shopping nightmare.

[Hollywood]

oh man , my wife had to go to a department store to buy clothes for job interviews, which she's in a program where they pay for it all.

So I opened my big mouth and said "I will go with you" What a mistake. I haven't been in a store for years.

One I brought the walker with wheels and a seat thank God. The store was so hot and I didn't realize how much walking we would have to do.

My back was on fire after about 15 minutes of walking even with the walker

Then I passed thru all the electronics and sporting goods. It just really was like rubbing it in how poor I am. And I WANTED some of all that shiny new stuff.

Between the thing on my foot I will probably have to have cut out, It's like walking with a piece of glass in your foot. Hopefully it's benign.

Then my back which is just a wreck in every way, i'm getting an epidural Monday hope that helps.

Then the complete exhaustion from walking so much, I felt like I needed to sit down and get oxygen.

I think I am in the worst physical shape I have EVER been in.

I was getting so angry at just having this illness.

I know there are stages of grief, because the old me is GONE.

Just when do we get to acceptance? Or is that just a fantasy.

For some reason, I am really having flashbacks of the old me. Superman had nothing on me.

When I did finally get home. My pain levels from head to toe were a 10. It took me hours to regroup to just be able to post here.

I have to learn to accept "the bed" is going to be my life. It's just so hard to do anything else.        

[ronr]

Flashbacks of the old life I don't think ever totally disappear.  I know I still have them and is probably one of the reasons we overdo too much because we still remember what we used to do and this SHOULD be an easy task.

Stages of Grief is not like following a path.  You can jump to different stages and then go back to stage one with no guarantees.  You surely know that cannot be any easier than any other part of our lives.  Sorry!

Can't imagine going on a shopping trip like that.  Even going in the car I have a piece of cardboard for emergency, 'I gotta lay down now.'. Thankfully have not had to use it much but just in case the need arises to find an out of the way place to go horizontal.   Something makes me think any department store is going to get excited if you do that in there place.  Ambulance, EMT's, and that kinda stuff is probably' not in your plans.

Them women can spend all day shopping like that & I  get discouraged quick like you when looking at all the can't afford & don't have enough body/ability left to use.

[looneylane]

I hear you Hollywood. 

[Hollywood]

Something makes me think any department store is going to get excited if you do that in there place.  Ambulance, EMT's, and that kinda stuff is probably' not in your plans.

Actually when we first went in my wife is asking "where are the baskets" because she uses that to hold herself up. (like a grocery cart)

This manager looking guy says they don't have any, because people keep stealing them.

So we were on 45 minutes in the store and were hobbling to the shoe area, and there was a metal thing on wheels and I told my wife to use that. She says i'm not allowed, and the manager guy was right there.

So I say BS just use it. "TRUST ME THEY RATHER YOU PUSH THAT AROUND INSTEAD OF PASSING OUT BECAUSE YOUR DISABLED AND WE SUE THE HE^L OUT OF THE STORE"

Once the manager heard "disabled" and "lawsuit" He jumped in and said by all means go ahead and use it.

Then he magically made a cart appear 5 minutes later.  

[ronr]

  

[Robby]

I think I've told this here before, but can't find it. Anyway, back when all this started for me, I got to where I was having trouble walking very far, so when we went to Walmart, or the grocery store, or anywhere else where they were available, Dawn would make me get the ride on carts. I hated those things, I felt like a crippled person. So I had to go in Walmart one day by myself. I don't remember what I was going for, but it was at the back of the store.

When I went in I decided I could walk it, and did not need the cart, it was only one item after all. I went in the door, and straight down the aisle to the back of the store, I turned left by this time my back and legs were screaming at me. I walked about halfway to the customer service area, before it hit me. I went from my back an legs screaming at me, to not being able to take another step in about 3 steps. Luckily at this point I was next to a display of oversized "pillows" more like the size of couch cushions. So I kind of leaned against/sat on them. I was in so much pain, and I did not know what I was going to do. I did know that if I didn't do something soon I would be in the floor, as my legs wouldn't hold me much longer.

Then I saw a young male employee looked to be about 18, walk out from the customer service are, I called out to him, and asked him to get me a chair quick, before I fell. It wasn't but a second before he came almost running with a rolling chair. He put one arm under  my arm pit, and held the chair with the other arm, and got me in the chair. He made sure I was ok, then he said, "Do not move I'll  be right back". It was a few minutes, and he came around the corner, with a ride on cart.

We talked for a minute, I asked his name, as I wanted to talk to management about him, he said "Greg Morris". I secretly wanted to tell his parents what a good kid they had raised. He helped me over to the cart, I noticed the Dr. Pepper in the basket. I called his name, and held it up, he said "I forgot I got that for you, you looked like a Dr. Pepper guy. I tried to repay him, but he wouldn't have it.

I got what I went in for, and got up to the checkout, I asked the girl to call the manager on duty over because I wanted to praise an employee. The manager came over and I explained what Greg had done, she didn't recognize his description or name, so she called the office, they had no record of him. I gave her the receipt from the Dr. Pepper, she said that the person that bought it had used an employee discount, so she checked with the office on the employee number, it did not exist. He had on a name tag, and was wearing a Walmart vest. She got on the radio and asked the other managers, nobody  knew anything about him. The girl working customer service said no one had gotten a chair from there in the 2 hours she was working. The guy working the door, said no employee had gotten a cart in the last 2 hours, and nobody by his description. By this time I knew what had happened, Greg was one of my guardian angels (it takes more than one for me). No one will ever tell me different, although some have tried, but some of their explanations required more faith than mine does. But I promise you, I have not went in a large store since without getting a cart, as bad as I hate them, I love them too. I have turned around and left stores because there wasn't one available.

[ronr]

WOW!!

[Robby]

ron, I would say WOW myself, but I've seen bigger things some would classify as a miracle. Most I can't really talk about.

[ronr]

OK the, kinda WOW .

[foxgrove]

Don'tcha love it when angels show up... just kinda makes you look up and stare with a big goofy grin on your face...

[Robby]

Don'tcha love it when angels show up... just kinda makes you look up and stare with a big goofy grin on your face...

My grin is always goofy, but I know what you mean.....