Monday, August 18, 2008

Little Things

I am sometimes amazed at how important relatively small things are to my day to day life with myasthenia.

For example, most people take going to the grocery store for granted. Get in car, drive to store, park, buy groceries, unload and put away groceries.

Simple, right?

This morning, most of the stars and planets aligned to where I was able to shop for groceries for the first time in weeks. I pulled into Kroger, where all of the handicapped spaces were either taken or clogged with buggies. I circled until I found a another spot that was still within walking distance for me.

First objective accomplished!

Now for the really tricky part. Could I get the one functioning Sit and Shop buggy? They have four, but three have been out of order for weeks.

Got it! Scooooooore! And it was even charged enough to get me through the store!

To the checkout stand with my items. Nothing open but the self-serve lane. This makes the job a bit harder. Fortunately, the clerk saw me struggling and this one actually helped me wrangle my groceries across the scanner and into the flimsy plastic bags.

Take the buggy out to the car and, because I had to park out of the disabled zone, I was not able to get close to the back seat where I put my groceries because my scooter is riding in the back.

Park buggy, manhandle groceries into the car. See my dad walking across the parking lot and roll down my window to chat for a minute.

Groceries loaded. Check!

Home, where I take the bags of perishables in first. Put them in fridge. Some stuff needs to be packaged for freezing, but it will wait.

Rest for half an hour.

Get rest of bags out of car. Bring in.

Rest for another half hour.

Put away the rest of the groceries.

Rest some more!

My little scooter is nice, but mine does not have a basket and even if it did, it would hold precious few groceries.

If I had not been able to get that parking spot or the buggy, my shopping would have had to wait yet another day.

We have a new Kroger opening up soon. It is supposed to have more handicapped parking and twenty Sit and Shop buggies are on order.

I 'm counting the days!

3 comments:

Eleanor said...

Karen, is there ANY possiblity of your having somebody help with this? Sam, even!

You know I'm a big believer in the interconnectedness of our minds and bodies, and I just have to wonder if the toll you are putting on your body because you don't want to give up any more independence isn't affecting the state of your vocal cords, too. And of course, all of THIS is having a devastating effect on your emotional well-being.

There has to be somebody there who can work with you on a schedule for grocery shopping. People are happy to call on YOU when they need something. It's time to call in some chips, IMHO.

And does Bill ever pitch in on this stuff? I know he works hard, but nobody works so much they can't run by a grocery occasionally!

(((Karen)))

auntie-c said...

((Karen))

Karen :) said...

Bill does a lot and always gets the "heavy" stuff. I just like to go myself for meat and produce especially.

Recruiting Sam is a definite idea!

And it should get MUCH better with the new store. I am already dreaming of the drive through pharmacy! :)

Thanks for the hugs. I am OK.

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