The Glass is Half-Full

I've been in my wheelchair now for over a year - sometimes it seems like 20 and others times seems like days. Depends on a lot of things including my mood for the day (whether my 'get-up-and-go' got up and went), the weather (let's face it even the heartiest of Michiganders don't always want to venture out in blustery, snowy or icy days) and what's on the agenda (if I have a date with my hubby or going to see the not-so-little Piggins). Another variable, about my attitude towards the wheelchair, however is what I believe I will receive from some people when they see me in the wheelchair. What I mean is, some people see ME in a wheelchair and others see me in a WHEELCHAIR. Many times someone will see me coming and give me a look of sorrow or pity - it's a look that gets under my skin and makes me want to scream "You don't see me -I'm not pitiful I'm in a wheelchair!" (actually, what I want to scream sometimes includes a few four-letter

The title of this post must be read with the tune of "I Feel Pretty" from West Side Story. And feeling wonky is in no way similar to feeling pretty. As a matter of fact, I'm fairly certain they are as dissimilar as vanilla and chocolate or logic and 45. Actually, it's difficult to feel wonky and pretty at the same time. My children used to accuse me of making up words and I'm pretty sure wonky is one of those words. According to Merriam-Webster wonky is an adjective of British origin (as a matter of fact, when I'm feeling particularly wonky as I do now, I am imagining John Oliver speaking the word, wonky) that means "shaky, unsteady, awry". And that is exactly how I feel. It's a great descriptive term. I even used it with the doc at urgent care on Saturday, and I hope he knew what I meant and didn't think that I was just cracked (another great British slang term meaning loopy). It's a UTI and after a couple days on an antibiotic, I&