chewing deficiencies with concurrent tooth loss. Though he’s shown no interest in the food ball, attempts to put it away failed. He wants it left right where it is! 

Persnickety entered the examination of Mr. Digby’s aging when he suddenly didn’t want kibble in his dog dish. Now, he enjoys fine dining from a cereal bowl, with a soft biscuit on top. He’s gone from a crunchy biscuit to a soft one, but he still takes it to the living room to eat before he comes back to the kitchen to have the main course. There’s still a lot of mental engagement and he enjoys the routines of his day, whether it’s eating, having play time on the floor with me, or going outside, tethered with Miss Lexie to enjoy the fresh air. One thing I’ve noticed that he no longer does is ‘sing’ along to his favourite Jukebox Oldies; Connie Francis was a regular singing partner. At least I have a few recordings of him belting out the tunes.

Many of the same habits apply to geriatric men and women who may be finding it difficult to eat; using utensils to cut up food is exhausting so it may be time for family members or other givers of care to present meals with cutting already done, and condiments at hand, so that all the older person has to do is enjoy the meal. As well, adaptive dinnerware and cutlery significantly enhances the eating experience, allowing the diner to eat without having to fight to keep food on the plate, fork or spoon. Interestingly, red dinnerware has been demonstrated to stimulate eating. Red, is after all, a power colour and my personal favourite.

In the absence of dietary restrictions, smoothie nutrition provides an immediate energy boost. Though I have the metabolism of 3 men and a boy and eat like a lumberjack, I still have a smoothie almost every day. The dogs enjoy a slosh of blended berries, banana and yogurt, too. For the senior or frail geriatric, proper nutrition also ensures better health overall with less likelihood of contracting a cold or becoming otherwise unwell.

Mr. Digby has issues with sleep and wakefulness and nocturnal ‘anxiety’; the disturbed sleep pattern is part of the canine cognitive disorder, not unlike Alzheimer’s in humans. He’s been on 5mg of melatonin each evening for the past few weeks and is doing very well. Though they’re berry flavoured quick dissolve tablets, he won’t take them in anything but yogurt. For my own good sleep, a sleep mask and room darkening blinds rule the night. We both sleep like babies, though one of us snores terribly. No, it’s not me!

And so, to honour old dogs and old broads with dogs, a contribution to your local animal shelter or rescue group wouldn’t go amiss. They’re always looking for volunteers, too. Dog walking is a great way to connect with the community. Leave cell phones at home and be fully present with your canine companion. It’s a dog’s life, after all.

Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with her aging Australian silky terrier and a rambunctious Maltese. She can be reached via email at carmacrockwell@xplornet.ca