Walker No More!

Busy week! A trio of doctor appointments for my mom with me as the designated chauffeur; Monday and Tuesday outings with a highlight of Starbucks on both days.  Culminating in her 73rd birthday night dinner with the family.  Tempura shrimp, kept company with Hollandaise-drizzled asparagus and tender baked sweet potatoes.  Chased down with whole grain cranberry-chocolate-oat bars for mom's healthy sweet tooth and Marie Callendar's peach cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream for the refined sugar dessert crowd.

There's simply nothing better than laughter and chatter at the dinner table.  Ice rattling in the glasses.  Silverware clinking against emptied plates.  Kids engaged and interacting with the adults.  Me ordering the antsy boy to quit tipping his chair.  Even the wild and random subject matter -- serial killers and sexual predators!?  Don't ask.  I couldn't tell you how we got there!

Without question, it's a unanimous decision concerning the best birthday present a gal could ever ask for this time around.  That timely third doc visit was with Mr. Orthopedic Surgeon.  His exam resulted in a status downgrade of the ol' seated rolling walker.  He asked mom to rise and walk. "Just get up and walk?" I wondered a tad disbelieving.  I think I may have inquired out loud.  And she did.  Walk, I mean.  Though I had my camera at the ready, the shock of seeing her suddenly shift from two months of absolutely no weight on that knee to steadily hobbling the short length of the exam room stilled my usually itchy trigger finger.  I kept waiting for trumpets to sound, noisemakers to go off, people to joyously shout.  A soundtrack to close out the exhausting passing of eight weeks seemed to be in order.  Fitting to the momentous occasion.  But all there was to hear was the soft landing of her feet on the carpeted floor.

That was Tuesday.  Mom worked her legs the rest of that day and into the evening.  She was understandably sore on Wednesday.  And again, I neglected my shutter-clicking duties.  I can't explain it except that perhaps I was operating in a mild state of shock at the abrupt transition on the heels of everything she recently endured.  But I can clearly see her baby steps and relieved countenance in my head if you want to crawl on in and have a seat for a quick recap.  Besides being thrilled for mom and the closing of this painful chapter in her medical history, there is a deep and abiding relief within me concerning that dreaded seated rollator.  If I never witness my mother do the one-legged backward scoot on that thing over another sidewalk crack, door threshold, or uneven carpet, you can bet I'll be the happiest daughter in the mother-daughter universe.  Even this week, pulling her into and out of the car, warning her of raised entries and rough terrain, I cringed several times, catching my breath and bracing for a possible miscalculation.  Knocking her on her head emotionally scarred me for life.  (Not to mention my knee!)

I'll be sure to take video footage when next I see her.  We've had yet another round of the fluffy frozen white stuff here in Middle Tennessee, coupled with unusually cold temperatures and resulting in TWO more snow days for the kids, and I'm thinking mom in snowshoes would have been entertaining.  But that's probably stretching it a bit.  Instead, I'll warm myself with thoughts of her leg gaining strength with the passing of each day.

We won't discuss her necessary back surgery until she's 'therapized' this here situation.  One thing at a time, folks.  One thing at a time.

**For clarification and to quell possible reader concern: the walker is still in use as an aid for walking -- those knees are yet regaining their previous strength -- as was the original intent of its manufacturing.  The title was for dramatic effect and reflects my hopeful nature concerning the immediate future.