Ramp

I just bought a wheelchair ramp. And I cried. I looked at this ramp several times online. I looked at my friend's ramp that's just like it. I looked at this ramp at a mobility store. It's heavy, 28 pounds heavy. I'll have to slide it in and out of my van, attach it to my bumper, unfold it, roll Dermot's wheelchair down it, then fold it back up and slide it back inside. I'll do this at least four times a day.

I had to decide when I'd had enough, I had to decide when my back had had enough, and most alarmingly I had to decide when my bladder had had enough. Lifting a 68 pound awkward wheelchair up into my van while pressing it up against my bladder to get some leverage is unpleasant.

There's hurdles in this journey as a special needs mom and I've discovered they come and go. Some are easy and I don't give them much thought and some I have to sit with for a while, let them fester or grow. Then I overcome. The ramp means more people will look, the ramp means another step to just get Dermot out of the car. And lastly, the ramp means freedom. Now I will take him to Target or the library or the lake for a walk. All the places moms drag their kids everyday. He can come now and I can bring him.

So yes, I cried. I'll get over it and I'll enjoy just a little more freedom with me and D.

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