Go - Cart | Ridemobile

[LisaJF]

Yes, this is exactly what you're thinking.  I used one today at a shopping center.  I told my cousin and sister in law that I'll join them in a minute after I finished my cigarette outside.  I'm in Florida. It is hot.  I went to stand up and my leg muscles wouldn't cooperate.  I felt fatigued and weak.  I walked inside and lo and behold what do my eyes land upon? Right.  A group of Go-carts | Ridemobiles.  


I stumbled over to one, almost unable to hold myself up and plopped myself in the chair.  Took me a minute to figure out how to turn it on and put it in reverse.

I called Rendean to tell her I used one today.  I was embarrassed.  I watched people twice my age walk passed me and was thinking what a simple task we learn when we are 14 months old and now it has become cumbersome.  

As I got back to the air conditioned house and laid down for a bit, I started to feel better.  Now Im back to weakness again.  My legs aren't doing what they are told by my brain.  I wonder if that is just from the fatigue and/or weakness.

Lisa

[twopack]

So true Beth!  They are too busy trying to avoid the underwear or butt crack of the kids with "low rise" jeans.  Too busy wondering if that other woman is really wearing her jammies to come shopping.  Too busy looking crazy themselves as they talk-it-up into an invisible earpiece.

Any device that allows me to get into the doctors office had better expect to take me to many a fun place as well!

Mary

[maestro1959]

I just do not understand this embarassment everyone talks about in using a cart or wheelchair.  How much life are you living when you sit in the car and let someone else complete your tasks?  Is it fair to the other person to have to do it?

Use whatever it takes to keep in the game.  Do not let MS rob you of that time with a loved one.  If you use a scooter you can continue to converse and enjoy the company, and keep up the pace at the same time.  You will arrive home far less fatigued than if you try to shuffle through.

There are not nearly as people staring as you think.

Most sincerely,
Beth

[Lulu54]

Lisa, just wondering if you can put your neuros on alert that you will be calling the next time one of these events occurs so they can see you at your worst?  Or have they already seen this?

Either way, I am glad your legs are back under you and you're doing fine for now.  I hope it lasts.

[LisaJF]

And now, my legs are doing fine. I'm walking normally. This will last for oh...about a month or two or even extend into the third month until another "flare" or "event" or "neurological mishap" occurs. (I'm not saying it is MS because my MS Specialist does not know what I have).  When I do get into this multiple neurological event again, it will last for weeks with occasional or paroxysmal new onset of symptoms (like last time from July 15th to August 24th the bronchospasm/laryngospam, severe vertigo and cervical/thoracic spine paresthesia).

I can't wait to see what the next one brings.  I'll be waiting.

Thank you for your caring responses.

Lisa

[drsdonthelp]

Listen, when you said go cart, I was picturing in my mind what JJ thought! LOL but then I read more and realized the scooter. Hey, if it helped, perfect!!!!!!

funny story,,,... just recently we took our kids to a place that has go carts, and #1 I don't drive anymore, only very short distances due to my vision, and #2 I haven't been on go carts since I was like 12. anyway... I had my daughter with me, she's 5,,, we start to go and I crashed into the wall, couldn't steer the darn thing, felt like I was flying, even going 20 mph seemed fast. I was scared to death, and the rest of the time I drove that thing soooo slow while holding my daughter that I barely made it up the hill to do the laps!!!

I DONT LIKE GO CARTS ANYMORE!!!! LOL  they scare me and that's why I don't drive!!


Love you lots, hope you are having fun on your vacation.
Pam

[beema36]

Good for you! I need to give in and use the carts but that pride gets in the way. I usually end up going to sit in car while my dh finishes shopping. Then I feel guilty. If I can just swallow the pride I could stay and maybe finish.

[kerrtelli]

You're my hero!

[supermum_ms]

Well the vision i had of you when reading your post, was you sitting in a gocart with a crash helmet on, speeding through the shopping centre at a 100 kilometers per hour lol Go carts over here are low to the ground, like mini race cars you take around a specialised race track and they are very fast! I think i'll revise that vision of you to riding on an electric scooter, walking pace with a basket on the front for your shopping, we also call them shop riders, probably closer to what your meaning. lol

Wasn't it liberating? I'm having trouble understanding why driving a cart would be more embarrassing than sitting on the floor when your legs finally give out or walking strangely enough to look like your drunk. Ok i do have a different perspective, i look like a drunk bouncing string puppet so i do get really odd looks all the time and i'm sure i'd get less or none at all if i was mobile in a more 'normal' way. In my head i've been thinking an electric scooter or even an electric wheelchair was going to make getting around easier, not looking at either because of the way i am though.

I was actually thinking anything would be better really, my focus is on staying on my feet whilst i get from A to B so I miss out on everything thats going on around me which isn't enjoyable really. As much as i want to keep being able to walk, walking is exhausting and the reality is anything that would aid me to have enough physical strength to participate in life is actually better than not having it. Seriously if riding a scooter (go cart) gives you more than what you legs are giving you, then isn't that going to be more liberating?

Please dont be embarrased, your body is doing this, not you, you have nothing to be embarrased about, be pro-active, do what ever works for you and if other people have a problem with that then it is their problem, dont let it be yours!! I think its great you used the cart when you needed it, many wouldn't, you though listened to what your body was telling you and took action, got to be a possitive, right?

Cheers...........JJ

[Lulu54]

Lisa,
Sure hope tomorrow is a cooler day - that heat is so difficult to work around.  I am so proud of you to get in that scooter and go.  You impress me as the type of woman who will find ways to keep going, even if it means using an electric cart to get around the store.  

Here's to finding ways to enjoy your vacation.

hugs, L

[LisaJF]

Thank you for your comment.  My legs are just uncooperative today.  Perhaps tomorrow it will be a better day.  One can only hope right? :D

You're right, its not only an uneasy feeling that you would fall but you get that foreboding feeling that your legs are not going to work anymore because they are getting weaker and weaker during times like these.  That one day I will be unable to stand.  I am sure that's a hard physical feeling to portray in text, but I can't help but say that is exactly what it felt like -- that I was going to lose the ability to stand and use of my legs if I stood much longer.

Thank you for your good wishes of feeling better tomorrow.  I too, hope that this is a passing thing.

Lisa

[metalbender]

Lisa,

I hope your legs start to feel better...I understand the weakness you are talking about...It's a very unstable feeling like you will fall..

.I too, would feel very embarrassed for having to use a scooter...It takes courage to put your pride in check...I still don't know if I could do it...For me, I just sit in the truck while my daughter does all the shopping...When I'm at work, it is more difficult to walk then for me to do my job...So walking is cut to a minimum...

I hope tomorrow is better for you...

mb