Small Town Girl

'Jack, for the hundredth time, don't say that, as if I'm the only one responsible for making my records hits. You know you're indispensable to me.'

He laughed, and said, 'Okay, Mac. How's your mother?'

Tess's mother was progressing normally, which, in the case of hip replacement, meant slowly. By the third day her catheter had been removed and when Tess arrived, Virginia, the therapist, was in the room running Mary through a series of exercises to increase her blood circulation. Mary lay flat in bed, flexing her feet, squeezing her buttocks together and tightening her thigh muscles. But when she was instructed to use a towel as a sling to pull her recovering leg upward, things got more difficult. A male aide arrived to help Mary to her feet for her first attempt at using a walker. The process was slow, with Virginia showing her how to use a leg lifter to support her leg while swinging it off the bed, and instructing her not to bend her hips more than ninety degrees.

'I know, I know,' she said, 'I've done this before.'

'All we're going to do is get you upright first. There's no rush. Just sort of half sit, half hang on the edge of the mattress and don't put your weight on either foot.'

When she had been swung around and tipped upright, it was apparent she grew dizzy. Her eyes closed and she gripped the arms supporting her.

'Take your time. There's no rush.' Virginia gave her a minute, then said, 'Okay?'

Mary nodded twice in fast succession, but her eyes remained closed and her nostrils flared.

Virginia instructed Tess, 'Please pay attention, because your role will be to encourage and support. It'll help if you remind her to go slow and be systematic. Now, Mary, today we're going to do most of the work getting you up, but at home you'll push off the bed with both hands, right? Stay inside the walker, make sure you don't get your feet outside it or too far up in front because it can tip over.'

Mary nodded. When they got her up off the edge of the bed she reeled.

'Do you feel nauseated?'

'I'm… okay,' she answered breathlessly.

'If you feel nauseated, let us know.'

She nodded again and pulled in a sturdy breath through her nose.

'I know you've done this before, but just a reminder… all four feet of the walker need to be on the floor before you make your first step. The walker goes first, then your sore leg, then your good leg. Are you ready?'

Mary opened her eyes and nodded.

Tess was the worst possible nurse. She had always loved her mother, but moving along beside her during her first hesitant steps with the walker was traumatic. She discovered she was holding her breath, glancing from Mary's white knuckles to her grim face, from her moist forehead to the sheen of tears the patient couldn't keep from her determined eyes. Her legs looked like kegs, bound in those thick, flesh-colored PEDs. Everything about her seemed foreign, and Tess felt as if she never knew the right thing to say. Give her a crowd of ten thousand to entertain, but not one mother in pain.

'You're doing great, Mom,' she tried, after Mary's first three steps, then overanxiously to Virginia, 'Isn't she doing great?'

'Absolutely. There's no hurry, Mary. Take your time.'

Tess repeated silently, Take your time, take your time, wishing she were anywhere but in that hospital room.

'Keep all your weight on the walker and don't look at your feet.'

'Look up,' Virginia instructed.

Mary went six feet that first time with the walker. Each step was arduous, a repeat of the pain suffered two years earlier, pain to which Tess had been oblivious until now. She was amazed by her mother's courage to face this a second time, knowing what she'd have to go through, and chagrined with herself for her chickenheartedness.

By the time the patient was returned to bed, it was hard to say who was more relieved, Mary or her daughter. Tess got Mary's adductor pillow and helped tuck it between her knees, covered her with the sheet, rolled up the towel she'd used to lift her leg, and put it in a bedside drawer. Mary looked worn and frail, and Tess again searched for a distraction to offer. Suddenly she remembered.

'Oh, I brought your mail!' she announced brightly, digging it out of her large gray bag. 'Looks like you got some cards. Want me to open them for you?'

Mary lay with her eyes closed, her breathing labored. 'In a minute.'

Tess felt stupid for making the suggestion at the wrong moment. She would never be natural at this the way her sisters were. She bent down and felt awkward drying Mary's forehead with the sweep of a palm. She kissed Mary's forehead, and even that felt forced. 'Of course. There's time for that later. You rest awhile first.'

Mary nodded without opening her eyes and Tess was left to sit on a chair watching her and wishing she were someplace else.

Renee came later that morning and brought her daughter, Rachel, with her. They both seemed so natural at saying and doing the right thing. 'How ya doing today, Momma?' Renee said, bending over the bed and kissing her mother. 'Did they get you up to walk?'

'A little.'

'And it was awful, I know. But this afternoon will be better and tomorrow better than that. Look who I brought.'

Rachel stepped close. 'Hi, Grandma.'

'Rachel, darling.' Mary rolled over and smiled wanly.

'Mom and I made you some cookies. The chocolate ones rolled in powdered sugar that you like so much.'

'Top-of-the-Mountains?' She immediately brightened and made an effort to push herself up. 'Where are they?'

While Renee uncovered the tin, Rachel found a chance to greet her aunt. 'Hi, Aunt Tess, I haven't seen you yet.'

'Hi, Rachel.' They hugged a little stiffly: they scarcely knew each other. 'How are the wedding plans coming?'

'Perfect. All we need is sun. I'm so glad you'll be home for it.'

'Oh, Tess, look at these cookies,' Mary said, already more animated since the two had arrived and brought the treats. 'You've got to have one.'

'No, thanks, Mom.'

'Oh, what's one little cookie going to hurt?' Mary was looking into the tin as she spoke.

Renee said, 'Mom, you know she doesn't eat this kind of stuff,' and Mary stopped insisting.

The longer Tess was home the more she realized that her sisters were probably right, she was out of touch with her family. She couldn't have guessed that her mother preferred dark chocolate candy, or what kind of cookies were her favorite. She scarcely knew enough about Rachel to carry on a comfortable conversation. After the obligatory hug they found little to say, while Rachel and Renee found plenty to visit with Mary about.

Shortly after Renee and Rachel arrived, Faith Oxbury showed up, dressed in a pastel print dress, jewelry and pumps, bearing a big vase of irises.

'Hello there,' she said cheerfully from the doorway. 'Is there anyone in here with a brand-new hip?'

'Faith,' they all chorused. 'Hello!'

Tess straightened up and took notice of this woman whose car was parked across the alley most nights after work.

'Mary, dear, how are you? The nurses tell me that you've been up already and have taken a few steps. I'll bet you're glad it's over and all you have to do is file your insurance papers.' She set down the flowers and kissed the patient's cheek. Then she stood at the bedside squeezing both Mary's hands, and looking right into her eyes. 'I'm so glad the worst part is over for you. I can't tell you how many times I thought of you day before yesterday.'

'Oh, thank you, Faith. That means so much to me.'

'Kenny sends his best and tells me to give you a big kiss, so that's from him. And the irises, too. I picked them in his yard.'

'They're absolutely gorgeous. Thank you again.'

'And something from Casey, who says she'll try to come up tonight after supper.' From her purse Faith extracted a card. 'She made it.' Mary read it aloud.