My Mobility Issues Are Helping Me Accept My Aging Body
My denial led to frustration
I was on the ground floor of my condo building, headed to the elevators. Mary, who works in the building, spotted me and pressed the elevator button in anticipation of my arrival. It was an act of kindness, meant to reduce my wait time.
The elevator was already on the ground floor so it opened immediately. To catch it, I broke into a run, calling out a “Thank you!” as I entered and pressed the button.
Afterward, I reflected on how my reaction to that situation could look very different depending on the day. My left leg has a chronic issue so there are days when that four-second run would cause me significant pain. On one of my worst days, I’d have to let the elevator go and hit the button again when I eventually got there.
That’s life with a mild mobility issue.
We have an image of people with mobility disabilities. Unless they have an accessibility tool like a cane, people assume someone my age has no problem walking at an average pace.
Generally speaking, that’s true for me, but I still have a mild mobility issue. Ten years ago, I developed an impossible-to-diagnose tendon or ligament problem that affects me from calf to hip. If I’ve been in an upright seated position for a…
