Snatching Time!

Last week I mentioned that our DD had hurt her knee. The MRI shows that the right ACL is torn, her MCL and LCL are very stretched but they're hoping that the miniscus is ok but won't know til they get in there to look. The injury is worse than the one she'd had on her left knee. We're trying to figure out how this is possible. She danced for 13 years. Could that had weakened her ACLs? We'll probably never know and really, we just want her healed. Surgery scheduled for next week.

So we got her a fancy wheelchair and are discovering the joys of handicap life. She uses crutches at home but her left knee is not healed enough from the surgery in May to be just using crutches. Each step now hurts on each knee. Yesterday after physical therapy she was able to put some weight on that leg for the first time since last Monday. 

Our time is spent going to doctors, physical therapy and then college. She is so not happy that I have to take her to college. The minute she can drive again, I will glady relinquish that job!! Her classes are spread out in such a way that sometimes I can come home inbetween but other times not. Tuesdays will be difficult because she only has one class in the morning. Yesterday I was able to drive up to Norris for about an hour and a half before heading back. It takes 45 minutes to drive from Maryville College, up through Knoxville, and to the center where our Tuesday Weavers weave. It was wonderful to be able to get there even if it was just for awhile.

Weaving time at home is of necessary time snatched between the things I have to do. The warp I'd wound on before she fell is now threaded and almost half woven. It goes from black at the sides to light grey in the middle with a funky knitting yarn accent the center few inches. You can see if by its bumps every inch or so. There's a jacket, two tops and two vests on this warp. It's not as long as I normally do them because I have plans to weave a few more warps yet. My next show is in October.

The college campus is supposed to be handicap accessible. Three of her classes were on the second floor of a building without elevators. They moved them. They've been very helpful with all of this but the whole campus is on a hill so getting around isn't easy. Sidewalks are slanted to let the water drain when it rains. Not easy for a wheelchair to ride on. Ramps into buildings were designed by someone who didn't have a clue. Even their big Clayton Center for the Arts which is only a few months old is not handicap friendly. Boy, we've had our eyes opened by all of this!! Thankfully, she's only in the chair for a few months. I have friends who are pretty much wheelchair bound. They've given me some helpful hints, like where to get the best gloves to wear while wheeling yourself around.
You just never know what's going to happen next. We'd thought we were done with crutches. Now we're also dealing with a wheelchair. You've got to kind of roll with the flow and snatch moments here and there to weave. Adapting my schedule is the least I can do to help my daughter. She's the one with the tough road to hoe!!!
Carol