Sarah Nigbor

Mother’s Day isn’t going to go exactly as we had planned this year, but we will make it a great day nonetheless.

I had grand plans of taking my mom and daughter to a Mother’s Day brunch, shopping for hanging baskets and to the concert at the Spring Valley Stagehands Theatre. But those plans have been derailed by a broken hip.

My mom is crazy about gardening. She loves to dig in the dirt and try her hand at growing a variety of vegetables. As you all know, this was a long winter. It felt like spring would never come and when it did, it was more like “sprinter,” with ice storms and snow ignoring the calendar. Mom, like many, was itching to get outside.

Mom broke her left hip two years ago in a mishap at Menards involving a cart filled with river rock hitting a pothole, flipping over and taking her with it. She spent about a month in a rehabilitation facility, which did not sit well with her. She promised she would no longer be impatient, that she would wait for me to help her with bigger tasks. Such as hauling heavy bags of river rock. Sawing up downed branches. Climbing ladders. You know, all that fun stuff that someone with osteoporosis should not do.

My dear mother forgot her promise of two years ago when she decided to take it upon herself to till her garden on May 4. She inherited her impatient streak from the Lundgren side of the family, who would rather do things themselves instead of waiting for anyone else. I get it. I have that same streak.

As she was tilling, she hit a tree root, which sent the little Mantis (yes it’s small, but still) flying over. Again, Mom was taken with it, landing this time on her right hip. My poor mother laid in the garden for about half an hour before the neighbor across the road heard her calling for help. Thank God for her! Otherwise, she could have lain there for hours. It makes me sick to think about it.

Mom got another ride in the ambulance to the hospital, where she had to wait 24 hours to have surgery. As I raced to the hospital, I waffled between relief and joy that she was okay and wanting to strangle her. When will she ever listen to me, her wise daughter? I also learned from a relative who shall remain nameless that Dear Mother decided to climb a ladder into the garage rafters to retrieve an old wagon recently. Grrrrrrr.

When I saw the look on my mom’s face at the hospital, my chastising words fell silent. She looked miserable and contrite. She was in a lot of pain. Whenever they moved her, she cried in agony. It was terrible; she didn’t need Ms. I Told You So adding to the misery.

The surgery went well and today we are waiting to hear what the care plan will be going forward. I will figure out something for Mother’s Day, even if it’s bringing dinner to her. We always make the best of things.

But you are all my witnesses. She has promised again to stop using machinery, saws or climbing ladders. I understand the need to be independent, I really do. But at some point, we all need to ask for help once in a while. I might not be able to do a task the second she asks, but I will make sure it gets done in a reasonable amount of time.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers out there! And for goodness sake, please don’t break a hip.