The Geriatric Sophisticate and the Wheelchair Or I WAS MEANT TO BE QUEEN!

Grammie Words of Wisdom

If perchance your bucket list did not include another torn meniscus but you got one anyway, suck it up buttercup!

So I was working really hard to go swimming consistently – until my unfortunate series of events. After tripping over the vacuum cleaner and wrenching my knee and ankle in May, I fell down the stairs, torqued my back, and jacked up my meniscus on my good knee. (Did you know that for every pound overweight a person is, the knee suffers five pounds of pressure?!)

Two days later, I was trying to suck it up and walk without help and stepped backward. My knee went backward as well. A worthless trip to emergency for an x-ray rather than an MRI and a leg brace that hurt my back was followed two days later to an orthopedic guy who didn’t listen to me anymore than the first guy did. Another x-ray, a different brace (which will no doubt cost me hundreds) and another diagnosis of a torn meniscus make me question the listening skills or hearing levels of doctors.

I’m not a fan of doctors – a really bad situation when two of my sons-in-law are doctors. One of them, Andy, is a veterinarian. Ronald assures me that by having my ‘stubborn as a mule personality’, Andy may be the better one to help solve my physical ailments. That and my ‘mean as a snake’ attitude’ would certainly fit in with Andy’s medical skills.

Anyway, you guys probably know this better than I, life ain’t fair.

Grammie Words of Wisdom retake

Life isn’t fair, but God is.

I’m still trying to figure out what life lesson I am supposed to learn from this experience. My chiropractor said for me to spend the weekend letting people push me around in the wheelchair. He assured me that if I didn’t, it would indicate a condition called ‘geriatric pride’. I pointed my finger at him and assured him I was NOT geriatric in any way shape or form! He is a long time friend (one of the few doctors that ever did me ounce of good!), so we both busted out laughing. Since I told Ronald what the doc said, he has teasingly suggested more than once that indeed I am geriatric. I have assured him each time with various facial expressions and hand gestures exactly what I thought about being called geriatric.

But that’s not the point. When I was trying to do what was right and get fit, something happened to thwart my good intentions. I don’t understand why it happened. I am attempting to ascertain what life lessons I am to learn. I think one is to not be a complainer. There’s always someone worse off. Number two, I’m thankful I can feel pain. Some people can’t. Number three, I have people who have my back. And the wheelchair. Which brings me to the main thing I’ve learned.

As my young grandsons push me around in the wheelchair, I now know I was meant to be queen! Being a pampered, geriatric sophisticate is not a bad gig!

Blessings

        Kara Beth

I may not understand my present trails, but I do know this for fact – God says in Jeremiah 29:11, He gives peace to me, not evil, to give me a future and a hope.