About the walking . . .

A relative was kind enough to pick me up last Tuesday and take me to Drayton Valley to visit mom. My mother is in a retirement home. Before the accident I used to visit once or twice a week. My sister has been great filling in with visits even though she lives much further away. The first thing when we got there is I had my driver stop at the local Dairy Queen so I could bring mom a hot fudge sundae. There are reasons why I am the favourite.

My driver is my father’s brother’s daughter’s daughter. Or my first cousin’s daughter. Whatever other term there is for this family relationship escapes me. I will refer to her as Kay. This is the third time she has done this for me since I got out of the hospital last September. I make a point to spring for lunch and overpay for gas for the day.

Mom is eighty three and looks healthy while also managing to look older than her years. Her memory is shot, she does not remember her birthday nor does she remember Kay. I am glad she is in a place that takes good care of her.

I spent the day on crutches. For longer excursions I had been using the walker but I use crutches exclusively these days. I have become a wee bit more flexible as I have noticed I can get in and out of a vehicle just a bit easier. You do not notice some of the everyday hazards for handicapped people until you become one. My accountant’s office had a weird step rise to get in the door. Sidewalks can have high height stepping from the road onto the sidewalk. You have to be so damn careful.

Walking with crutches I could navigate the height getting onto a sidewalk from a parking space. I could not do the reverse, I had to walk to where there was a ramp built into the sidewalk at the handicapped parking spot so I could get down. Starting yesterday I can finally step off a sidewalk without searching for a ramp. The problem was I previously did not have enough strength in my knees. This is welcome progress.

At home I have tried to do the flamingo thing. I can stand unassisted and have done that for months. I cannot stand unassisted on one leg. I feel I can get to that point. I have not fallen when I was in rehab or since I have been home. I have been scared of falling a few times. I no longer have that fear. I am confident that if I do fall I can manage to get back up. I did not have that feeling before. Onward.