Sounds like you have it all under control! With your support system in place, hope it will work out okay. Although my DH is still in the early stage - I would not be confortable leaving him alone overnight. Daytime would be pretty much okay with people checking on him - but not overnight. Good luck and knock'em dead in D.C.!
yes joan, looks like you have all the bases covered with excellent help. you should get out more often with all that help in place!!:)
joan, you carry our prayers along with you for a great rally. remember like the verizon commericial. you have a very big devoted support group in the wings over your shoulder. best of luck! divvi
Joan - as usual, thanks for all you do. I take great comfort knowing that it is you in DC getting our message out. You are so lucky to have such a great support group that watches out for Sid. I'm not so lucky in that repsect, but I'm working on it! Have a safe trip, and know we are there with you in spirit! Love, ~Di
Have some FUN on this trip, that's an ORDER!! I know you'll be on your feet for hours, but I hope you can still enjoy your trip and remember, as we say, to BREATHE!
I'm surprised your DH is able to do all you say he can do. It just reminds me that "our kind of normal" is nothing like that. DH cannot even get his own glass of water. He may get a glass and bring it to his chair empty. Still, he dresses himself in the morning, (albeit often in yesterday's clothes), is mostly continent and gets around in the house on his own. When we leave, he has to use a cane..and I'm going to follow advice I read on this site about using his transporable wheel chair if and when we go to a restaurant again. I'm delighted that Sid is as independent as you described. I think mine is doing well, until something reminds me of all he cannot do. That's why I started the discussion "Our Kind Of Normal". --- It's what we do and all that we know. That's the point I was making.
Joan, have a good trip. The golf cart sounds like a good idea if he understands the boundaries. Be sure he understands if he goes farther than a certain place he can be arrested. That will be a extra incenative. We bought 2 golf carts when we moved to our 15 acres with house. For 2 years dh used the golf cart to ferry the grandchildren from the bus stop to their house, all on our private road. He could go behind the next neighbor, through the field to visit our old place and a friend, all on private property or unpaved private drives. The grandkids would drive when they were on board , and we all were comfortable with that. He hasn't driven the cart himself now for a year, and that is his decision. It worked great for us for 2 years, so you might want to buy him one for permnant use in your complex if this works out. We got ours used for $1200. and resale should be about the same because we keep them garaged.
Hope you have a great trip, Joan. I add my thanks as well for this site and everything you are doing to help this cause, our cause! The golf cart here is working very well... but the issue of boundaries has become an issue in the last few weeks.. It seems he's more interested in picking up brush and litter from our county roadway than from our property That puts some added danger to his doings. Also, he's going to the nearby STORE on the golfcart.. no way to ask or tell him to stay here on our property. Although I'm suggesting that he stay inside our fences and that there's plenty of 'work' to do right INSIDE our property etc etc.. One minute he's here and the next minute he's not.. so the fellow has his 'wings' almost.
When he first started using the cart, there was no difficulty at all. He stayed busy driving from one end of our place to the other...about a half a mile. For sure, it has been one answer.. and very handy. Just wish it didn't have to become dangerous. Ok, now Joan.. BonVoyageeearooo..
Hate to put a damper out there about the golf cart driving. buttt..... in some communities (where my SIL lives in clear lake tx on golf area) and around other areas you must posess a VALID drivers license to operate a cart anywhere on paths or streets. its the same for your Home owners insurance or auto insurance. if you drive one of these and cause an accident or harm to an individual and no license claims can be ..DENIED. you would be on the hook for all liability associated with any damages and fines. its just like driving a vehicle without a license so to speak. homeowners insur sometimes carries a rider that includes coverage for off premises vehicles and boats etc. but again will cover claims only if operated by legal licenses persons. please check with your local police or transit authority to see the rules in your areas. would hate to see someone get into a mess esp with an AD person behind the 'wheel ' of the cart..my sil got in all sorts of fines for letting her 15yr old neice drive her cart on the golf course. she ran into a person from behind. all kinds of liability insued.. i know its a damper on the blog but thought i should let it be known golf carts are treated like any other vehicle or boats etc.. so if your AD spouse has no license or has been revoked driving priveleges better check it out first-sorry. Divvi
Our neighbors in SC let their teens drive the golf cart on our street...about a block between friends' house and theirs. The 15 year old was driving and her 17 year old sister was riding. She turned the car too sharply to make a simple turn, and it turned over, causing damage to the older girls entire mouthfull of teeth and seriously broke her jaw. She was about to begin her senior year of high school. It was a 4 wheel golf cart, but apparently (?) when turned sharply, they can tip over easily. No one realized that. We live in a gated community, but we cannot drive golf carts on the street. In Florida, however, I recall people driving their golf carts everywhere. Maybe it's like that in Joan's neighborhood. I would NOT let my husband drive one. I decided against a motorized wheel chair for the same reason. He'd turn it over, sure as anything!
Here in Florida golf carts are a way of life. All curbs have ramps for easy access. Sid would probably be safe in his community and it would give him the freedom he so much misses.
It's enough to make me want to move to Florida. I love riding around in golf carts. They are fun!! I just don't think children should be driving them on public streets. The young girl who fell onto the street face first suffered terrible facial injuries and had to have most of her teeth replaced after her jaw fractures healed. Not easy for a pretty High School Senior to endure.