Baby Steps and Facing the Unknown

Well, the patient is losing patience. Thanks to the generosity of several friends, Margaret has received some gift cards to Borders and Amazon, so she's enhancing her book collection and getting several new things to read while she convalesces. She is more comfortable day by day; the muscles are healing. But we still have to remind her and ourselves that she has a fracture and has to take it easy when she move. Although the fracture is stable, they told us it can be made less so by certain activity and movement.

We have the appointment Sept. 1 with the specialist, and I keep hoping we'll get in earlier on the cancellation list. But until we see the specialist, I still have a list of unanswered questions. The girls don't start school until Sept. 9, which is good. But what it will mean for Margaret as she tries to negotiate the busy hallways and do something with that 80-pound backpack, I don't know.

She has been able to increase the time between doses of percocet, which is a good start to weaning herself off them and onto something less potent. Ultimately, I'd like to see her being able to manage pain on Tylenol. They don't want her taking NSAIDs because of their penchant for causing bleeding. And a bleed in her spinal cord would be disastrous.

Patricia has been stellar as a helpmate and companion. She and I are going garage-sale shopping tomorrow, just the two of us. It's kind of a birthday gift for her -- having mom-time doing what she and I both love. But it's also a reward to get her out of the house for a while. I can't wait.

At some point, we're going to have to consider back-to-school shopping, but again, I won't even attempt to take Margaret somewhere she might get jostled or have to endure any long car trips until I know what we're supposed to do or not supposed to do. It's also hard for her to dress because it hurts to bend over, and she's not supposed to be bending over. What a handicap!

And on a sad note, our beloved dance teacher, Miss Nancy, is being treated for uterine cancer and won't be teaching in the foreseeable future. Susan is taking over the classes but for how long, we don't know. Both Margaret and I will be sidelined at the start -- My surgery is Sept. 3 and I don't know how long I'll be out with a cast on my left wrist. But I don't know when Margaret will be cleared for the pounding and shifting in tap and hip-hop. We'll see. And we send our love and best wishes out to Miss Nancy. Her students will miss her terribly.