#wheelchair #siblings #caregivers
In my family, I’m the baby. Two brothers and one sister. Sis is almost nine-years older than me. She’s the OLDER sister.
Mom has been living with me since 2014, when her beloved husband passed away from cancer. She never drove a car, has Alzheimer’s now, and is challenged with walking due to arthritis and other spinal issues.
Wheelchair pushing is a new experience for us. It took several weeks to figure out the brakes. At first, we either leaned against it, or made sure it was on level ground.
I confessed last time. This time, I’m telling on Sis…
Sis greeted me with a hug, “Can you believe the wind yesterday?”
“It was bad. It blew Mom’s wheelchair across the parking lot. A car swerved and a guy jumped out of its way. Thankfully, no one hit it.”
Sis’s eyes widened. “Was Mom in it?”
“No, thank God. Although the clinic showed us how to lock the brakes yesterday, I was in a hurry.”
Sis scrunched her face. “At least Mom wasn’t in it.”
“Exactly.” I pointed to the center of the parking lot. “It blew over to that speed bump.”
Sis stared at it. “That happened to me, but Mom was in the chair.”
My jaw dropped. “When?”
“Last week. Right here, on the ramp. I was loading her into my car, and she rolled down backwards. But, I caught her before she drifted past the trunk.”
Loving caregivers, in desperate need of wheelchair instruction.
E.V. Sparrow 