It was delivered last Friday.  Two days after they amputated her right leg above the knee.
Her wheelchair.
It was black, and shiny, and smaller and sportier than I'd imagined it would be.
And it was really light, and easy to handle.  Supposing you could find a sixpence, it would turn on one.

I know this, because when she had no interest in it, when she wouldn't even try it, I got in and started road testing it.
I've dealt with toddlers, I know how this generating interest thing works.

"Yay! Get me! This wee thing's really nifty! Look at me cornering the ward! I'm turning.. I'm turning back again..look at this!  D'ye know the Cherub's gonnae want a go too!  Look I'm away out the ward! Gonnae do a circuit of the ninth floor"

Made her smile.

And it worked, because by Saturday she was in the chair.  And we made it down to the cafe on the ground floor, and we did a tour of the hospital.  By Sunday we were talking about getting the new wheels across the road to the wee tea shop opposite the Kelvinhall.


And I'm not thinking about the old saw about them burning bright in the last week. Because that is as west coast depressing as it gets.

But on Tuesday we had A Setback.
On Wednesday I had to Have A Talk With a Doctor.

The new wheelchair's been put away for now.