Tag: wheelchair

Xbox for a Cause

Marcus still surprises us every now and then. Wifey and I were talking about how my work was while on our way to the mall last weekend when Marcus heard the part that I ended the workweek creating a Christmas box with my direct reports.

Curious what the box is for, Marcus asked, “What’s going inside the box?” I told him that my manager plans to sponsor a foundation for kids with cancer this coming December. Then he probed once more, “What’s cancer? Is it infectious?” I struggled to find a simple definition but I got past it. Marcus seems to have digested my explanation. “Daddy, you can donate the Xbox,” he soon replied.

I wasn’t expecting such response. He was referring to the Xbox 360 that we just pulled out and put up for sale online days ago. He was planning to save funds for something–I know he is aiming for a Nintendo Switch console so I was taken aback by what he just said.

The Xbox 360 meant a lot to us. We spent countless hours playing games together. We’ve built Minecraft worlds, we’ve slain aliens in Halo, we’ve teamed up as soldiers in Call of Duty, we’ve rocked the house with Guitar Hero and so many more. For Marcus to just let go of it after hearing about kids with cancer struck me and wifey big time.

We tagged the basic Xbox kit at Php6000 ($120) on Carousell or formerly known as OLX. At this price we’d just be saving Php15K more to get the Nintendo gaming console. So I made a compromise with Marcus. When the Xbox gets sold, half goes to him and the other goes to the foundation. He accepted the deal. It’d be win-win.

Facebook post.

On Wednesday I realized I could also sell the item on Facebook. I was right as the result was overwhelming. The post which I made public was shared by a couple of my friends and the comments were encouraging. I felt it became viral even if my past sarcastic posts got more reactions.

Buyer will be busy in the next few days.

The Xbox 360 was sold barely 24 hours after the Facebook posts. The lucky buyer who is an acquaintance at work got our entire 360 stuff–at least most of it as I kept some games as keepsakes. Marcus is now 3,000 pesos richer and I hope the other 3K goes a long way for the kids with cancer. Next on queue, Marcus’ red wheelchair.

***

Mood: 3/10 Honks! (Back on minimalism track. Somehow.)

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HK Day 2: Leg Day

I was expecting to taste authentic Chinese cuisine since we landed in Hong Long but I think we didn’t had any. At the airport we ate curry, the best curry I have tasted so far, and a chicken with mushroom menu which were surprisingly very good although heavy as both were served with rice.

Then last night’s dinner was also rice and pasta that I had so much carbs to burn just on the second day so I was eager to go to the gym.

Our hotel doesn’t have the gym but I was advised it’s in one of the affiliate hotels. Disney Explorers Lodge which is less than half a kilometer away from ours appears to be where the muscles are formed but it’s not here.
A few minutes more away from the second I found myself standing in front of Hong Kong Disney Resort Hotel.
And this pink corridor leads to the gym.
Even the gym room doesn’t look like any of those I’ve seen before.
The gym has complete and functional equipment. And it was cold. Will make me pick this anytime than the humid park.

I racked up 5K on the treadmill, did some weights and returned to Hollywood Hotel. I arrived with Marcus up and awake and everyone else eager to check out for the next phase of our Hong Kong trip.

Today’s main plan was to find stuffs on sale. It would be a long day. We transferred to Stanford Hillview Hotel which we accessed mostly by HK’s train (MTR) all the way from Disneyland station. All of us were spent (and silently grumpy) when we reached Jordan train station so lunch was the immediate agenda.

It was another meal that didn’t come close to what I had in mind for Chinese food. Specifically noodles. Marcus was looking for McDonald’s and found one so we settled for it as well. Nothing special there, FYI, except for the sight of expensive cars like Ferrari, Porsche, and Teslas passing in front of the fast food that kept Marcus entertained.

Our hotel was a short taxi ride away. We could’ve even made it on foot but everyone voted against and it was good decision. We didn’t waste much time upon checking in. We hit the streets with the first challenge of wheeling Marcus on a road with 1.5 slope that extends for several meters.

Pushing the wheelchair down and up is a challenge.

Initial destination was the museum with some side trips. We passed by Kowloon Park to check out the aviary. There wasn’t much to see there except for groups of familiar Filipino faces huddling together on their day off.

We reached the museum but scrapped the plan to get inside. Firstly, it was packed, then we learned there’s a schedule, and from outside I can see stairs. Not a place for Marcus. It was just about 3 PM so we decided to take the ferry to Central Hong Kong. Learning that it’s where there’s Jollibee for Marcus and cheap chocolates were compelling enough to stay exposed to the weird weather.

Clockwise from top left: Marcus on his first ferry ride; Posing in front of Hong Kong eye; View from our room; The iconic Hong Kong skyline.

Hong Kong Central was more crowded and busier. It was common to see people dragging luggage which I later figured are meant to store stuffs that they bought from the stores. Plastics are charged extra so it pays to bring luggage if you’re in for some shopping spree.

We covered almost 18 kilometers, ferry rides included, that afternoon.

It rained heavily in the afternoon so Marcus and I had to seek shelter while wifey and her sis did the bargain hunting. After what felt like hours we saw their faces emerge from poorly lit and crowded part of Worldwide House and with them was a bag full of chocolates. Never been happier to get out of a mall.

Arrived alive at the hotel.

Sun was still up but it was almost 7 PM when we reached the hotel. By then it already felt like I have used up every extra calorie I stored from eating magic cone that Marcus didn’t finish and scoops of White Rabbit and choc mint ice cream back at the ferry station. The last stretch running and pushing Marcus up the steep road had me accept that Jollibee chicken bucket was best recovery food that evening.

***

Mood: 8/10 Honks! (Pushing away writer’s block.)

HK Day 1: Finding Mickey

Marcus once again had the opportunity to see the world outside our house, outside the country. Last weekend, with his now blue wheelchair, Marcus went to Hong Kong for his first Disneyland adventure.

The blue wheelchair gets its first airport sticker.
As expected Hong Kong was gloomy.
Our first taste of lost in translation.
Reached Disneyland Hollywood Resort Hotel to drop off our bags and go directly to the park.
First glimpse of Disneyland’s gate.
Weather was hot and humid, stress on humid. Later learned that HK being close to the sea has a lot to do with it.

Marcus watching the Toy Story parade away from the splashes.

Parade that afternoon featured Toy Story. The floats and characters sprayed water so we had to get Marcus out of range to avoid him and his wheelchair from getting soaked.
Our first Disneyland ride.
Waiting to enter the Iron Man Experience virtual ride.
Still reeling from the heart pounding virtual 3D experience.

Our check-in time at the hotel was 3 PM so we had to get out of Disneyland theme park coming from the Iron Man Experience with the plan to return right after we’ve settled.

Clockwise from top left: souvenir shop inside the hotel somehow made up for our lost opportunity to see the other Disney characters; Marcus got a discounted Simba plush toy; Food was pricey so we settled for something less expensive and doesn’t require reservation; Meal was heavy and Marcus was bored so we checked the pool out.

Hotel check-in was a breeze. We got room 6716 which has twin beds. It was comfy, so comfy that I woke up close to 8 PM. Nobody woke me up so I guess everyone wasn’t just vocal about it but the humid park wasn’t worth the return. I concur but it was a pity we didn’t see Mickey up close and personal.

The Garmin came handy in tracking places we visited. It recorded that we walked a total of 4 km just in this portion of the park.

To be continued…

***

Mood: 8/10 Honks! (Been a while since my last post. Was busy and this HK trip was a blessing. Thanks wifey.)

I Have New Wheels. Sort of.

Karma must’ve caught on me. Our newly painted Honda City ’08 was a wreck after last week’s rear-ender. It happened fast, I didn’t see it coming. It was all routine drive until boom, everything inside the car got messed up. Coffee mug was thrown out of the cup holder, my shoulder bag went from front to the backseat, pairs of shoes mixed up, and the dashcam dangled like a pendulum after it got dislodged from its windshield mount. Saw all this after I found my phone somewhere on the floor. I wasn’t meant to be in the office that night.

Cars involved in the collision minus the truck that caused it all.

Good news is I’m still alive and writing and won’t be taking jeepney rides under this cruel tropical summer sun (heat index registering at 40 degrees Celsius lately) as the trucking company owner shouldered everything plus the loaner car. It was a bad experience but this guy lessened the stress of going through the police report and the repair process. God is good. As of this moment, my car’s damage is being taken care of at a Kia dealership that caters all-brand services.

Didn’t expect that a loaner car was an option in cases like this.

What I find funny is that this year we’ve been thinking of either getting a van or a smaller car–wherever that budget will come from is another story–that fits our garage and that could carry a wheelchair. Now it happened, I’m back to driving a Kia. This must be why they say be careful what you wish for.

So far I’m loving the automatic Picanto. It’s fun to drive, it’s easier to park and it can carry all three of us plus the wheelchair. Just this Monday the red compact car got the three of us to watch Avengers: Endgame. I just wonder though if 15 km./li @ 80 kph average speed is the best it can do. The old Honda City have done better. Think think.

(Draft first posted on my Facebook account.)

***

Mood: 2/10 Honks! (It rained and looking forward to see how the small tires would handle wet road.)

Marcus Got New Wheels

Marcus eventually outgrows his red wheelchair after three years. Last year he started complaining that his knees are already rubbing against the frame especially whenever I take him running with me.

My wife had this ingenious idea to cover the wheelchair’s area with bike frame foam padding. Of course, thanks to Lazada online shopping we acquired it with less effort. But it was only temporary. Marcus is growing fast, not fatter but just taller and heavier. He’s lean. He’d be about 5 feet tall if only he could stand.

He was all blue the day we got the wheelchair.

So last week, after weeks of waiting for the stock to be available, we met up with someone at the Festival Mall to purchase Marcus’ wheelchair. This time it’s blue, lighter than the old red wheelchair. And it is cheaper as well at P6000 only. Not bad except that the front wheels rub the foot rest when pulled backwards. We can deal with it.

Still using the trusty red wheelchair. Taken recently at a nearby carnival.

The new wheelchair comes with a lap belt which could come handy if ever we take it out for running. I also realize it will help when Marcus’ core muscles weaken further. Like last week he fell face first after slipping while seated. He got his lips cut but never cried–brave boy. It was scary for us though, signs of things to come. I can only pray the progression slows down.

This week is Marcus’ birthday. He’d be eleven. One day my wife asked, “What’s your wish?” “Last year I wished that I can walk, it didn’t happen,” Marcus simply replied. I looked at my wife faking a smile. His statement stings, we just don’t have an answer.

For now the wheelchair is what we have to make him mobile. We have the same wish for him, maybe dream is the appropriate word. I’m not pessimistic but I have to accept that him being able to walk will not happen in our lifetime. I just hope this new blue wheelchair brings us adventures and better memories.

***

Mood: 5/10 Honks! (Monday. Marcus’ new therapy schedule.)

Brand New 365 Days

Just like that here comes another fresh set of twelve months. The past year was interesting and fast wherein lots of things happened that I could only recall all with the help of Facebook’s a-year-ago-today feature or Timehop app. That year is over in what feels like a blink of an eye with its ups and downs making me believe that 2018 was a rollercoaster ride we all enjoyed and survived.

Now it’s day 1 of 2019 and hopes are all up. I have no written resolutions, a good thing and a bad thing at the same time, but I look forward to a better year ahead. By God’s grace I wish our whole family good health and harmony. Improved finances is of course welcome.

The second year we’ve been breaking and changing this Lego calendar.

Our routine resets this week. No more Christmas songs–though it’s tempting to still play them on Spotify. Everything goes back to normal whether we like it or not. Work resumes and the rat race begins once more. Although I’m one of those who take one day at a time, I want my days busy. The busier the faster the week ends. Repeat 52 times.

So for the nth time, I say happy new year. I will keep my fingers crossed and see what the next 365 days have to offer.

***

Some images from last night’s New Year’s Eve celebration.

Food at home was minimalist just how I liked it to be. Arriving from Bacolod with barely a day to prepare also helped.
Ground was muddy from days of rain and it was not wheelchair-friendly so some relatives dropped by to pose with Marcus.

***

Mood: 3/10 Honks! (All’s well that ends well.)

Evia has Evolved

We broke routine this weekend. Christmas is getting closer and yesterday’s advisory on SLEX’s LED monitors showed hint that grinches, I mean shoppers, are flocking to Alabang onwards. But luck was on our side this time.

Our recent plan to check out Evia Lifestyle Center once more was timed right. For the first time I drove coming from Calamba to Daang Hari via MCX and parted ways from motorists on SLEX who were then pacing slowly like reindeer-less Santa sleighs. Traffic to this mall in the middle of the Villar-owned properties was light with only a slight hitch at the toll gate. Thanks to RFID we got through faster than those queuing at the cash lanes.

Evia has evolved and improved a whole lot since we first set foot two years ago. It now has more stores and more parking spaces. Basement parking is also now open and there’s an extended parking area across the mall close to Petron gas station where free shuttle service to and from the mall is available from 10 AM until 10 PM.

Evia Lifestyle Center is part of the growing Vista Mall chain and construction is ongoing. I realized this must be the reason some of the guards are as confused as us. We asked a couple of them for directions to the cinemas and we were advised we can take the escalators with Marcus in his wheelchair. We obliged despite protest but soon figured there are two elevators we should’ve used. First is the one that’s only until the 2nd floor and another that reaches the cinema level.

Evia’s 3rd level offers more than just movies. We discovered after spending a thousand for two persons for dinner that there are cheaper alternatives like pizza, pasta, burgers, churros, and even street food snacks. No regrets though as Bulgogi Brothers served us a nice hotpot plus the staff were very accommodating.

Evia has a newly-opened iMax cinema but Marcus has his mind set to the new Fortnite season and was also anxious to get back home to see our dog which is why we skipped the movies this time. Anyway I’m sure we’ll be back some other time soon.

Evia’s Christmas decor beats the Ayala malls’ we’ve visited.
The tight elevator makes good effect.
At Bulgogi Brothers. Away from fatty pizza and burgers.
Cinema area looks nice.

***

Big question: what’s with malls that they would rather use a PWD elevator than build a ramp?

Evia’s wheelchair/stroller elevator.

Ayala Town Center has this similar elevator which remained broken until our last visit and it was the reason I didn’t like going there anymore. Hopefully they already fixed it is our access to the cinemas, North Park, and the sports store that sells nice shoes. Wink, wink.

***

Mood: 5/10 Honks! (Weather’s nice but I got cold to deal with.)

Red Wheelchair’s Farthest Run Ever

Stopping for his chocolate chip frap at Starbucks Sto. Tomas.

I ran with Marcus. Yup, not just for Marcus. A dream coming true for me even if he’s on a wheelchair. For two days in a row we covered the most distance and we achieved more running this time. In his gaming parlance it was “achievement unlocked.”

Saturday’s run on a route we once took with wifey earlier this year was short and quick. Seeing two clowns on a motorcycle was the one of the highlights of this run and although Marcus neither saw goats nor cows, he found a compound with Ostrich. An animal sighting made the 3K session worth it for him.

The next day Marcus wants more of it. I thought he won’t ever ask to do it in succession as he’d have to deal with smoke-belching vehicles, dusty road, and was exposed to the sun for a longer period. But I was wrong. Marcus didn’t mind staying out in the open on his red wheelchair. Our second run is proof that he loves to do more.

Sunday afternoon we started earlier. At about 4:30 PM we met the blinding sun head on. He refused to wear the visor cap which he calls a stupid hat because he finds it weird that the top portion is open. So I gave him the option to wear his Batman baseball cap and told him to just look down and avoid staring at the sun rays. We reached shade more than a kilometer later. Running was easier at this point.

Marcus was chatty almost the entire time and it was a good thing. Having a conversation with him diverted my thoughts away from the effort I was exerting to keep running. I would only check my Garmin whenever he’d ask how much distance we’ve covered so far and that’s only when I’d also see my heart rate and pace info. Every now and then he’d look back to check if I was sweating or not. I’d respond back that I’m fine.

We hit the 7K mark at exactly an hour later just in time before dark. His Starbucks chocolate chip frappuccino we got halfway of our run is already consumed except for its whip cream when we stepped back inside our house. I’m not sure when the next time is but I would love him to join me again while I try to rack up more miles this October.

7K with Marcus.

***

Mood: 2/10 Honks! (Air time for Marcus in few more days.)

Our first visit to a store that doesn’t exist

It’s been weeks since the monsoon rains have stopped Marcus from getting his regular Friday physical therapy. Opportunities to get him out of the house and away from his video games every weekend have been much harder. Yesterday weather permits but instead of going to the malls we frequent, we decided to go to SM Mall of Asia (MOA) instead with Marcus and I having our own secret goal: visit Ikea.

It was a two-hour drive slowed further by weekend traffic at the SLEX and Skyway expressways plus intermittent heavy rains. The sky cleared when we reached MOA via Entertainment City exit and it appeared then we could move around SM by the bay when the mall gets stuffy for Marcus.

Still clueless of what we’re about to discover, we pushed through finding Ikea. While having dinner at Pound by Todd English I checked online and read that Ikea is between MOA Arena and SMX. Next plan was getting there as soon as we have our tickets for Mission Impossible: Fallout and when drizzling has stopped.

I began to feel suspicious and stupid when I realized I must have skipped some details on the news about Ikea opening in the Philippines. Three security guards later, the last we asked said, “Yan malamang sir (That must be it.)” He was pointing to a still empty fenced block right outside of the mall. Sucks. It was a matter of will open versus is open. With only one short crane sticking out of that place, I don’t believe we’ll see an Ikea store this year.

Mainly to take note where we parked.

***

The latest Mission Impossible sequel was a disappointment. It’s overrated and hyped. It’s like one of those films with trailers that are a whole lot better than the movies. My wife and I were dozing on and off but Marcus said he enjoyed it although I know it would’ve been a better experience for him if we watched it in a cinema with stable reclining seats.

We should have just watched the free Okada fountain show.

***

Wheelchair access Bows and Boos

Bows:

Elmo at Pound by Todd English’s bar area.
  • Jollibee staffs at MOA Entertainment Hall who made sure Marcus and his wheelchair get a space.
  • Pound by Todd English staffs who accommodated us despite the tight setup of their restaurant. Burgers were surprisingly affordable and great too.
  • Restroom staffs who kept the PWD area clean.
  • Okada tour bus attendant who entertained our questions and promised to get Marcus prioritized.
Recreating how he looked like 10 years ago the first time he was in this mall.

Boo:

  • SM Mall of Asia south parking building elevators were already unavailable when we got out of the cinema past 12 midnight. Someone parked in the same area had to find security guards to get it back running. Not cool.

***

Mood: 3/10 Honks! (Weekend weight.)