“Not yet. I know I’m a slow learner but I think I learned something this morning. I need to cut down the medication. I mean all of it including the booze. It feels good when I take it but the side effects can kill you.” She grinned. “You know what I mean.  I guess you know better than I do.  I need to learn that.”

When the last autograph was signed Denise whispered to Carol. “I don’t really want to do this but I badly need a pill.”

“Three pills coming up.”

“Three?”

“One for pain, one vitamin and one for infection. We can’t have you sick.” She pulled the pills out of a pack and handed them to Denise.

“Why the vitamin and the infection medicine?”

“You are terribly run down. Your leg needs you healthier to heal. And in case there is an infection we want to stop it quick.”

She took the pills.

The mall manager wanted to bring them their meals but the women would not have it that way. The three amputees dropped their prostheses and picked up their back packs as they did two days before and crutched to the restaurant. Denise followed them without problem in the wheelchair. The restaurant owner tried to have her stay in the wheelchair to eat. To his chagrin she moved to a regular chair. Denise was going to order a slice of pizza and a coke. Carol shook her head. “She needs protein, calcium, vitamins.” She turned to the waitress. “Let’s see. Chicken Caesar Salad. Double the chicken. A couple of pear slices. A large glass of milk. And when she finishes that, bring her a coke float with plenty of ice cream.” Denise wrinkled her face. “You want to get that cast off?”

“Alright. I’ll try. But don’t scream if I don’t eat it all.”

When they were done eating Denise tried to use the walker on the cast. She was barely able to swing the leg front. “This damned thing weighs a ton.”

Carol smiled. “Casts are heavy. You are in such bad shape you can’t swing it. It is only slightly harder than what I do every day to use that artificial leg. If you lost that leg, and you could if it gets infected, you wouldn’t have the strength to make a prosthesis work.”

“I shouldn’t have insisted they put on that walker, it just adds weight. I understand why you take off your prostheses when you shop. Can they take it off?”

“We’ll see.”

“I’m so darned tired of sitting.”

“We need to get some things on the way back.” She turned to the mall manager. “You can head back. We have some shopping to do, we will meet you at the RV in two hours.”

When he was gone Carol handed Denise her forearm crutches. “If you are really good you get a pair of these instead of the non-sexy wooden ones we bought you at the hospital. They are called Canadian or forearm crutches. They are a little lighter and you have better control but your arms have to be strong. You are my height.”

She helped Denise stand and handed her the crutches. Denise made two steps and motioned to the chair. “I better ride. But I really like them. I like the way they feel.”

Carol hopped behind the chair, pushed it to Denise and took her crutches. Denise’s eyes glazed. “I screwed up again. I broke my leg and I am not strong enough to use crutches.”

“We will help you fix that. You use the wooden ones most of the time. We are going to get you a really nice pair of Canadians, just like mine. You need to eat properly, get exercise and stay off the booze.”

“I will try but it will be very hard.”

“I know too well.”

Denise Chapter 01: Success in Hollywood

Denise Chapter 20: The Tour is Tougher on Crutches

Denise Chapter 22: Carol Applies the Carrot and the Stick