Ron's POZ Blog

Happy Independence Day all you Americans (U.S.)!

My very own Independence Day is going to be July 11 – when I get my mini-van with all the groovy doo-dads I need for “disabled” drivers. (Thanks to my HIV induced PML, in case anyone forgot!) I’ll be able to take my Jazzy (power chair) which will allow me to do a lot of things I cannot do on my own right now.

I went through the Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation which helped me get a loan with only a fixed 4% interest instead of the 8.99% up to 14.24% and a 7 year payment plan instead of the usual 4 or 5. So, this isn’t a “gift.”

My mind is swimming with so many possibilities once I have my wheels. My biggest things are being able to go shopping (grocery, personal, pharmacy and even window shopping) when I want and being able to go to my doctors or dentist without an entourage.

I have to admit to be totally honest, I am not sure how I will react when, especially somebody who hmm’d and haw’d whenever I asked to be taken somewhere, asks me for a ride. I had to schedule my doctor’s and dentist’s appointments MONTHS in advance and BEG to be taken to grocery stores. Better yet still, I had to call around to see who was able to pick up my meds when I needed them. Before you tell me I am whining, look at a map of Pennsylvania and look at where “Falls” sits in the northeast corner (15 miles NW of Scranton and 17 miles NNW of Wilkes-Barre). Falls is a small, rural town of , maybe, 3000 people on one highway (and a 2 to 3 lane-er – nothing major). It is at least 7 or 8 miles in either direction to hit any type of grocery store, fast food spot or even bank. To be fair, I do have a gas station with a mini-mart 2 miles away – but the prices – YIKES!

Enough belly-aching….

A few of the things I am looking forward to also and have noted are:

1 – I want to go to my old high school’s home football games. I haven’t seen one in 30 years because I lived away for so many years and when I did visit; I didn’t have the time. Well, since I was dragged back to my hometown 7 years ago, I eventually fell back into following local football again with major focus on my alma mater and its main rivalries. I have asked an old high school chum (who ironically is a teacher now) to take me to a game and get as many of our group together. Great, a bunch of 47, 48 and 49 year-olds trying to re-capture youth!

2 – I want to go to street fairs, church picnics and firehouse bazaars again. Granted, I will not be able to go on rides, but the food and the game booths!! I already know all the big ones coming up in August and September like the Pittston Tomato Festival, the Scranton Italian Festival, and the Bloomsburg Fair, to name a few. I can taste the pizza and potato pancakes even now!

3 – I look forward to being able to go to a restaurant again. The idea of being able to go out is such a giddy thought. I’ll be more than happy with Bennigan’s, TGI Friday’s, Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Lone Star or even Chi Chi’s for casual eating. But, I look forward to being able to go to the so-called “real” restaurants – I wonder where all my neckties and sport coats are?? Besides, I haven’t had good fried calamari since I left NYC seven years ago.

4 – I’ll be able to go to movies or concerts or artistic events.

5 – I will be able to go to the rehab center here on my own now without having to wait for their van’s schedule to open up – water therapy!!!!!

6 - I cannot wait to be able to do a decent road trip again! First, will be New Hope, PA, northeast of Philadelphia, when I get used to driving again. The area is more rural, so it’ll be an easier drive for my first road trip. A lot of friends live in the area from when I worked and lived near Philly 20 years ago!! After I get more comfortable driving and more skilled, I plan to visit my best friend on Staten Island and then both of us head to Manhattan. I would love to re-visit my old stomping grounds (that are wheelchair accessible) like the clubs, restaurants, shops, stores, museums, etc. Ooh, Broadway shows!

Family and friends have also been reminding me of things I will be able to do like:

- going to the casinos! I LOVE the $1 slots, always have. We have a horse track here about 15 miles and slots are legal. For more, I can always head to Atlantic City for Blackjack!
- Drive-thrus at Mc Donald’s, Burger King, Dairy Queen, Arby’s, KFC – Mmm, Mmm, Mmm! I’ll definitely be having a lot of salads and yogurt home though.
- As long as gas stays reasonable; joy rides or spending a day at the lake or park AND taking the dogs with me.
- A good friend here wants us to go to clubs (of all the better clubs here – no steps are in my way) and joked if someone pisses us off, I can just run over their foot with the Jazzy!

I am also working on getting a new Jazzy (power chair) through Medicare which is possible since I am allowed a new one every 5 years. The one I have now has a lot of creaks and is definitely well-worn and used. So, I need to have a physical and have my doctor write a script to the dealer to submit to Medicare for a new one. My Jazzy turn 5 on July 11, 2007 – the day I supposed to have my mini-van. I am definitely looking at the updated version of the Jazzy I have now.

Another comment to me, which really raises the hair on my neck or my blood pressure, is “now, with the van, don’t slack off on your walking exercises.” I have tried to make sure that when I tell anyone about the van, I reiterate my commitment to my goal of walking and what daily therapies, exercises I do and the little victories I manage. I do not plan on it. Insert my laughter here.
Once again, I just want to say that, even though I rarely comment, I read the BLOGs and the Forums nearly every day and many hit my heart and a few make me chuckle. And, yes, I can even read Juan Carlos’ BLOG in Spanish!!