My mother recently visited her sister, who lives in a neighborhood less than a mile away. Of course, the siblings see each other often and talk daily on the phone, but for more than a year my mother had not been to her sister’s home. The outing marked a significant change in my Mom’s life.

That afternoon, my nearly 80-year-old mother put on her trademark summer hat, climbed into my car and in a few minutes was sitting on my aunt’s screened-in patio. She was smiling, joking and clearly free of the emotional strain and pain that had her kept her virtually homebound for many months. My Mom’s world shrank but now it is growing again.

My mother has had difficulty walking and standing and intense pain drowned out a lot of her joy. She has lost some sight in one of her eyes and can no longer drive. Four months ago, she had knee replacement surgery on her left leg. “I’m going to do what it takes to make my knee better,” my mother told us as the recovery began. She has.

After a short stay in a rehabilitation center and weeks of physical therapy, she doesn’t miss a day doing at-home knee exercises. She walks most days –starting with only a few steps to the end of the driveway– through her neighborhood for at least 30 minutes, using a walker to prevent falls. When she’s inside, she walks without a cane or walker.  She is no longer experiencing excruciating pain.

My mother was able to go to a backyard cookout on July 4 at the home of one of my sisters. She will be returning to church some Sundays. She thinks she’ll have the stamina soon to travel a couple hours to visit my daughter and me.

My mother is healthier and happy. I am grateful for these blessings.

Related posts:

1. Accepting my mom’s shrinking world
2. Hanging in there after knee surgery
3. My mom’s excellent shopping adventure
4. Dealing with nursing home angst
5. A blossoming friendship with my mother