THEY DON’T MAKE’EM LIKE
THEY USED TO!
Mom lived
alone in a big house, her dream house on the Eastern Shore Md. Coming from the garage after driving out to
the road to pick up her mail, she slipped on some ice.
She tried to
pick herself up, but she could not. She
dragged herself into the house where she survived for several days waiting to
recover. It would be a long wait as she
had broken her hip. After a day or two,
a neighbor was looking in on her, found she was hurt and took her to the
hospital.
They fixed
her hip with a few screws and some rest.
She recovered very quickly for an old gal, and never got rid of the cane
they gave her to get around. Oh she didn’t
need it to walk after a while, but she used it to reach high objects, or as a threat to crack anyone who
got in her way.
Mom was feisty to say the least.
Mom was feisty to say the least.
You may ask,
“Why didn’t your mom just simply get on the phone and call for help when she
realized she could do no more for several days than crawl around?” It is a fair question, one we asked her
ourselves.
Her answer?
“I didn’t want to trouble anyone, I
was able to reach food and water, I figured I was all right.”
“But mom, you could have at least
called 9-1-1 for help!”
“Oh, I don’t like to bother those
nine-eleven people; they have lots of emergencies they have to deal with!”
Now I don’t
know how much of mom’s attitude was caused due to her approaching dementia, but for
sure she was one tough 5’2” 105 lb. lady!
They just don’t make ’em like they
used to!
Ouch! Your poor mom. I guarantee if I fall and break my hip, I'm gonna be on the phone "bothering" every person I know, and then I'm gonna start making cold calls and bothering strangers. You're right....she was one tough lady.
ReplyDeleteS
Awww, your mom sounds like she was a sweet lady. Oh, and a tough one too!
ReplyDeleteYes, she was feisty! I like "Mom" stories and this is a good one.
ReplyDeleteI am ONLY 78 years old & I AM A WIMP!!
ReplyDeleteGood job, your mom realizing the value of a cane. I'm amazed at all they do. Mine is even a little more momentum when I go up hill.
ReplyDeleteI thought, from your picture, you would have something to say about canes. They don't make 'em like they used to. Those stupid adjustable metal canes clink, announcing every move. My best cane belonged to my great grandfather. Bent wood. Probably very inexpensive in the day and I've seen nothing like it. It's a tad too tall for me, but if I have it shortened it might be too short for the next user. Your mom would understand.
oh, bless her stubborn, sweet soul...
ReplyDeleteGreat story! My 91 year old dad fell a couple of weeks ago and cracked his head on the sidewalk. He was in his garden hoeing his corn, felt dizzy and worried about crushing his veggies, so he tried to reach for his cane which was hanging on the chainlink fence. Well, the corn is fine, but dad wound up in the hospital for two days. Amazingly he didn't break anything and had no brain bleeds or a concussion. All he had was a touch of ornery because he wanted OUT of that place the second they wheeled him in on a gurney. He refused to take anything for the pain for the longest time, then gave in when things started to ache. At that point, he proceeded to flirt outrageously with the nurses. He has a crazy fun attitude about life, and keeps hanging in there!
ReplyDeleteWell, she was waiting to recover. That explains it.
ReplyDeleteMy own mom doesn't turn on her air conditioning until August, because she's waiting for the weather to get hot. I've finally broken her of that habit in the last couple of years. She used to just turn it on if she knew I was coming to her house.
Just a couple of hours ago, when I stopped for the mail, I saw a family walking down the creek. Two kids, a mom, and what appeared to be a grandma WITH A METAL FOUR-PRONGED CANE. That's hard-core, walking up a mossy-bottom, flat-rock creek bed with a cane. Or maybe that's why she needed one.
She might be YOUR mother but i recognize this woman. She reminds me of my mom.
ReplyDeleteGreat story.....love your Mom....but 2 or 3 dsys? I dunno know about that part.
ReplyDeleteNot to brag exactly, but 3 years ago, age 83 I fell and broke my hip on the back stairs outside the house. I knew it was broken because I heard it. I had a Mobile Alert thingy around my neck but did not push it because I did not wantthe EMT folks to break into my gorgeous front door which was locked so I dragged myself up the steps on my elbows and into the house, got to the phone and called my neighbor who had keys to my gate and front door to come and unlock.....then I called 911. Your Mom and I are of the same era.....yep...tough stuff.
Bless your mothers soul. Nope they don't make them like they used to. Everyone nowadays goes to the clinic for every scratch, scrape and sniffle, then wonder why it takes forever and a day to see someone when they go in for the big stuff. Well DUH! The waiting room is full of hypochondriacs.
ReplyDeleteMy Grandma was like that too. She could have had her arm falling off and she'd have insisted she was just fine.
ReplyDeleteAunt Peg was my favorite aunt. Beyond that she was one of the most wonderful, special people in the world.
ReplyDeleteAnyone who would doubt that should consider that she was the mother of Joe, Chris and Jim! Nuff said!