We got a card from the two women we’d met from Make-A-Wish. On the one hand, we hadn’t expected any problems with getting doctors’ approval. On the other hand, finally getting the news is very exciting.
After I got home from work, we had to run to the mall to get Jessica’s glasses fixed. (Both of her lenses popped out today! It’s a good thing she had her prescription sunglasses to fall back on.) So while Jessica went into the eyeglass store, Namine and I got in line to ride the mall train.
The driver of the train was uncomfortable with the idea of Namine riding by herself. He insisted that I ride with her, even to the point where he would not charge me to do so. (Namine herself, being wheelchair-bound, rides free.)
Namine, paying close attention, piped up. “I am not a little child. I can ride by myself!”
The driver acquiesced, looking unconvinced. He opened the train car door, and I lifted Namine out of her wheelchair and sat her inside the car.
Shortly before Namine’s train circled around, Jessica found me, once again wearing her glasses and a smile. Once the train returned, the three of us headed to Kohl’s to check out the suitcases. We wanted to get one Namine’s size that, instead of fabric, had a hard casing. Our thought was to hook it onto the back of Namine’s wheelchair, so she could wheel it along behind her.
To our disappointment, none of the suitcases lived up to our expectations. All the hard suitcases’ outer shells still seemed rather flimsy. Despite this, we still hooked one onto one of the wheelchair’s handles and asked Namine to wheel up and down the aisle. If we find a suitcase that we think is, well, suitable (pun unintended), hooking it onto the back of the wheelchair will work nicely.
As we walked toward the exit, we passed the shoes department. Namine wanted to try on some shoes, so how could we say no?
In anticipation of Namine’s meeting all the Disney princesses (something she was very specific about in her Make-A-Wish request), Namine really really really wanted to get a pair of glass slippers.
Namine’s caudal regression — more specifically, her club feet — makes it difficult to find shoes that fit comfortably. Fortunately for us, these particular shoes were quite flexible, allowing for pulling and stretching in order to put on her feet.
The true test for any pair of shoes is for Namine to go for a short walk (which is difficult enough without her walker and the proper support her braces offer). These shoes were comfortable enough for Namine to walk across the aisle to Jessica and back, all the while wearing the biggest smile.
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