Honestly, I never thought I’d get here, to see
firsthand one of the wonders of the world. With my mobility restrictions due to
multiple sclerosis, heck, it wasn’t practical for me to be anywhere near here. Especially on this day, of
all days.
A steady rain had glazed our train car all morning,
turning the scenic ride to Aguas Calientes—the launchpad for the Inca ruin—into
a trip that forebode misfortune. The rocky steps and paths of Machu Picchu,
already worn smooth over the centuries, were sure to be as slick as a throw rug
on a freshly waxed floor. As we picked up rain ponchos in the market to go with
our raincoats and umbrellas, my stomach churned.
Up until now, the MS gods had been incredibly
merciful on this trip. Despite forecasts of rain, we had met only sun. Food and
stomach issues were never a problem, illness had thankfully stayed away (when I
hugged my mom goodbye for this vacation, she informed me she had just gotten a
cold!), and even my bladder and bowel issues were cooperating as much as they
can cooperate. That was a bit of a shocker, as staying well hydrated was
critical to avoid altitude sickness, a common and debilitating threat in the
Andes that was never realized in our case.


But then, serendipitously, it
all happened. I managed the myriad steps (slowly). I managed the narrow
passages (slowly). I rolled on the packed dirt paths clinging to the hillsides
(slowly). And when we reached the Temple of the Sun, the most important
building in all of Machu Picchu, the decision to climb to the base was
nonnegotiable. The brilliant Torreon was as advertised.
We discovered Demi later in a photo (bottom left in purple). |
Taking in what I had
just accomplished, I realized just how fortunate I had been. Multiple sclerosis
tried its best to stop me, and it failed today. I also realized that it was
wise not to push my luck. I know too well the fickleness of those MS gods. It
was time to find a safe zone and park it so Laura could fully explore Machu
Picchu. That meant instead of picking my way down the OMG steep steps of Temple
of the Sun on forearm crutches (no doubt risking a trip-ending fall), I opted
for the far safer technique of dropping down one step at a time on my duff:
Move one leg, move the other, drop a step, repeat.
Thanks for understanding,
Demi.
*For those wondering, and I know many of you are,
unbelievably I did not have to pee for the full five hours we were away from
the bathroom. My extra layer of protection was never needed. The MS gods may
never be so kind again, but I’ll take it. Also, my guides at Aracari (www.aracari.com) probably had a hand in my success as well.
23 comments:
Thanks for the inspiration!
Ha, I suspected you were out there getting more than enough exercise, on stairs no less! Sounds like a fantastic trip, thanks for writing it up, always a treat to read.
LARRY
I dream of going to Machu Pichu someday...awesome that you made it...in one piece! Thanks for continuing to inspire me. ~ Angela :)
Anon, it was pretty amazing and worth all the challenges to get there. And Larry, my cardio was lacking. No excuses on this end. :)
Yay MS didn't win!
Well, this one time. :)
Great story, Dave.
My biggest fear while travelling and having to go to the bathroom - a hot mess if you're a woman and in India. And we MSers hate it when it's hot
(Speaking of which, I need to invest in a She-Wee)..
I've been doing some research on the (lack of) toilets in India - and every time I rush to the bathrooms at home, I'm glad I don't need to hold like the millions of women in India who have to wait for the cover of night to relieve themselves in a field
Fran, India is a bathroom challenge no doubt. And it is compounded if you have a disability, as many of their toilets are of the squat variety. If I tried that these days, I wouldn't be getting up! But it's doable, especially if you have good guides and a solid bathroom plan when out and about (knowledge of hotels/restaurants with western toilets). And of course wear protection for when you need Plan B.
Cool story Dave. I'd like to go there someday. Did you go with a tour group or just you and Laura? What brand wheelchair are you using in the picture?
Thanks so much, Dave for the good-humored but oh so real blog! We are so grateful for the hope and guidance you give the MS community and family.
Oh, thanks Fran. :) As for the tour, we had to do it privately. I slow down groups too much these days, although I could have potentially done a group trip for disabled folks (those exist, and I may even work to arrange one in the future). The wheelchair: Invacare X4. I like it, but don't love it.
Oh come on! No bathroom for five hours? Look at all of that grass!!!!!
Ah yes, the Inca toilet. And with no bush/tree/shelter and lots of people, there would also be the Inca arrest and detention for sullying a UNESCO World Heritage site. :)
Very cool!
You are fearless in your travels...and I thank you for that.
Fearless, MOS? More like scared you-know-what-less. But that can be a strong motivator I've discovered.
Why is it I always smile when reading your posts even though I think you are not so much brave but tempting fate for repeatedly challenging the MS Gods? You get me every time with your travel tales and this one is no exception. Thanks for being out there and letting us know that while planning is good, overthinking would stop us from doing more. Keep on keeping on....
And BTW I now own my own orange pants and they definitely allow us to be spotted in the crowd or in the bushes. No hiding what you would have been doing if the urge had to be satisfied up there.
Laura, likewise, at least when it comes to making me smile. Now I just need a bright neon-yellow jacket to fully warn others of my presence!
Dave, I love your posts. Thanks for sharing your travel experiences. I love to travel. I went to the Holy Land on a group tour in October, and I felt like I slowed the group from time to time. I certainly hope you do organize a trip or two in the future. It would be great to travel among similarly situated MSers. Thanks, again!
Belinda, there actually have been discussions of an ActiveMSers trip recently, but there are a few hurdles I'm trying to work around. Like what happens when there are finite toilets at bathroom stops and everyone has to go NOW. And potentially limited accessible rooms at hotels. Hmm. But I think it can work with the right planning. Stay tuned!
Amazing. Makes me think maybe I could do it too. I've always thought it would not be possible
Anon, it might not have been easy, but it is most definitely possible. I hope you get there!
Dave
I happen to read about your adventure a couple of months ago. 2 weeks before Christmas I received and invitation to visit Guatemala.I decided to say yes, and an adventure I did have.
Your encouragement to not let MS beat us and advice paid off, I spent 2 weeks traveling from Guatemala City to San Antonio Huista in the highlands. I did not climb a Mayan temple (the steps were 5 inches wide to my 9 inch foot)and I figured that I would be safer on the ground.
So with my forearm crutches, and occasionally a wheelchair I DID IT!
Now to plan a Toronto weekend on my own!
Julia
Julia, fan-freaking-tastic! We surprise ourselves all the time. Sometimes you just have to go for it. Way to go!
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