[personal profile] kyra_ojosverdes
A Black man (this is novel enough in Missoula to merit comment, yes) of about my father's age and with a similarly grizzled beard was waiting at the crosswalk this morning as I approached. He wore a snap-brim cap, comfortable clothes, athletic shoes, and black leather fringed motorcycle gloves... the better to steer the electric scooter he rode. He also wore headphones and was happily rocking out, playing aim-drums over the handlebars of his scooter as I walked up. We greeted each other and I commented that I really liked his gloves. He pulled the headphones away from one ear, grinned broadly, and said "I got to wear my gloves! I learned to roll when I was fifteen. I got blowed up in 'Nam and I had a stroke *gestures at scooter* and that's why my coordination isn't so good. But my music... I got to have my music! Music is my life!" At that point the light changed and we crossed the street. He turned and cut across my path with a half-apologetic, half-playful grin and we wished each other a great day.

It is now my opinion that any person who uses a wheelchair, electric scooter, or other wheeled device because of limited mobility needs to own, and preferably wear when using said wheeled device, a pair of fringed leather motorcycle gloves. Yes, this includes the walker your great-grandmother uses in the rest home. You know she wants those gloves, she just doesn't know how to ask.

Date: 2006-05-10 05:13 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] marialuminous.livejournal.com
When I'm a grandma in a nursing home, you bet I'm wearing the biker gloves.

Date: 2006-05-10 05:37 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ladyqkat.livejournal.com
When my mother got her wheelchair (for occasional use) we got her a pair of fingerless motorcycle gloves. For one thing when she is wheeling herself it protects her hands.

Date: 2006-05-10 05:46 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ladyqkat.livejournal.com
No, but she still has her fringed leather jacket.

Date: 2006-05-10 06:13 pm (UTC)

Date: 2006-05-10 06:08 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kightp.livejournal.com
When my friend Janet got to the point where she needed a walker, she bought one with a candy-apple red metalflake finish, and bought some of those sparkly mylar streamers you see on little girls' bikes to fly from the handles.

Her hands are too gnarled by arthritis for gloves, but now I'm pondering knitting her some fingerless mitts with fringe on the wrists...

Date: 2006-05-10 07:12 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sweet-byrd.livejournal.com
I'm supposed to wear support mitts -- basically, stretchy fingerless gloves -- but they look so goddamn orthopedic that I just can't bring myself to do it. People treat me as though I am helpless or stupid when I wear them, and I hate it. I keep swearing that I am going to bead and embroider the backs of them so they don't look quite so horrid (and maybe then I'll wear them), but I never do. Too bad they don't come in leather with fringe!

Date: 2006-05-10 09:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ladyqkat.livejournal.com
So get some chamois leather and use the support mitts as a pattern. When my carpal tunnel we really bad I used to wear leather wrist bracers that I got from SCA merchants. I had one pair that was shoe leather weight out of cowhide and one pair from buffalo skin. The nice thing about leather is that it breathes.

Date: 2006-05-10 10:28 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sweet-byrd.livejournal.com
I tried that but I ran into one ofthose awful catch-22 things -- I needed the mitts because my hands were sore, but because my hands were sore, I couldn't sew through the leather (even wearing the mitts).

My life is determined to be stupid, I think

Date: 2006-05-10 10:48 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ladyqkat.livejournal.com
Okay, I found these on line. A bit pricey, but worth it if it saves you pain. I would get the lace rather than the buckle because they are more adjustable. I also discovered that it was imperiative to make sure the laces lay flat against my skin. When I was wearing them constantly, I rarely had to adjust them during the day. And I discovered that having someone help tie them was worse than useless - they either got them too loose or too tight. It was awkward at first to tie them with my off hand, but if you use your teeth as a third hand it gets easier with practice.

Date: 2006-05-11 02:41 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sweet-byrd.livejournal.com
Very cool. Thank you greatly!

Date: 2006-05-11 02:46 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ladyqkat.livejournal.com
I had carpal tunnel syndrome for over twenty years and learned to cope with all the problems that occured because of it. And since I have been pain-free since my operation, anything I can pass along to someone who might benefit from my coping methods pays me back immeasurably. You are so welcome.

Date: 2006-05-10 09:54 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ebon-bear.livejournal.com
OK< that guy should be knighted.

Date: 2006-05-12 04:05 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] mactavish.livejournal.com
Now you're making me want them!

Date: 2006-05-12 04:06 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kyra-ojosverdes.livejournal.com
You need them! You know you do!

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