Fun with mother

I took mother to her first heart cardio exercise program. I personally don’t think she needs it. After all, she handles her cane with no problem with how much she waves it at me when she doesn’t get her way, or how she is still able to turn her shopping cart around the corners on two wheels, or shuffle faster than the other senior that happens to be in a scooter who is going for the same cashier. But mother wanted to try it out since exercise is good for her aging muscles, and it gets her out of the house.

So after two hours of paper work and questions that seemed to never end (I’m not kidding), she had time for only one easy exercise. Mother had to walk for exactly 6 minutes around two chairs wearing a heart monitor. The nice nurse took out her stop watch, hit the button and yelled, “GO” to mother who was half asleep standing there waiting. Well that perked her up! She took off so fast that I’m sure she would’ve passed up FOUR baby turtles! Yes, four!

Mother focused on the task at hand and scooted her walker around those chairs like a real pro! She got past the second chair, stopped, grinned and said, “that was a great work out!” The nurse informed her that it had only been 30 seconds and that she has 5.5 more minutes. Mother angrily looked at her saying, “you’ve got to be kidding! I’ve been walking for at least ten, no 20 minutes!”.

The nice nurse finally convinced her that no, she only walked 30 seconds. I could see in mother’s eyes that she wanted to raise the walker at the nurse so I made eye contact, shook my my head no, reminding her that the nurse is on her side and only wants the very best for her heart. So mother gritted her teeth and took off so fast that every snail in LP County would’ve been proud! She went around and around those chairs like a true Olympian! I think mother will do just fine, I just hope the nurses can keep with her!

Now, on to lap 2…