View from the Pool Deck

Being a swim mom is one of my favorite roles.  Swim practice, meets, suits, caps, goggles, towels, and, most importantly, the swimmers.  I love watching GJ swim, and hope B will soon join the fun.  I will conserve energy all week to be able to get to the meets on the weekends!  Getting there takes a lot of work, GJ helps me into and out of the car.  She then helps me get set up in the spectator area before she heads down for warm ups.  Lately it has become even more difficult for me to get around and I'm eternally grateful to my mom, Chris, Kristle, Tim, and Janet for their help at swim meets this year!

Some pools have designated handicapped seating, which is the best.  I set up my chair and that's where GJ knows to find me for the rest of the meet!  Older pools often times don't have elevators.  No elevator means I have to sit on the deck.  That may sound fun, but it's not ideal.  I'm separated from other parents.  I may be surrounded by swimmers from another team.  It's usually the worst view in the house.  Swimming is a sport best observed from an elevation so all the lanes can be seen and the entire scoreboard can be read.

At the Concord High School pool in Elkhart. Hope my swimmer is in the lanes I can see!

At a meet recently I kept looking at the stairs that lead up to the spectator area.  I thought about the disconnect I feel between my mind and my body.  Sitting, watching, cheering, chatting.  I feel so normal.  Sometimes I let my mind pretend that my body is able.  Able to walk up those steps and plop right down on a seat.  Able to saunter out to my car in the parking lot after the meet.  But then the end of the meet comes and I wait for GJ to come help me.  Help steady me as I transfer from my chair to my scooter. And again from my scooter to the car.

But one day.... Maybe one day I'll be able to walk again.  Even if it's with a cane.  And I'll slowly climb those stairs and sit in any bleacher seat available.  And GJ may have a tougher time finding me in the crowd, but eventually she will.  And we'll smile, blow kisses, and I'll remind her to KICK into and out of her turns!

I have a feeling I'll get up those stairs again one day.

The great thing is no matter if I'm walking or riding my scooter, these two love me!  I'm confident of that!