THE SCENIC ROUTE

     The route I take to the Cleveland Clinic is via the freeway.  For some reason, I love where it takes me. First to Chester, and then to Euclid instead of going through the pretty parts of Shaker Hts. Chester starts off a little scary and then before I know it, I am at the Clinic.  I always wonder what the people are like that live on this street.  Some of the buildings and houses are very old and some are brand new and I wonder who lives there.  I see many people waiting for buses and some are in wheelchairs.  In my short time in a wheelchair, I never had to take the bus.  I had rides wherever I went until I bought a car with hand controls.  Even when I got in a swim class, it was scheduled right in between the time my brother was going to work and my mother was coming home.  It was on their way to and from.  And then I bought a car with hand controls giving me so much independence.  I find it fascinating that one part of the city is so beautiful and then you turn a corner and you see some very poverty stricken areas.  The Clinic has a beautiful fountain in front of their main building on Euclid and then in other areas, some lovely gardens.  They also have an open air market with fresh vegetables.  I spend money to get valet parking because I am just too tired to walk from the garage.  I wonder if there are people like myself with a disability who can’t afford the ten dollars for valet.  I used to go to Metro Health on West 25^th and the area was not so beautiful.  When I waited for my meds, I had to take a ticket and then wait to see my name on a screen and then stand in line.  At times it took an hour.  Sometimes it was longer.  So many people there were on Medicaid.  Some people looked like they had issues that could have been treated earlier, but probably had no health care.  I had a little and probably had more money than these people, but at Metro they rate you according to what you make and you pay what you can afford.  I saw a man with tumors all over his legs and another man with part of his face gone.  I talked to some of the people while I waited.  There were lots of young single mothers.  I thought I would feel so fortunate, but I didn’t.  I just felt bad for everyone.  On Tuesday, I took a drive to go to the park and take a walk.  I made a different turn and ended up at the Polo Field not far from where I now live.  I told my friend Barbara that I would call her when I started walking.  When I pulled in, there was hardly anyone there. The field was empty and I walked on the bridle path.  It was so beautiful.  The sky was blue and had no clouds. The red and gold leaves hit it and literally sparkled.  As I talked to Barbara and walked, I couldn’t stop talking about the beauty surrounding me.  Whenever I take a walk, it is usually in the park and the paths are very enclosed.  But here the polo field was so big, and so vast and open.  It made me want to set up camp and live there.  I don’t know how I got so lucky to move to one of the prettiest areas in town and have the best hospital in the world treat me.  But I am grateful.