Walker Time

The time came when the doctor said it was time for Velcro to begin using a walker, and suggested we get one with a seat. Being the compliant souls we are we charged right out and got one. He wanted the Texas license plate added so daughter fixed him up. That's about as much good as I can say about this walker experience.

There are very few times when he needs this contraption. He uses it to wheel the trash out, and when he walks up to get the mail. That's about it.

I refuse to take him to Costco without it, so he's chosen not to go to Costco. Fine with me.

Shortly after he got it I found it very difficult to fold and put in the car, plus it was far heavier than I wanted to deal with. The contraption itself weighs 15 pounds, but it felt much heavier than that. Later I discovered he was carrying a flashlight, a wrench, and a socket wrench in the compartment under the seat! That's when I told him he was in charge of getting the thing in and out the car.

We made a few grocery store trips with it but it's hard to imagine how many ways he found to block me with it. In the check-out lane things escalated. He couldn't think how to turn around and wheel it on through and because of the grocery cart I couldn't reach him to turn him around and head him in the right direction. Once we'd completed our clown performance there and were leaving the store, I realized I was pushing the walker and he was pushing the cart!

We live in an apartment, not a house. The walker is too large to be of much use. One of the very simple, lightweight, folding ones is all he needs in the house.

In time I may grow to love this one but it will be a while.