While we were living in Charlottesville, I took a fall and hurt my left knee. That was the leg that was effected most by Polio. I was meant to wear a brace on that leg as my knee and ankle needed support. I enjoyed going without my brace at times walking with bare feet and my crutches. After that fall, my knee hurt a lot and was quite swollen. I tried to keep it elevated and had trouble sleeping. My husband and I decided that I should see a doctor. I was afraid that I had cracked a bone. Xrays came back and the Doctor said that he did not see anything.
The next week we took a trip down to Norfolk, Virginia to visit my parents. Dad was looking at a big old home off the Elizabeth River, that had belonged to someone who was high up in the Norfolk and Western Railroad. He took us over to look at the outside of the house. We walked around looking at the property. When we got to the cement close to the garage, I noticed that there had been some patching done and there was some moisture on the pavement. I was distracted by the boys or the golden retriever, and before I knew it I had fallen with all my weight landing on my left knee. I heard a crack and the pain was almost unbearable. One of the Doctors in the same practice as my Polio Doctor lived across the street. Someone ran over to see if he would help. He was off duty and would not come across the street to help instead telling us to go to the emergency room. My husband and father got me into the car and drove me to the emergency room at Norfolk General Hospital. Another Associate of the Doctor came as soon as possible and he preformed an operation to repair the knee.
My knee had broken in two places with a crack up the femur. He put in a plate to reinforce my bone that ran about 3 inches. I think that they used a pin as well. I more than likely did have a slight crack that the doctor in Charlottesville over looked. Mother took care of my two small sons and Cedar. The family decided that night I should have a nurse sit with me in case I need something. The operation had gone on until after 8 o'clock that evening. The next morning the nurse asked me if I was the Leigh who had been at De Paul Hospital with Polio in 1948. I said yes I was there. She said that her son had been in the hospital at the same time. He was the little boy who I had been so fond of. One of his arms had be effected by polio. In the ward at De Paul, he would come and visit me standing by my bed. He was a year younger than I was.
The next day he came to visit and we traded stories. He was feeling sorry for himself and blaming the fact that he had polio on not getting many dates. I told him that he needed more self confidence. I am afraid that I was not as nice as I should have been. I had felt like I would have had more dates if I had not walked with crutches, but on the whole I had a good experience. On occasion I too have felt sorry for myself, but my mother never let me get by with that. I in turn told him to stop feeling sorry for himself and take some positive steps. That he could ask girls out.... He was good looking and had a lot going for him. I was in pain and I'm afraid that I was not very patient. I hope that I helped him and that he has had a good life.
I was in the hospital for a week and remember needing pain medicines as often as I could have them. Even after I as home at my parents, I still was on pain medicine. Mother had her hands full with a daughter in a full leg cast and two little boys, one a toddler. My husband was in the middle of a semester and had to go back to the University to teach and coach. He managed to come down on the weekends. While I was there mother's maid, Nellie May,( who had worked for my grandmother) did not come in one morning. Her friend called to say that she had passed away in her sleep. She only helped us once a week, but was always a good help and family retainer. We were all very sadden by this. I think her friend, Pinkie, who use to help me, came to help in her place...mom certainly did need help then.
Mother had a little cat and she would leave a window in her bedroom slightly ajar so the cat could go out on the roof for fresh air. Scott my youngest son, a toddler, managed to squeeze through the opening and mother found him walking on the roof top. Mother had to climb out the window and get hold of Scott before he fell off. It scared her. Down stairs I was set up in the family room on the hide a bed sofa. I heard walking on the roof and wondered what was going on. Mother came down to relay her story. We both breathed a sigh of relief.
I found it difficult being in bed and not having the ultimate say over how my children were made to behave. Mother did it her way and refused to listen to how I wanted it done. I was thankful that she took care of us but I did want my children to not be spoiled and to be made to behave. Because of being handicapped I needed to have them mind me. Mother could pick them up and put them where she wanted them. It was a whole different matter for me.
We were at my parent's for Thanksgiving that year and Christmas. I had to order Christmas gifts for the boys out of the Sears Catalog. They got cowboy outfits, vest and hats. Chris got a pair of chaps that had belonged to his dad. Mom and I made felt ornaments Winnie the Pooh, piglet, and others. It gave me something to do. Tink came home and with the help of a wheel chair he took me shopping for Christmas gifts for the rest of the family. In spite of everything we had a good Christmas.
Around Valentines Day I was finally able to go back home. The first weeks were a little hard but I worked through them and got back to normal for me. I did learn then how useful a wheelchair could be. While recovering I sat in my old wheel chair that I had as a child. I learned that I could do some things more easily from my chair. I could put Scott on my lap and put him to bed or dump him into the bath tub. I had not realized that I could use my old chair as an aid to doing work around the house. Up to then I had never thought of using it as an aid.
That fall we moved to Vermont.
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