On Using Caution

A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.                          Lao-tzu

One of the natural aids that helps to heal the hip after surgery is some technical assistance: a walker and crutches. How many times have I observed someone with crutches or on a walker and thought, well, basically nothing of it. I'm embarrassed to say, most of the time I would go on my merry way and not think twice about what the person in the walker or on crutches goes through. Then I took care of my nearly ninety year old mother for a week and revised my opinion about walkers. We bought her the Cadillac version, one equipt with a seat and a compartment to carry your belongings from hither to thither. We even joked about getting her a horn. "That's so nice for Mom," I thought.

My mother was so amusing about using the walker. She was even funnier about the cane she used prior to the walker. As I mentioned in a previous post when my sister accompanied her to fly to one of our nieces' weddings Mom had to ride in one of those golf carts they use at air ports. Mom brandished that cane like a sword. Up in her  cart-perch she waved the cane and shouted to all in front of her on route to the plane, "woo-hoo, woo-hoo, out of my way." Honestly, how embarrassing for my sister! Happily, Sis thought it was hilarious.

When she first acquired the walker due to several falls, Mother used to talk aloud to herself about it's use. "First I put the brake on, then I take a deep breath, then I stand up and center myself, then take the brake off  and I'm ready to go." Ha, I thought, how quaint and darling.
One of my tragic flaws is that I'm something of a show-off. This started from the time I was little. I loved to do cartwheels, one handed cartwheels, stand on my bicycle seat, hands on the handle bars, do an arabesque while flying down our little hill at age six. I also broke my arm by attempting to 'tightrope walk' on the top of a playground swing set.  Not a comforting thought for a mother but it never stopped me.

So, it had been three weeks since surgery and I was starting to exhibit some of my more obnoxious habits to wit, doing arm push ups on the walker. I did this for my husband's entertainment [he would say exasperation...] Thank god, he was in the bathroom waiting to dry my legs after a shower when the inevitable happened. I pushed myself up from the walker with my arms, my legs dangling and he wasn't quite ready with the towel so I did several more arm push ups and ----Oops! The walker slid out from under me. I didn't completely fall but fell with my back against the wall and my left leg protectively shot out in front of me. No harm to the hip [or as my home health nurse would say 'grandma's antique tea cup'].  I can only pray that my surgeon has absolutely no interest in this blog. I was fine, but I scared my dear Mr. G and myself to death. I actually shook throughout my breakfast.

I would love to report to you that I absolutely learned my lesson. I sincerely hope that this is true. I have been triply more cautious, but that I would take that chance with my new hip is really unconscionable. So the way I'm making amends is by being like my Mom. "First I brace myself, then I take a deep breath, then I center myself and then, I'm ready to go" I mutter internally. Same goes for the crutches. There are so many possible errors that can be made and I must be vigilant about not falling despite the pot holes in the road.

If you should happen upon me on my crutches, best to be cautious yourself around me. One never knows when I might decide that I can hop away with a flourish and fall right into you.

Me holding up the Bean in Chicago.

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