Lookin’ out for Mama

To those of you who expressed some concern about my son in law “pickin’” on me….rest easy. I can defend myself perfectly well, even from my current location of a wheel chair. I adore John for many reasons, the most significant one being that he makes me laugh at myself…a real gift in a world where many of us take ourselves way too seriously. He’s amazingly bright, remembers obscure details, and presents valid arguments…most of the time. So far, however, he hasn’t been able to budge me from my convictions once I have cast them in the concrete of the blogosphere.

I was just going through some old articles and comments and re-read a couple of pieces I had written a while back. This one explains my abiding affection for John. http://onlycasualobservations.blogspot.com/2010/09/milestones.html

Walker III has struggled a bit with my being laid up. He’s been through several significant surgeries with me in the past, but somehow the added equipment of a wheelchair seemed to make this annoying, but not fatal, injury more real to him. (By way of explanation, I took a tumble off a step in a restaurant a couple of weeks ago and tore my Achilles tendon completely.) Aside from the embarrassment, it hasn’t been as bad as I thought it might be, and I’ll eventually be 100%. Right now, though, there are some limitations, particularly in the kitchen. I can’t put weight on the affected foot, and can only balance on one foot for very short periods of time, meaning I escape KP for few more days until I get a walking cast.

The night after my surgery, Walker raced to my chair where I had plopped after we got home. He hugged me as if I had been raised from the dead. “I thought about you all day,” he commented as he nuzzled my neck. His anxiety passed on to me, and I teared up a bit. “I’m going to be just fine,” I stated with conviction.

“Um…how long do you think it will be before you’re better?”

At that point, I knew his concerns were not entirely for my health, but for his happiness. I’m the go to guy for getting pictures sent to Walgreens on the computer, and his ritual of presenting his camera to me for an upload or download or whatever they call it a couple of times a week was possibly going to be disturbed.

“I can do your pictures tomorrow if you like.”

“Whew…that’s just great!” And off he trotted to watch yet another animated cartoon and photograph the screen as he watched.

I don’t understand his need to do this anymore than he understands my messed up foot, but I know what makes him feel like all is right with the world.

In return, Walker is observant of my struggling to get around with my tea glass gripped between my thighs and quick to help me get situated in my chair with the things I need surrounding me. His hugs after work are less angst filled, and life is near enough back to normal for all concerned.

Blessings,
Janie