Wheelcharing, Walkering, and Crutching

One of the great things about the English language is its fluidity; new words come into everyday use, and other words fade into oblivion. The students at West Plains High School are known as the Zizzers. For 27 years I wondered what the heck a Zizzer was, but I finally found out a few months ago. This year is the 100th anniversary of West Plains High School, and a local radio station was broadcasting "Zizzer Moments" every day during the time I drove to the aerobics class. Apparently, zizzer was a slang word in local use at some point during the school's history that was used to express admiration for someone who was great, sharp, excellent, etc. "He's a real zizzer" a girl is reported to have remarked after some remarkable athletic accomplishment, and it stuck. That is what they ended up calling themselves. The Zizzers. Sort of dumb, if you ask me, but nobody has, and besides, I didn't really start this to talk about them.



Late last week, the radiologist reported that the fracture was healing, and I was given the OK by my friend, who is a nurse practitioner, to begin "ambulating as tolerated." I have been using three new verbs to describe the various modes I have been using to get myself from place to place. I have been wheelchairing around the house, and down this very fine ramp that my dear husband built, since some friends were kind enough to loan me their wheelchair.

For about the past 2 weeks at night, I have been walkering from the wheelchair parked at the bedroom door to the bed, and being able to sleep in bed again after 6 weeks on the couch was heavenly.

On Monday I crutched to the car, drove to the YMCA, and crutched inside. I visited with my aerobic friends, sat in a chair and did the weight-lifting exercises, and then I crutched over to the stationary bicycle and rode it for 15 minutes. I crutched back to the car and drove myself home, feeling very tired indeed. It is amazing how out of shape one gets after 2 months of no exercise.

And since yesterday, I have been walking short distances around the house. Am I a zizzer, or what!!!