Go South Young Man…

If Horace Greeley would have vacationed in South Beach in 1859 instead of going to Colorado for the gold rush this may have been his most famous quote, instead we are left with…

Greeley’s navigational suggestion aside, Manifest Destiny was alive and well in western Pennsylvania in the winter of 2022.

Based on what I’ve been through, I am a great proponent of physical activity to help maintain certain health markers that help prevent many of the debilitating issues the disabled community struggles with, such as UTI’s, pressure sores, overall strength and mobility, etc. During the precious few accommodating months that are afforded one in southwestern PA, getting outdoors and participating in whatever physical activity you choose to is a welcome endeavor.

However, when cold, grey October skies return we spend less time participating in those outdoor activities and become more sedentary which leads to the deterioration of our health.

I noticed a vicious cycle repeating itself over the years. Health is good over the spring and summer. Weather turns cold, spend less time outside and active, pressure sores start to develop. Issues start compounding and the health issues start snowballing. The natural chain of events was: Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Surgery. It just wasn’t the holiday season if I didn’t spend at least one holiday in the hospital with an infection and had a surgery scheduled on the heels of New Years. You could set your watch by it.

Every year while going through recovery I’d run my mouth and decree that we were moving somewhere where there wasn’t any winter. And then the insanity (re: stupidity) kicked in and I just did the same thing over and over again. Which reminded me…

Fast forward a few more years to New Years day 2022. The wife and I where just sitting around watching the bowl games. More than likely Notre Dame was dominating their matchup, but I digress. Halftime rolls around and I decide to take Mr. Brownstone for a walk around the neighborhood. For complete disclosure, Mr. Brownstone was never a fan of the cold weather either. A billion years of wolf DNA and this is the result.

It was your typical Pittsburgh winter day filled with snow and slush with a temperature at a balmy 17 degrees. I can’t really pinpoint the exact moment it happened or what the tipping point was but Mr. Brownstone and I came back from that walk changed men.

We walked in the door and told the wife, “We’ve had enough! We’re done! We’re moving south! Anybody coming?”

Not missing a beat she said, “When are we leaving?”

We started looking at houses during the second half of the game, had a realtor putting our house on the market the next day, and we were in our new place in central Florida inside of two months.

Generally I don’t like to spend any more than 5 minutes to make major life altering decisions.

After a little more than two years here, my theory about accessibility to the outdoors to remain physically active, while not clinically proven yet, is playing out as I was hoping. With 12 months of tolerable weather to work with, I am able to stay physically active all year long whether it’s handcycling, kayaking or becoming a burgeoning tennis star (that’s a conversation for another day) there is no shortage of available activities to enjoy.

I have seen or experienced nothing that hasn’t convinced me that this wasn’t extremely beneficial to my physical health, and by extension mental health. I’ve pretty much been at my high-water mark of health since we’ve been here. I’m also convinced that anyone with similar disabilities would benefit greatly from the opportunity to live in an environment that is conducive to continual outdoor physical activity. Speaking from experience, limited as it is, I recommend anyone with disabilities that would benefit from a change to a more beneficial environment to give it some consideration, given they have the means to make it work for them.

Ponce de Leon is reported to never have found the Fountain of Youth. Maybe he was just being greedy. At the bare minimum this place has been the Fountain of Sustained Health and Well-Being for me and that’s more than good enough for me.

Because That’s How I Roll….