Tracy was sitting with tears in her eyes as she watched this.  When Mitzi was back in bed she looked over, “If I could give you one of my legs, I’m not sure I could.  I could get by with one, so could you but I don’t know if I could give one up.  But I can’t and I don’t know if I could.  And then I look at you and I wonder if I could make it without legs?  God I hope I don’t have to find out.”

“You would if you had to.  I know it.”

“God, what would I do?  Yesterday I was looking at them to see if the left one was OK. I nicked it with a razor and I was afraid it would scar. Today that isn’t even a consideration.  You know I laughed at women who were hung up on their boobs and never realized how hung up I was on my legs.”

Tracy had to use the bedpan.  She could not put weight on either leg.  By mid afternoon the two girls had made several trips around the room to keep from getting stir crazy and Mitzi had gotten up several times, once just to go around the room.  Two nurses helped her but on the third trip they were there almost totally functioning as fall guards.  Mitzi was winning little battles here and there that would eventually allow her to win the war.  When Sandra came on duty in the afternoon she was carrying a box.  She helped Jaci into her chair, put the box on her lap and pushed her to the guest room.  They selected several of the video tapes from it and returned to the main room.

“I have something I want to show you,” Jaci said as she wheeled to the TV.  She inserted one of the tapes and they watched as Carol went through part of her day and then as she was fitted for her prosthesis.  She cut a stunning figure in her two piece bathing suit.  When the tape finished they inserted the tape of Joy.  When it finished Mitzi’s eyes were filled with tears. 

“Mom, we want to show you the third tape.  It is just for you.”  She pushed the button and a very pretty woman walked a little awkwardly down a walk.  After some footage of her she sat on a sofa and took off first one and then the other leg.  She displayed her stumps.  She was a double above the knee amputee.

Mitzi had tears as she watched.  “Do you really think I can do that?”

Tracy looked over at her, “I don’t know but you know it is possible.  And the other girls, that Joy, she is oh so sexy in the full skirt with her, …”

Judi helped her, “Stump, Aunt Tracy, call it a stump,”

Tracy continued, “her stump just peeking out.  I’ll bet she really turns on the guys.”

“And she does it with just one leg.  It takes you two to do that.”  Mitzi chimed in.  “I wonder if it is possible with two stumps.”

They all laughed just as Dave came in.

The First Family: Chapter 1 – Introduction

The First Family 34: Preparing the Deception

The First Family 36: The Country Approaches Civil War