By Marty Round

Little miracles!  That’s what baby steps are.  I am sure we all remember our children’s first time eating in the high chair, taking that first wobbly step, sitting to do his/her business on the potty chair.  Weren’t all those times miraculous?!  How proud we were!

   Now, at nearly 79, I find myself in a very similar situation.  There were, and still are, so many routine activities I could not do when I first got home from University Crossing.  A smile spread across my face when I used the 4-wheeled walker, instead of the metal one, to get from my bedroom to the kitchen.  No one could see my satisfaction when I got up in the middle of the night to visit the bathroom and did not use the call button to summon my caregiver.  Yes, I wore my Medical Alert, just to be safe.

   When Kasey, my 24/7 caregiver, left to go back to NH, I pared my care down to two shifts, one from 7 to 11 AM and one from 5:30 to 9:30 PM.  That first overnight alone was a bit scary, but went smoothly.  Then to add to my amazing list, a college roommate came up from Sun City Center for about 10 days.  She was amazed by all the little baby steps I accomplished while she was here…like fixing our breakfast, doing my laundry, sitting on my walker and ironing those few items I like to be wrinkle free.

     Suddenly, in mid May, I was truly alone.  How would that feel?  Yes, I was/am stronger and able to be more independent.  The duplicate bridge club downtown had reopened and my good friend Martha picks me up, and we go play once or twice a week – a big step toward being me! I can get up from almost any chair now as long as my walker is nearby. I can walk a short distance, using a four-prolonged cane. At first, I could do that only at PT. Then I was given permission to practice at home as long as I wasn’t alone. Sweet friend Joanna came to be my cane walking companion and to change my bed. I can strip it but cannot remake it. Another friend has taken over that job while Joanna is away. Thank you, Angela.

       In mid-July, my physical therapist lifted the “not alone” restriction and I am now walking around the house with my cane and my medical alert around my neck.  Not all the time but enough to get more comfortable doing so. Like I said, baby steps.  Being a cussed Yankee, I have  been bothered by my dependence on friends to get me everywhere I need to go: PT twice weekly, doctors’ appointments, the grocery store, etc.  But two weeks ago, another baby step … well, maybe not so baby…occurred.  A friend’s husband offered to be my passenger when I decided to drive my new Tucson out of the “Creek”.  I needed to get comfortable behind the wheel again.  I figured out a way to get into the car safely and off we went…down A1A from the front gate, across the Bridge of Lions, up King St, south on Rte 1, and left onto 312 to Mizell, and home.  Yea!.!. And then last week I drove myself to PT and, using just a cane, walked into Stars! 

Am I ready to drive everywhere?  Not yet, but baby steps will help my confidence build!

Welcome back, and congratulations on your progress, Marty!! – The Editor