For sailboats, reaching is generally the fastest point of sail, directionally going across the winds. And at a certain time when the wind speed and the performance ability of the craft reach a critical point the hull breaks the surface tension of the water and planes, skimming across the top of the water, surpassing the normal speed of the craft when not planing.
I have not been reaching on a sailboat for over a year now, and since my stroke I have been navigating other challenges. Just this weekend the challenge involved water as I was determined to wash the ugly state of my Tacoma that displayed a thick layer of pollen. In the spirit of independence that I have been working on this past year, I planned the cleaning to take place in my gravel driveway. As it turned out, half the battle was getting the hose set up, with various issues including an old hose spliced together in the past, and the splice connection coming apart when the faucet was turned on, and later the spray nozzle failing through old age. Through all the hose problem solving process and finally washing the truck, I carefully used my (right) strong arm for moving the hose, and moved around with my cane. I recalled my last fall, perhaps three months ago, occurring while manipulating a hose in my garden. While there was negatives in this recollection, there were positives – I fell on a soft garden surface, and even more importantly I was able to get to my feet independently for the first time after a fall. Despite this success, my daily mantra is –Don’t fall!
Today’s weather Is dominated by a solid southwest wind. The shortest passage to Bulls Island for me was out Anderson Creek and across Bulls Bay to the Northeast Point, allowing for a reach out and on the return with the predominant sea breeze. Today’s wind is strong enough for planing while on a reach.
And speaking of tools, I was given a reaching tool, a reacher, by Kristen, occupational therapist, when I was in the Roper Rehabilitation Hospital last March. She was one of a number of excellent therapists at Roper who facilitated the beginning of my stroke recovery. I had no idea how important of a tool it would become in my life, used daily through the present for Activities of Daily Living, besides picking up the many items I drop.
I use another reaching tool with my Tacoma. To close the driver’s side door, after I get behind the wheel, I must use my cane to close the door, hooking the handle end on the interior door handle, and pull with both hands. I don’t have the reach or strength with my left arm to successfully close that door, and have to use this adaptive hack, at least for now.
I have plant life reaching toward the sun, climbing up on trellises or other plants, shrubs and trees. Both cultivated and wild vines. The SC state flower, yellow jessamine, is bountiful in the woods climbing up pine trees and everywhere it can. Some wild dogwoods are reaching up too, ones coming back from root stock after the tidal surge of Hurricane Hugo had devastated the many dogwoods in the understory of our forested property.
Of the cultivated vines, the lady banks rose growing up a trellis built during a shed rebuild several years ago has leaped over to reach further skyward on a crepe myrtle. And over in the vegetable area of the garden several sugar snap pea vines climb up a fence installed for vertical growing. This fence was full of pea vines last winter, but comparing this year to last is not helpful. I didn’t get to notice the blooms on the vines last year – they are beautiful, and signal the pea pods to follow. They can be eaten right off the vine.
Concerning the hazards of comparison, I have been told to not compare my recovery to others. Similarly I have learned it is important to avoid comparing my current function to my past. When I worked as a recreation therapist years ago, and addressed fitness, I shared with patients that I had to accept that as a runner, I was getting slower every year, and had to work with my current level of speed and endurance. Acceptance is a current ongoing challenge and necessity.
Great post, Bob, in all of the ways you are reaching forward towards all of your goals, big and small ❤️.
And thank you for all your help in reaching these goals.
Beautiful post and words of wisdom. How true that “Acceptance is a current ongoing challenge and necessity” but one worthy of the outcome.
Thanks, Pam. Definitely an ongoing challenge.