Proning or Donkey Rides????

There are times as a paraplegic that I have to get off of my butt, literally. Since I sit in my chair on my butt for most of the day there is alot of pressure there. While spending time at Shepherd Center in Atlanta for rehab, I was taught a few important tips. One of those tips was to lie on my stomach for a while everyday, otherwise known as proning. So since I need to relieve pressure on my bottom side, I tend to lie on my stomach whenever possible at home.

My son loves what we call "Donkey Rides" at my house. My husband gets on his hands and knees pretending to be a donkey while my son sits on his back. They move around the entire house and usually finish with cries for more. The "Donkey Rides" have began to give me more problems than I want. When I lie on my stomach to prone, my son automatically jumps on my back yelling for a "Donkey Ride". The unfortunate part of the situation is that he has no idea that his mommy can't crawl around the house with him.

Usually the only way to get my son off of my back is to have my husband pry him away. These are times when, for just a moment, I despise being paralyzed. I know that there are other ways to entertain my son so I try to look past the obstacles. Besides, no one else can give my son wheelchair rides around town like I do.