The Tortoise and the Chair

About the Book

The Tortoise and the Chair—a collection of the author’s prose and poetry—reflects a two-decade personal journey living with multiple sclerosis. Moving as slowly as a tortoise, the author balks at using a wheelchair or any other assistive device—at first. The characters in the short stories react to stereotypes often tacked onto differently-abled people. In “Standing Up for Sitting Down” an airport employee asks a companion about the wheelchair rider’s ability. But the companion turns to the rider for an answer. In “A Proposal” a disabled person succumbs to the temptation to shoplift, but learns to tell the truth in several arenas of her life. Fear of abandonment and progressive loss of independence are also addressed in short stories as well as through poetry. But the writing steers away from taking a victim stance. Vulnerable as Michelle may feel in “Stranded,” she makes powerful decisions. And in “The Elephant in the Room” Brad musters the strength to seek support from his disabled fishing buddy. The author distinguishes between frank expression of feelings and wallowing in whining. “Changes and Challenges” suggests possible responses to the unpredictable. The collection, laced with compassionate humor, expresses grief as well as outright anger. An allegory depicts MS as a brazen, uninvited houseguest. The poem “Chagrin” speaks of loss of bladder control in public. And limericks address irksome MS symptoms. The Tortoise and the Chair encourages readers to discover their own empowerment in the face of ongoing loss and to speak about it—even write about it.

About the Author

Sally Rickert, a retired Registered Nurse, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1996, a decade after she and her neurologist suspected MS. Employed in internal medicine and public health nursing, Sally has also pursued anthropology courses and participation in book discussion groups. She and her husband Tom—having raised their family in Colorado—continue to live where they view the foothills from their kitchen window. Wheelchair accessible trails weave through open space areas nearby. Sally’s writing has appeared in MS magazines and poetry publications.