Friday, I left Timothy at home with Greg while I took Mam-ma Polly to the beauty shop and did her grocery shopping - and ours. I was also buying food to prepare for a Mother's Day lunch for everyone yesterday... chicken, baked potatoes, salad, cole slaw, broccoli/cauliflower and cheese, rolls, and fresh strawberries and brownies or blueberry muffins with yogurt cheese for dessert. In my grocery cart, I had diapers and bottle liners... and Ensure for my grandmother... both ends of the spectrum!Yesterday, as we enjoyed our lunch, gifts and cards, and the "Timothy floor show," I looked at five generations represented... a new mother (Jasmine), my sister's first Mother's Day as a grandmother, two great-grandmothers - my mom and Greg's mom, and a great-great-grandmother (Mam-ma Polly). Jasmine even brought me a "Mother's Day" card and acknowledge me as an "other mother" to her and Timothy.
As I watched my grandmother playing with Timmy - and him giving her kisses - it all came together for me. Yes, this is a sandwich - and a wild and crazy one at times - but this is also a time to treasure. I hope Mam-ma lives long enough for Timmy to truly remember her... but if not, we'll give him memories to cherish via photos, stories and more. Meanwhile, it was a very good day in our house to celebrate mothers.Pictured below...
- My mother-in-law, known to Timmy as "Grandma Elaine."
- My sister, my mom, and her husband.
- Jasmine and Timothy
- Timothy with Mam-ma Polly and Grandma Elaine
- Timothy with Grandma Elaine
- Timothy and Mam-ma - his great-great-grandmother
- Kisses for Mam-ma Polly
I made a trip to the medical supply store to try and get my grandmother's "wobbly" walker fitted with new legs to replace the one I ran over last week at the beauty shop. The ladies were so nice there. They said, "Oh, this has happened before." In fact, the woman in charge said that she could fix up the "old" walker, but it would cost about $55, and the walker itself was a little unsteady, and she did not recommend fixing it. What happens to these walkers? Just a few months ago, it was outfitted with the 360-degree wheels for outside use and declared safe... now it's unsteady?
Anyway, the woman went on to tell me that she thought we could qualify for a new walker covered by Medicare, since it has been two years since Mam-ma last got a new one. Apparently these walkers are not designed to last very long, whether you run over them or they are driven around the blocks and through the stores and churches by little 97-year-old ladies! I had to sign a waiver saying that I would pay the $130, if Medicare will not authorize the walker. I did that.
I also told the lady that Mam-ma had seen some white, flat tips on her friend's walker last Friday, and she had a fit over them - wanted some for HER walker... and she wanted BIG wheels. The lady said the tips were called "gliders," and she had some... but they would be an extra $19. I told her to put them on the new walker. She fixed me up with the gliders and BIG wheels.
I took the walker to Mam-ma's, along with a box that contained the plain rubber tips that had been exchanged... and I took back the "old" walker, too. I got Mam-ma to come out into the garage, and I showed her the brand spanking new walker - complete with white glider tips. I have to admit, I was feeling pretty proud of my efforts! Mam-ma looked the walker over and said... "Well... (long pause)... that's okay." Okay? What did she mean, "Okay?" She harrumphed and said, "Well, it'll be okay if I don't stub my toe on them tips. Gerry said she had to watch out for that." Now, for the record, I never heard our little friend say a word about those tips causing her to stub her toe. But I told Mam-ma..."If you decide you don't like them, we can take them off and put on the original rubber tips. And if you wear them out on the concrete, we have the other tips in this box." She replied in a pitiful tone, "No... that's okay."
I parked the walkers, put the extra legs/tips in her closet, and let it go. Clearly, there will be no satisfaction with the walker situation, regardless of what we get. And that is useful information for the future. Meanwhile, we are garnering an arsenal of old, useless walkers - if anyone needs parts, we probably have 'em!
