Jimmie’s right knee was very painful and the range of motion was not good. Jimmie had the knee totally replaced (arthroscopy) sixteen months earlier due to being bone on bone from osteoarthritis. The surgeon, Dr.H, suggested a knee revision because the knee was broken due to excessive force from physical therapy. So due to this the surgery was scheduled.
The surgery went well. Jimmie was taken to the orthopedic floor of the hospital. She noticed quickly that her roommate Mrs. Wright was getting her call button answered quite quickly while Jimmie had to wait a while. So Jimmie asked Mrs. Wright to call for the nurse. She did and the nurse came right in. She really appreciated this. Mrs. Wright and Jimmie become quick friends.
One day Jimmie came from physical therapy and she wanted to walk with her walker. So Jimmie got out of bed and walked to the door. Mrs. Wright was sitting in her wheelchair. She said, “ I wish I could walk with a walker.” Jimmie asked “Have you walked with a walker before?”
She said “Yes!” Jimmie said, “OK you can do it again!” Mrs. Wright asked, “You think so?” Jimmie said enthusiastically, “Of course! I’ll walk beside you and have the wheelchair right behind you so when you get tired you can sit down.” Jimmie assured her, “Don’t worry I won’t let you fall! Let’s DO IT!” Mrs. Wright said enthusiastically, “LET’S DO IT!” Jimmie went to her bedside by her wheelchair and she helped Mrs. Wright up. She was unsteady on her feet but she stood up! Jimmie thought boy she sure is unsteady! Mrs. Wright took three steps and she was hanging onto the walker. Jimmie too was hanging onto the walker considering she had total knee replacement five days earlier. Mrs. Wright walked EIGHT more steps to the door. Jimmie opened the door and immediately the nurses saw them and screamed Mrs. Wright what are you doing? Immediately Mrs. Wright fell back into her wheelchair! Mrs. Wright, you haven’t walked in TEN YEARS!! Jimmie screamed, “IT’S A MIRACLE!” “IT’S A MIRACLE!” She walked to the door from her bedside!
Then the nurses frowned at Jimmie and said, “Mrs. Law how dare you do this to her!” Jimmie stated “She wanted to walk, so I walked her!” The nurse stated, “You could have fallen. You two get back in your room.” So the nurse took Mrs. Wright to her bed.
Later that night Mrs. Wright’s family came by and said, “Don’t eat food tomorrow. We are bringing a Thanksgiving meal to you and grandma. Thank you very much for walking her. She really enjoyed her walk. It felt good.” So the next day Jimmie enjoyed a Thanksgiving meal with the Wright family.
When Jimmie’s surgeon found out what happened she was discharged from the hospital. The nurses did not want to deal with her anymore. She did physical therapy at home with home health. She was in the hospital for eight days.
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