My Dilemma

Elevators and electric stairs are the best things they have ever invented! Anything that can prevent me from moving my legs up and down is a blessing.

Now here is my dilemma, In 2011, I was diagnosed with a "Degenerative Joint Dease” in simple words, I suffer from Osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common arthritis. Osteoarthritis is when the cartilage of your bones wears down (very painful), meaning bone to bone. I went through physical therapy, did cortisone shots, etc., but nothing took the pain away.  After seeing three different Orthopedics, they all agreed the knee replacement was the best option. So in  2013, I had a total knee replacement done to my right knee.  But did it resolve my issue? NO!  There are days that I feel that the prosthesis in my knee is cutting through my skin, or there are days that it is so stiff that  I walk like the Pirate Jack Black. I still have a couple of surgeries to be done but, I'm in no rush, Sometimes the cure is worse than the pain.

So my darlings, let's get back to the elevator now that you guys know where I am heading.

Every day I take the train to work, as I am commuting, I am crossing my fingers, my legs, crossing even my eyes to hope that the elevator is working at my stop.  I hate going up the stairs; there can be only five steps, but it feels like a never-ending staircase when my knee is stiff and hurting. Besides having people push you, it is difficult to maintain balance on the stairs if I can't hold to the rail.

So what can I do? I take the elevator.  Taking the elevator is no joke.  Then, you had to be in the NFL or be a wrestler to get to the elevator.  Nowadays, people can see you with crutches, a cane, in a wheelchair, or you have a baby carriage and, they jump in front of you to be the first to get on the elevator. What kills me is that the elevator is on the top floor; usually, what goes up must go down that the law of gravity.  But people knowing that the elevator just went up, see you press the button for the elevator to come down; they walk right in front of you and start tapping the up button.  Hmmm, Is there a morse code that expedites the elevator to come down that I was not aware?

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Nydia Mirta Garcia Rodriguez- My everything

The loss of a dear one always hurts, and even though time heals but memories remain.

My mother, Nydia Mirta Garcia Rodriguez, was the most wonderful woman I ever met, I fell in love with my mommy the day I was born, and till this day, no one can replace her. 

My mom was short, voluptuous, jet black hair with beautiful light blue eyes. It's a shame that she never felt that she was beautiful.  My mom always had a complex that she was ugly. 

She was my anchor, she was there for me when I got married when I gave birth to my children, and she was there to lift me when I got divorced. 

It never occurred to me that she would leave me so fast; you can't buy a warranty for a lifeline. We had made so many plans, oh we were going to travel, we were going to go to the festival of flowers in Aibonito (Puerto Rico) and many more other things. But she left me too soon. 

My mother was anemic and had gone through surgery; she did not have medical clearance when she had the surgery.  After the surgery, once home, she started sleeping more than usual and complaining about headaches.  My father took her to the ER, but the doctor said the headaches were side effects of the anesthesia from the surgery. So we trusted what the doctor said. 

My grandmother lived right behind our house; one day, while I was with mommy in the room, Grandma arrived.  She came to check on mom. Mommy had just woken up when grandma arrived. As mommy rubbed her forehead, she told my grandmother she had dreamt with my grandfather was standing in the light waiting for her. 

I have heard about "the light" in movies and shows but never thought I would listen to it come out from my mother's mouth. Grandma stood four foot and, five inches tall, a strong, aggressive old-school Pentecostal with faith to move a grain of mustard, turned pale. The expression on my grandmother's face was speechless; once again, I heard words that I had heard in movies and shows "walk away from the light" love.  Your father is waiting for me, not you, she said with an anxious tone and with tears in her eyes.  Her motherly instinct knew that my mom was going to join my grandfather soon. 

Again we had to take mom to the hospital. While she was in the ER, there was a problem with her health insurance.  She would not be admitted to the hospital until the insurance company confirmed her admission to the hospital. Meanwhile, she was left on a  stretcher in the ER hall with no medical attendance.  Devastating! I was on my way from work to the hospital. The drive to the hospital seemed never-ending. The more I drove, the further the hospital seemed to be. 

I didn't make it on time to hold my mom's hand or snuggle her with kisses and tell her I loved her and how much she meant to me. While my mommy was in the hall lying on the stretcher, not seen by any medical staff because they were waiting for health insurance clearance, she had taken a deep breath and turned blue, and that is when my mom's brain died. 

Being Short...

To begin, this is my first Blog I ever had and this will be my 1st post on my Blog.  I want to be honest and keep it real with all my future followers. I don't have a degree in journalism and I’m not a perfect writer, but I enjoy sharing with others, so if you see lots of typos please forgive me. The purpose of the blog is that we all have an awesome time.

As you should all know by now my name is Darlene.  For future references I will direct my followers as my darlings... I think it sounds cute and is pretty much close to my name.So, for the records once upon a time when I lived in Puerto Rico I was 4'11.  Somehow, I don't know how, when I came to New York I lost an inch! The doctor told me that I was 4'10"! I was heartbroken, that means one more inch to cut off long pants when shopping, but then I can just buy capris they are the perfect length, they fit me like long pants and I don't have to get them cut and hemmed.

Based on information that I found on the internet "By definition a little person or "dwarf" is a considered to be a person with an adult height of less than 4 feet 10 inches" here is the link if you are interested in reading about it http://www.chacha.com/question/what-is-the-height-to-be-considered-a-little-person ].

Being a short person is not easy especially being that I live in NY and I travel by train.  If I don't find a seat in the train you know I have to smell arm pits the whole ride to work, and believe me in summer it's horrible, especially when people don't use deodorant. If there is no seats I have to lean on the doors because holding on to the top bar is more like hanging to the bar when you are short. 

Now my darlings that are short, I figure out a way in how to get a seat in the train.  I found that if I push my stomach out and put my hand in the back of my waist, or rub my stomach in circular movements someone always gives me a seat...try it