Sunday, October 26, 2014

The Best Medicine

 When Carol arrived last week for a five-day visit, she found me with a knee swollen to the size of a small cantaloupe. I hadn’t done much to prepare for her visit, being unable to stand for more than a couple of minutes. Carol stepped in to take over cooking, icing my knee, doing laundry, and cleaning the kitchen. She invited Holmes and Candace and Marianne for lunch. She and Marianne prepared the food. Holmes entertained everyone with his imitations, jokes, and self-deprecating humor. The swelling in my knee began to recede.

The next day five of us trouped to the Nelson-Watkins Museum of Art, where we had a rather boisterous good time, alarming other patrons with our inappropriate behavior. Seldom had they seen an old woman riding in a wheelchair, laughing her way through the exhibits.

We watched three games of the World Series, amused by the ball players’ chewing, spitting, and rituals involving glove adjusting, bat swinging, nods, and grimaces. I was able to discard my cane.

By the time Carol left this morning, my knee had improved dramatically.  I had been dreading total knee joint replacement, but now I will enter the hospital four days from now with a glad heart. A positive attitude makes all the difference. When a fun-loving daughter comes to visit she brings the best medicine – laughter and love.

Copyright 2014 by Shirley Domer

2 comments:

LawrenceLinda said...

Daughters, either natural or married into are such a treasure. I have two wonderful sons, but have loved the female presence that the daughters, married into, have brought me.

Jayhawk Fan said...

Such a good story! Thanks for sharing it. Sorry I missed all the fun! Sending you love from Colorado Springs!