Gotta Love the Midwest

Friday, October 21, 2005

Halloween is fast approaching. I posted a part of our life that still haunts our minds but there is a good story to come of this. A Halloween story.

When our daughter broke her leg, the doctors had to place her in this very obscene cast. It's called a 'spica' cast. Both legs were casted with a bar through the middle and this cast went up to the middle of her back so she was very immobile. Eventually, the little twerp learned to pull herself around with her arms and to roll over as well and our youngest daughter loved it because they could crawl around together.

Anyway, she had to wear this cast for 8 weeks and that meant over Halloween. Before this whole nightmare began, I was so excited to take my two year old daughter out trick or treating. She understood and could say the words just barely. Of course if you read my previous posts, you know that things changed. But over the weeks that followed, we all had adapted to this set back and learned to cope.

Halloween came. It was snowing that day. Weird for that time of year. I really thought nothing of it as I was just anxious for 6:00 to come so that I could take her to a few houses so she could at least get some candy. No matter that I had to carry her in this awkward cast that increased her weight quite drastically. I was determined to give her a Halloween.

Well, it snowed and snowed and snowed that day. In fact, it was a record snowfall not only in depth but for that time of year. By the time I bundled her up we had at least 18 inches of snow on the ground. I said, 'Ah, its just a little snow, I'm from Minnesota and I wouldn't be a Minnesotan if I couldn't handle a few inches of snow!'

LOL, well, I bit off much more than I could chew that evening. No one had been out to shovel, the road wasn't plowed, there were no other trick or treaters, and here I was lugging around this little 2 year old in this cast trudging through snow up past my knees in my heavy Sorrel boots. Not to mention both my daughter and I were donned in heavy winter jackets, mittens, hats, the whole nine yards.

Of course Pat thought I was crazy until we got home with the candy. He now tells that story with so much love and adoration for my will to give my daughter that night. He stayed home with our 6 month old which was fine with me. It was a very peaceful night, light snow still falling and sparkling in the street lights. It was hard and I did ask myself what I was thinking but ultimately I was just thinking about my little girl who was unable to move herself around and deserved to have some candy.

By the time we returned home I was only able to manage 5 houses. I was worn out just walking to the adjoining twin home actually.

Upon taking off my winter stuff, my boots were filled with snow, my feet were soaking wet but the rest of me was absolutely dripping with sweat. Was it worth it? You betcha!!!! I wouldn't trade that night for NOTHIN'!

Written by louie0768 .