As much “fun” as crutches can be, I looked into alternative mobility aids before my surgery. I came across a crutch that basically made you walk like a pirate with a peg leg (although pirates don’t have their lower leg on a platform behind them when using said peg leg). I knew for sure that I wasn’t going to use that, so I looked into a knee scooter. It’s this nifty thing that has a padded cushion you rest your lower leg and knee on, four wheels, and handlebars. I like to call it my alternative bike because I can’t live without my wheels.

There were a lot of different options, but I just got the cheapest one with good reviews. It ended up costing around $100, but it’s paid for itself a couple times over in the sheer convenience and safety it’s given me. I can cook with both of my hands, I can go out in the snowy Michigan weather without worrying so much about slipping, and I can carry most things pretty well with it. I use this downstairs, but I still have my crutches for upstairs (because there’s no way I could even try to drag the scooter up and down a flight of stairs).

As you guys all know by now, I can’t just leave anything plain. I needed to add a personal touch to it. The first thing I did was go to the dollar store and buy a basket to attach to the front so I could carry things more easily. I attached it with Velcro strips that most people use to wrap excess lengths of cording. I also picked up a string of flamingo lights from the same dollar store to wrap around the basket.

For the finishing touches, I used colored duct tape and ribbon to wrap the frame. It’s pretty obnoxious-looking, but I definitely stand out. I get compliments on it when I go out shopping; it’s certainly a conversation starter! My favorite line so far has been, “Roll on, sista’. You got dis!”, said to me by someone I had never met before, but we stopped and talked a while and he wished me a good recovery when we parted ways.

This is easily the best purchase I’ve made for my surgery, although the shower stool I bought was a close second. It’s all about making things as easy as they can be.