Footprints in the Snow

Yes, kids, I was one of those students who had to walk a mile to school uphill both ways in snow, etc, etc, etc. My parents did not believe in taking us to school - walking was good for us. If it was cold we bundled up. If it was raining we wore boots and rain coats with hoods. If it was hot, we sweated. Poor babies.
We did have neighbor boys going to our school because their school had been closed. They lived almost two miles away from the school house so their parents took them to school every day. If we timed it right, we would be out on the road when they came by and they would pick us up; especially if it was quite cold. We were pretty good at timing but once in awhile we would miss a ride or we would leave too early and be almost to school and they wouldn't stop. It never occurred to me how presumptuous we were.
One morning when I was in 8th grade and Betty was in 6th grade we set off down the road in some newly fallen snow. When we got home that night Dad said to Betty, "Let me see you walk across the room." What? What was going on? That morning after we had gone to school he had walked up to the other place to chore. He noticed in our footprints that one of Betty's was going straight while the other was turned out at an almost 90 degree angle.

This photo was sent to me from Arizona by our cousin Georgia long after I wrote this original blog spot. It illustrates how Betty's left foot turned out. She is the girl on the right. Georgia is standing in front of me on the left. Mom is holding our little brother Leslie. (Photo circa 1955-56, added April 17, 2023.)

That led to a visit to our family doctor, which led to an appointment with a specialist which led to a decision for surgery. X-rays showed that the ball of Betty's hip joint did not fit the socket as it was supposed to. Apparently it had been that way since birth; 'congenital' they called it. They were going to have to surgically break her hip, reset it and pin it. She would be in Omaha in the hospital for a week then home in a body cast for six weeks.
Looking back I marvel at what she and my Mom went through; Betty because of the pain and discomfort, Mom because of the nursing she had to do. I used to think she was in the hospital bed six months. But six weeks could seem like six months. We had her school books at home and each day Mrs. Kimball would send her lessons home with me. Once a week she would come after school and go over the lessons so Betty wouldn't fall behind and have to take sixth grade over.
Eventually she got the cast off. Then she had to learn to walk on crutches. At least she could go back to school and we could move the hospital bed out of the living room. But from then on, she always walked with a slight limp. And I think she got out of having to take Phys Ed in highschool.
We both married young and started families. Our sons were 18 months apart in age and our daughters about six months apart. Just before I was 30 and right after Betty turned 28, another 'congenital' condition showed up; Betty died of a brain aneurysm. Her son was almost 10. Her little girl had just turned 5. That was nearly 36 years ago.
Today she would have been 64 years old. Happy Birthday, Sis.