Mom didn’t have an operator’s manual for her son, me, born with Spina Bifida.
She and I had to figure it out as we went.
A mom can scare the fire out of a child to get him or her to learn a lesson.
And I think it’s a good tool for them to have too.
When I was very young, before I hit double digits, mom scared the fire out of me once.
With my Spina Bifida, I don’t have a lot of feeling in much of my lower extremities.
Mom had to get on me daily about wearing shoes and socks on my feet.
If I didn’t, I would always come back into the house, tracking blood all over the floors because I had cut my foot and didn’t know it.
One year it came a heavy snow. It’s the first snow I can remember.
I remember getting snow in a big pot so that mom could make snow ice cream.
I also remember us getting a big piece of tin to use as a sled.
We played and played all day long that day.
When I came inside, I was tracking snow in the house with whatever shoes I was wearing.— I doubt I was wearing snow boots.
Mom hollered for me to take my shoes off, which I did.
After taking my shoes off, mom noticed how wet my socks were.
I’m sure she immediately panicked. I don’t know.
What I do know is this:
- She had told me to keep an eye on my feet all day long
- She told me to feel my feet with my hands physically
- She told me to come inside if my feet got wet
- And she told me that the doctor would have to amputate my feet if they got frostbite
“You were supposed to come in if your feet got wet!”
“Get those socks off and get in the bathroom now!”
Mom, feeling my feet, “Your feet are frozen, Lynn!”
“We’ve got to warm them up now!”
I remember her saying that the water had to be lukewarm and not hot because if it were too hot, my feet could go into shock. (or something like that)
“You better hope you don’t have frostbite! They’ll have to saw your feet off!”
“You think life is hard now; try it without your feet!”
“Son, I’ve told you over and over to pay attention to your feet…” Her tone was getting calmer.
“Here, sit on the side of the tub and put your feet under the water.”
“Are they gonna have to cut my feet off, momma?” I asked.
“We will have to see. Maybe you’ll pay more attention to your feet from now on, though.”
Yes, moms can scare the fire out of their kids to get them to pay attention— And I think it’s a great tool for them to have and use.
To this day, I pay attention to my feet, and I often think of that frostbite story when cleaning my feet or putting my socks and shoes on.
I am happy to report that I do still have both my feet to this day.
