It's Official
I am old. Ty is old. Ty is tall (5'2"). My arms are not what they used to be or rather, Ty is not the light, tiny thing he used to be.
I can no longer just pick him up and carry him where ever. Mostly it's the rod in his back, but he is also a young man and heavy. The wheelchair is my new best friend, I have to use it even for short distances, putting him in there to haul him downstairs for a shower, to the cot on the deck, or back to his room for the night.
It really bothers me not to be able to just pick him up and go where I want to quickly. Instead, it takes an extra 5 minutes (I know that's not really very long, but in mom-time it feels like hours). I am not a patient person by nature, I like to be busy doing - not busy getting to the point where I can maybe start doing soon.
One of friends found herself in a similar situation and just kept right on lifting her son until her shoulder rebelled and had to be repaired via surgical means. Of course, I should learn from her experience (my back is trying to tell me to listen), but I remain, as ever, convinced of my invincibility.
If only I had those super powers of strength, endurance and bending time to my will that I've always wished for.
I would actually settle for just two more arms. That's not to much to ask for, is it?
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Ty's Medical Story
3 comments:
Hi- I'm Miss Jen and I met you thru Lazy Organizers blog. I've read lots of your posts on your other blog but I never realized that you had a son with special needs.
I just had a baby is september with a spinal birth defect and we are headed toward some of the things you are dealing with now. She is severely nerve damaged from mid torso down wheel chairs are in our future. She also has scoliosis so she will have a rod in her back too.
I'm just so curious how moms handle these kinds of things. Since Ty is 15 maybe you have some advice??
Anyway-just wanted to say hello.
miss jen - there's lots of resources I'd love to share with you. If you see this, email me - otherwise, I'll pop over to your blog.
I also have a son with multiple medical problems. When he had hip surgery at 85 pounds I had a hard time moving him. My solution was to use a gait belt (just a strap made of webbing) around his chest and another one around his knees or ankles. It gave me something to hold onto as his CP keeps him from hanging on to me. I also keep one in his bed ready to wrap around him to use as an aid in case of an emergency. We have fire drills every three months and it is so easy to wrap one around his chest and drag him down the hall. Just an idea for you.
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