
130 Posts
Hey Madhurri - Nobody on this site is bored from these stories - we ALL have them!! ;-)
Having spent more than a year in a wheelchair in India (Delhi, Dharamsala) I know how hard it is to get around that country. No public toilets, no ramps for the trains, no lifts on the busses, stairs everywhere - it's awful! Fortunately there is a great effort in Parliment to address these issues and it is run by a friend of mine - Javed Abidi. Look at his website if you have a chance: http://www.ncpedp.org/
If you are putting on lots of weight and having shoulder problems, that usually means you are not getting enough exercise (I'm guessing none at this point!) That's really dangerous for paraplegics. You need to start daily strolls around your neighborhood by yourself - not being pushed by your husband. You need to diet (I know it's tough in Southern India w/all that good food - but it's important!) Whenever somebody wants to push you - INSIST that you do it yourself - even if you struggle (you WILL struggle)! Even if you have to go off of the sidewalk into the street to avoid a large curb. It's a bit embarassing at first - but then you will become enormously proud of what you can do. When I was in India EVERYBODY wanted to push me. You have to refuse! You will sweat, you will get tired, you will get dirty... and then you will get proud and healthy! I'm guessing your chair is not the best suited for this (none of them are in India!) but that's no excuse. You NEED to do this! If not, you will have multiple health issues the rest of your life. Start slow, maybe just a quarter mile and back. Eventually you will be able to work up to pushing 2, maybe 3 even 5 miles at a time! You are still VERY young! This is extremely possible in your future! And you will love every step (or push) of this journey - You have NOTHING to lose! Start today!