Good afternoon everyone!

I am wondering about several things:

I wonder if you can walk & talk at the same time? Almost everyone I know can do this simple multitasking task. I would say that it is actually ingrained into our abilities since we started to walk, and then talk. Don’t you agree?

This also includes Deaf persons ability to walk & sign at the same time, and understand the signer while navigating around poles, avoiding traffic, etc.

Multitasking!

For me, I usually will not talk, sign, and walk. I’d usually stop, watch the person sign, reply, then if we are done, continue on our way. I do this because it is harder for me to focus on one thing, you know, I have ataxia!

I also wonder if you can carry a drink, a cup of coffee maybe, and not spill a drop?

My mom-in-law recently had hip replacement surgery, she uses a cane right now. Well, the other day, after our dinner and House of Grandmother, I had my nearly full cup of coffee and was moving from the living room to the dining room, I was shaking, coffee was threatening to go overboard. Mom-in-law hobbled over, took my coffee, and hers, using the handles to hold TWO cups of coffee in one hand, while walking with a cane, and a limp. Did she spill any coffee? NO! She did not! I was flabbergasted! Here is a person who recently had surgery, and uses a cane, but did not spill anything!

I called her a Show-off! But, really…

This is an amazing ingrained coordination with I am sure many people can do, especially those who worked as servers in restaurants where spilling drinks can get you both wet and fired at the same time! Practice!

As a person with ataxia, I cannot carry my drink a few paces without sloshing liquid all over the floor! Even if the glass or cup is nearly empty, I still splash and splash!

So, next time you are walking and talking and carrying your glass of Perrier or Root Beer, remember that you are preforming a skill, and that some people might want help with Their Root Beer! Offer to help!

Thanks for reading!