Trial Run for the Big Day

Took another excursion out of the hospital today, this time over to the Meetinghouse with the Occupational Therapist in tow, to practice getting in and out of the building and up and down off of the chancel. At the moment First Parish is only semi-accessible: wheelchair entry is through the alley, and then up a lift in the stairwell to the main floor of the Parish House. The second story of the Parish House (where my office is located) is up yet another flight of stairs (which means I won't be going back in to the office any time soon), but at least we now have an ADA-compliant accessible restroom down on the main floor where it is needed. We've been in conversations with our neighbors on the other side of the alley about sprucing it up a bit as well, and I actually thought that we would have made a little more progress in that direction by now. But apparently not.

Likewise, there are only two low steps from the main floor of the Meetinghouse to the my normal seat on the chancel, which I was easily able to negotiate in the wheelchair with a little help from my friends. And from there it's only another five steps up in to the high pulpit...which actually appeared a lot more intimidating BEFORE I was in the chair than they seem now. Don't expect I'll try climbing them this Sunday. But I imagine I'll be able to climb them by September, one way or another. I'm thinking of it as a Father Mapple sort of thing.

Afterwards, my dad and I made a quick run by my study at the Eastland, just to pick up the mail and so that I could have another look at the place with the Occupational Therapist's recommendations in hand; and then also by my regular apartment to pick up some clean clothes and pay the rent. Saw both my landlord and my downstairs neighbors (with their new puppy!) while I was waiting in the car. It was like a little reunion out on the sidewalk: lovely warm spring evening, the puppy on my lap, a MONTH since I've been home, and yet...yes, it was tempting -- to try, just once, to get up out of the chair, climb the stairs, sleep in my own bed again....

But not tonight. Another day, maybe. Next stop is assisted/independent living, then maybe my study or someone's guestroom, and then maybe, maybe back "home" again. But I'm still dreaming about sleeping on that sailboat too. "Yes, the world's a ship on its passage out, and not a voyage complete; and the pulpit is its prow."