Where's the Silver Lining?

Robert the Southern engineer

Robert has the ability to take "junk" and make something worthwhile and usable. A true "Southern engineer," he looks at pile of things others have thrown away and sees possibilities. He collected items he thought might be of value someday and finds uses years later.

Some years ago, my scavenger husband found an old motorized wheelchair; placing it in his "maybe" stash, after taking it all apart. Now that he's in a powerchair, he has a problem allowing it to charge as long as it needs to be. He can only shuffle a few steps holding on to something, so getting around without his chair is impossible. Also, because of the high tech control, the joy stick, he cannot take it out when the weather is wet. We have a lift on the back of the minivan to haul the powerchair, but the chair is out in the weather. Therefore wet weather equals being house bound.

What does Robert do? He pulls all the parts of the other chair, one which is light-weight and can be folded up like a regular wheelchair, one that can be carried inside the van. He starts putting the pieces back together, buys batteries at Wal*Mart, new wheels for the front from a medical equipment place. As soon as the new wheels are on, he will have a ratty looking chair to use around the house so that the mighty chair can be charged as needed, and a chair that can be folded and stowed in the car so he can do and do when the weather isn't dry. No, he didn't complete the job in a day or two, but rather weeks, but he did it.

Yes, this is the man who is on hospice, the one who has nearly died several times. His time may be limited, but he is determined to live as full a life as possible as long as he breathes. He still plans for the future, not just for today. He fills each day with as much as his body and mind allows.

No wonder our children and grandchildren believe "I can't" isn't really part of vocabulary.