By Anakalia Cronrod
Change has been in the air for
what feels like an eternity. With no clear signs on destination, “putting out
my feelers” has become the plan of action. What does this mean? Research,
research, and more research on what mysteries exist in the wild blue
yonder. Heading down the highway to
check out places and talk to new faces. All it takes is one door of opportunity
to open which cries “enter” as I venture into the unknown. At the tender age of
sixty four and unsettled since leaving Hawaii in 2004, where to bed down for
the rest of my life and perhaps have a bit more help has not been revealed yet.
Though the body may lose RPM's, my spirit still revs at high amperage within me.
I recently traveled in my
minivan for three weeks looking where to idle my engine with both scooter and
wheelchair accompanying me. I had visited the rural community of Koinonia Farm
in Americus, Georgia, a year ago though wasn’t sure if it was appropriate. This
became my destination once again to check out my heart’s desire to be on a
farm. Organic gardening, grass fed cattle, organic pork, contented chickens
with the orangest yolks I’ve ever seen, pecan and grape orchards, a pecan
factory, and a bakery shipping mail order delights around the world. A new
handicapped accessible building for visitors had been constructed with concrete
floors good for scooting, wide hallways and doorways in the four thousand or so
square foot housing offering room to move. Of course, outside the terrain had no
concrete for my mobility wheels and only sand, dirt and grass.
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Andrea Cronrod |
I stayed a few weeks and upon
applying for a year-long internship they accepted me. Of course, horrendous
gnats and humidity which takes your breath away in the summer would have to be
contended with. In lieu of an over sixty two independent living community as
another option, residing in a small dormitory type musty building with eleven
twenty year old interns seemed a bit too juvenile, though I know I can be
effective picking up the pieces for the overworked and understaffed management
team.
After
two weeks, I then took off to Rish Park on St. Joe Island on the Gulf of Mexico
where I accidentally “googled” and found a state run facility catering to
vacationing mental and physical handicapped people. The only one there for a
week in the middle of winter winds and turbulent seas, witnessing picture
perfect sunrises and sunsets from any angle of the glass octagon family house I
stayed in, had me praising God the entire time. A wood planked boardwalk
traversing the large acreage all the way down to the sand further enhanced my
experience.
Of course, everywhere I go it takes a few exhausting days to get
settled in and make adjustments on the details of functioning such as sleeping
quarters, which bed and bedroom serve me the best, how to access plugs for
charging scooter and wheelchair and all my apparatus, etc. etc. etc. The
supplements and special foods I bring to eat require excess output in
preparation. Transferring from one chair to another and discovering what I need
to make it work takes some doing and help utilizing tools I have learned to
carry around in my car.
If one way to overcome challenges fails, I implement
another plan. I doubt if I will ever get dementia due to my continual creativity
in how to make things work. The park manager suggested I bring a person to help
even though I repeatedly assured him my ability to implement solutions coupled
with discernment in wise choices would get me out of any jam. Every night he
did the rounds and peered in my windows to make sure I wasn’t collapsed on the
floor and in need of assistance since cell phones cannot always get reception
on this islet jutting out into the sea. A hurricane is always a possibility in
this prime target area, but living dangerously goes with the terrain I
traverse.
Follow me around if you want to
have faith in the human race. In my travels, I readily speak to strangers who
anxiously lend a hand. My situation offers folks a chance to access the most
compassionate recesses of their heart and feel good about helping. When at
Koinonia (which means community by the way), roommate Bob who had come to work
for six weeks in exchange for board, found any opportunity to eagerly lend a
hand. Christian hearts abound in the South, and atheists as well are anxious to
assist. Seedy looking men in gas stations offer to pump gas for my car, and are
uplifted by my plight and their ability to be of service. They compliantly run
my credit card through the machine with no sign of attempted fraud in
memorizing my account number.
Not for the weak at heart or
overly frail in physical stature, a willful mind and desire to remain in the
saddle of activity a bit longer accompany me when I go where no man in a
mobility vehicle has ever gone. My perseverance furthers the drowsiness which
oftentimes attempts to put me to sleep behind the wheel of the car when
driving. Distances of two or three hours a day serve me best, and when heading
for point B from point A, sometimes an overnight sojourn at a state park
plugged into the electricity of an RV pad surrounded by monster campers with my
space heater generating warmth throughout the night may lull me to slumber.
With everything I need around me and standing up on my knees to pee in a cup
within my mobile home, coziness prevails in the tight quarters. A ranger or
camp host number remains within an arm’s reach on my cell phone should an
emergency arise.
How much longer can I do this,
I wonder, and where will I end up? Only time will tell as I continue to make my
treks health permitting until the time and place to settle down reveals itself
to me.
About the author, Anakalia (Andrea in Hawaiian) Cronrod:
I have only been in a
mobility scooter and wheelchair since 2004. I fought the progression of Primary
Lateral Sclerosis for many moons living a very active and physical lifestyle in
Hawaii. I believe that my independence and years spent raising and training
horses helped me adapt to what came about in later years (and strengthened my
arms which now support me as well). I remain creative in adaptability
techniques and find satisfaction in finding solutions I am able to share with
others.
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