The rise and fall of shopping

Yesterday was a wonderful and horrid day. How does that happen all at once? Read on and see.

I had planned on working on my jewelry making before going to work in the afternoon. I had also planned on making a big pot of chili for the Artists' Studio Association monthly potluck. Funny how plans are meant to be changed. I got a call from my daughter Tess, asking if we could go shopping for a pair of shoes for Cassie. She had been crying because her big sister put her shoes on in her bedroom that morning and she didn't have shoes which would fit her feet anymore. You have to realize Cassie is a paraplegic, she doesn't really "need" shoes to get around. But she obviously needs shoes to feel like she is like everyone else. So I told Tess of course we could go buy Cassie a pair of shoes, Tess said, oh, and a coat. I was thinking it is a really good thing I have a Childrens Place charge card.

I drove to their house, about four doors away from me, and followed them to the gas station. That was the first leg of the trip. While there, we left my car so we wouldn't have to find parking for two cars. I joined them in their car, note Cassie is holding my favorite purple bracelet. She is such a girly girl:




Tess dropped Cassie and I off near where we were headed and went in search of a parking place. She met us part of the way to the first store (Childrens Place). Cassie is so hilarious when she is in her wheelchair. She says, "I'm walking now, I go walk, Grandma. You follow me, Grandma." So I follow along behind her and she heads for the store. Not as fast as you or I can walk, but pretty fast for a tiny little girl in a tiny little wheelchair. Tess caught up with us just after we went up the first wheelchair ramp. Cassie loves the ramps, but can't push up them herself. She would love to free-wheel down them, but her chair flies if you don't hang on, so that is not an option. She loves the speed and always yells faster, faster if she is letting you help her push.

She loved being in the Childrens Place. The racks are really close together and she can go around and through the various areas of the store. I am sure from her level it is like exploring a jungle of clothes. Of course they were having a sale, so we ended up spending way more money than we had intended. We got jeans and shirts for both girls, a jean jacket, shirt, belt and matching hat for Cassie, shoes and sunglasses for both girls, socks for Cassie, and onesy type shirts for Cassie. They don't usually make that type big enough for her, but they stay tucked in so much better.

Cassie decked out in her new Hat, Sunglasses, Jacket, and pretty Pink Shoes:



Note in the second photo the shopping bag to the right of the Jeep, that is where Tess fell:



Then we headed back to the car. All was well, until Tess went to unlock the car. She had been trying the wrong key in the passenger side and went around the front of the car to try the other door, not realizing it was the wrong key. When she stepped off the curb, her shoe got stuck on a piece of curb (asphalt) which was sticking up above the rest, kind of a little knobby piece they should have smoothed out. She twisted the ankle which stuck on the curb, and fell on her bad knee and dislodged her kneecap for the 7th time. As she laid on the pavement it was raining, she couldn't get up, and I had to keep Cassie from running her chair off the sidewalk. Passersby went to see if they could help Tess and I called the mall office. The manager came to help and take an accident report. They helped Tess get up off the ground, and helped me get the wheelchair back into the car. They made sure Tess was able to get in the vehicle, and wanted to call an ambulance, but Tess refused that.

I drove them home, Eric came out to help them into the house, and I walked home. My car was still at the gas station. Jeez does it get any better than this? My boss had to come pick me up so I could go to work, and pick up my car. Once I got out of work I headed off to the ASA potluck. I didn't have time to make my chili so I had to pick-up a take-out pizza, and went to the potluck. As you can see from the picture there was plenty of food, I didn't even need to take the pizza, but I feel bad if I don't take something.

Of course with this spread do you think anyone would have missed my pizza? This doesn't even show the dessert or my pizza:



When I was nearly home, after the potluck and meeting, I thought I better call and check on Tess. Of course she wanted to go to the ER by that time, so I went home took my allergy pill and picked her up. Fortunately we got the ordeal of the hospital over with in just about an hour. Considering there were x-rays involved we were amazed by the speed.

Poor Athena called us at the ER because Cassie wouldn't let her put a diaper back onto her after having taken off the wet one. Cassie was crying wanting her mommy to do it, and Athena was crying because she said Cassie made her sad. I told her to let me talk to Cassie and I told her to let her sissy put her new diaper on. Finally Tess had to talk to Cassie, and she told her momma, "No Thena put dapper." Tess told her, "Don't you dare tell me NO. You let Athena put on a new diaper. No diaper is not an option!!"

Back to the ER: Tess got ace wraps on both her knee and her ankle. The doctor said she needs to put her brace back on her knee, and leave it there. The swelling and pain in her knee is severe, the ankle not so much but it is painful just the same. Hopefully the pain will not be worse today, but I am betting it will be. At least I am here to help her if needed.