In and out of the handicap zone

I never thought much about handicapped parking until I had my knee surgery recently. I was using a walker for the first few weeks after my surgery and was issued a temporary Wyoming Department of Transportation disabled parking identification.

Depending on other people to drive, using a walker, sometimes in excruciating pain opened my eyes to how important these identification markers are.

Mine is red, to show it istemporary. For those who need one permanently, they are blue or their license place depicts the blue wheelchair.

Before getting the hanging decal, I thought there were too many handicapped parking spots. Now, I don’t think there are enough.

Funny how being on the other side of the handicap zone changes your perspective.

I now get around well enough that I don’t use the decal, most of the time.

For those who park in handicapped zones for just a second, because there is no other parking place downtown, which happens often. There is someone out there driving around the block waiting for the zone to open, or even a parking spot close by.

There is someone who has to depend on that spot to be able to keep some of their independence by coming downtown to shop, pay bills or go to lunch.

Not all disabilities are visible. We have an aging population in the Platte Valley and many of them are extremely independent, but need a little help now and then.

The next time you need to park for a quick stop, please don’t take the limited parking designated for the disabled.

On a lighter note, I am happy to be back at work.

I enjoyed going to fair a couple of days last week and it really is nice to be back in a somewhat regular routine. I still go to physical therapy, but that should be ending soon. As I told my physical therapist, I had the knee replacement surgery to allow me to be more active.

I hiked Saturday to the Saratoga Museum trek site. That is the first time I have been able to hike in years. I was slow, but I made it.

It will take me a little while to be back at the pace I was pre-surgery, but I am thrilled to be back in the community again.