- Joined
- May 4, 2011
- Messages
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MODIFIED VANDWELLING
Warning, long post!
I am selling (OR raffleing off?) my van... my SwankieWheels (as seen in Oscar-winning movie Nomadland). I am "up-sizing!"
It's a blessing and a curse. I feel like I am betraying "vandwellers!" I feel almost ashamed and embarrassed to upsize! So I have been holding off with a public announcement.
Also, I had wanted to surprise my son in April 2023 by pulling into his baseball diamond (YES he bought a house in CA with a freaking baseball diamond) and just sitting quietly inside my new home, out in left field, until they came to kick me off their property. But I could not contain my joy any longer so I told them!
Like I said, I was also waiting to go public with my upgrade because I felt like a traitor to the vandwelling community, to be giving up "van dwelling." I fell guilty, like I am bailing out by "up-sizing!" I surely hope no one feels that way about me.
So, here is the rest of the story.
Last spring, while I was breaking camp on BLM and also helping my best friend pack up and move to Yuma, I had a serious medical scare. Before I got done with those tasks, I became unable to walk. For 14 years, I carried a pair of crutches around and never needed them. Suddenly, I could not walk!?
A few weeks earlier I had donated my unneeded crutches from 2005 knee surgeries to a local thrift store. Wouldn't you know... then I would need them myself. So, I hobbled to van and drove back to the thrift store, honked my horn and asked to buy back my crutches, while sitting in the van. I struggled on crutches to finish loading up my camp, and my friend hired a couple guys to load his U-Haul... and we caravanned off to Yuma.
He is no longer able to do much for himself, due to medical problems and I was in no condition to help much but a vandwelling couple we knew came over to unpack him and organize his place. I just sat on the shaded patio and listed things for sale online and collected money. After 3 days, we all felt we were leaving him in good condition... where he could manage his own life in spite of his limitations.
My plan at that point, was to continue to Colorado for a second shoulder replacement surgery… I could no longer lift my left arm to shoulder height. I was worried about that and worried about a fast-moving wildfires in New Mexico that I might have to drive through or detour around. I was worried about my hips and the threatened loss of nomadic living freedom. I was stressing out!
What was I to do if I could no longer walk? Where would I live? How would I cope with being forced off the road like my friend and so many others? But how could I ever set up my complex camp (shade tarps, outdoor carpets, a work bench, etc.) again? I knew I could not happily or safely deal with any of that, and felt surely I would loose my mind.
But one step at a time.
I managed to get past the New Mexico wildfire and was relieved beyond words to finally arrive in Colorado Springs (where my shoulder surgeon is located) but exhausted and still fretting over all those unanswered questions. So, I just got a hot meal and parked in a safe place I knew about... and crashed for five hours.
When I woke... I drove straight to Urgent Care. I walked in on crutches, even though my hips seemed better (?). After discussing the situation with doctor and marveling how much better my hips felt... I asked if STRESS could trigger such severe inflammatory response in the body? I was looking at the crutches curiously wondering why I was even using them now. It was as if the pain and inflammation was just melting away right before our eyes. The doctor said absolutely, stress could do that! I walked out of Urgent Care hardly using the crutches... feeling totally shocked at the physical improvement/changes in my body in just 24 hrs.
I drove on to my friends' home and got trailer and van parked. Made an appointment to see my surgeon who concluded I did need the other shoulder replaced. Got that scheduled and lined up my local support system to assist (I would not even be able to pull up my own britches!). Also saw a hip specialist in same orthopedic office who x rayed my hips, saw no major problems, and said I had good space left in the joints and with modification in my lifestyle, I could avoid having to have them replaced also. Good news. New good word…. MODIFCATION! (Now crossing long-distance backpacking goals off my bucket list!)
But still that unanswered question haunted me... what would I do if I could not remain free and nomadic, if I could no longer walk? It was an overwhelmingly alarming thought, for which I had no answer.
Last year I was wondering if I had enough movie money to buy a toy hauler, but Covid was driving prices out of sight. My research found a toy hauler brand (ATC) that was all aluminum... no wood to rot or mold and no materials to off-gas. Wow, with all my chemical sensitivities, how perfect would that be? (to be continued)
Warning, long post!
I am selling (OR raffleing off?) my van... my SwankieWheels (as seen in Oscar-winning movie Nomadland). I am "up-sizing!"
It's a blessing and a curse. I feel like I am betraying "vandwellers!" I feel almost ashamed and embarrassed to upsize! So I have been holding off with a public announcement.
Also, I had wanted to surprise my son in April 2023 by pulling into his baseball diamond (YES he bought a house in CA with a freaking baseball diamond) and just sitting quietly inside my new home, out in left field, until they came to kick me off their property. But I could not contain my joy any longer so I told them!
Like I said, I was also waiting to go public with my upgrade because I felt like a traitor to the vandwelling community, to be giving up "van dwelling." I fell guilty, like I am bailing out by "up-sizing!" I surely hope no one feels that way about me.
So, here is the rest of the story.
Last spring, while I was breaking camp on BLM and also helping my best friend pack up and move to Yuma, I had a serious medical scare. Before I got done with those tasks, I became unable to walk. For 14 years, I carried a pair of crutches around and never needed them. Suddenly, I could not walk!?
A few weeks earlier I had donated my unneeded crutches from 2005 knee surgeries to a local thrift store. Wouldn't you know... then I would need them myself. So, I hobbled to van and drove back to the thrift store, honked my horn and asked to buy back my crutches, while sitting in the van. I struggled on crutches to finish loading up my camp, and my friend hired a couple guys to load his U-Haul... and we caravanned off to Yuma.
He is no longer able to do much for himself, due to medical problems and I was in no condition to help much but a vandwelling couple we knew came over to unpack him and organize his place. I just sat on the shaded patio and listed things for sale online and collected money. After 3 days, we all felt we were leaving him in good condition... where he could manage his own life in spite of his limitations.
My plan at that point, was to continue to Colorado for a second shoulder replacement surgery… I could no longer lift my left arm to shoulder height. I was worried about that and worried about a fast-moving wildfires in New Mexico that I might have to drive through or detour around. I was worried about my hips and the threatened loss of nomadic living freedom. I was stressing out!
What was I to do if I could no longer walk? Where would I live? How would I cope with being forced off the road like my friend and so many others? But how could I ever set up my complex camp (shade tarps, outdoor carpets, a work bench, etc.) again? I knew I could not happily or safely deal with any of that, and felt surely I would loose my mind.
But one step at a time.
I managed to get past the New Mexico wildfire and was relieved beyond words to finally arrive in Colorado Springs (where my shoulder surgeon is located) but exhausted and still fretting over all those unanswered questions. So, I just got a hot meal and parked in a safe place I knew about... and crashed for five hours.
When I woke... I drove straight to Urgent Care. I walked in on crutches, even though my hips seemed better (?). After discussing the situation with doctor and marveling how much better my hips felt... I asked if STRESS could trigger such severe inflammatory response in the body? I was looking at the crutches curiously wondering why I was even using them now. It was as if the pain and inflammation was just melting away right before our eyes. The doctor said absolutely, stress could do that! I walked out of Urgent Care hardly using the crutches... feeling totally shocked at the physical improvement/changes in my body in just 24 hrs.
I drove on to my friends' home and got trailer and van parked. Made an appointment to see my surgeon who concluded I did need the other shoulder replaced. Got that scheduled and lined up my local support system to assist (I would not even be able to pull up my own britches!). Also saw a hip specialist in same orthopedic office who x rayed my hips, saw no major problems, and said I had good space left in the joints and with modification in my lifestyle, I could avoid having to have them replaced also. Good news. New good word…. MODIFCATION! (Now crossing long-distance backpacking goals off my bucket list!)
But still that unanswered question haunted me... what would I do if I could not remain free and nomadic, if I could no longer walk? It was an overwhelmingly alarming thought, for which I had no answer.
Last year I was wondering if I had enough movie money to buy a toy hauler, but Covid was driving prices out of sight. My research found a toy hauler brand (ATC) that was all aluminum... no wood to rot or mold and no materials to off-gas. Wow, with all my chemical sensitivities, how perfect would that be? (to be continued)
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