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Back on her feet
86-year-old learning to walk again
Published Monday, October 5, 2009
This month marks a year since Fannie Mae Carthon has walked on her own two feet.
But last week, she was up and around the in-patient rehab unit at Andalusia Regional Hospital, walking on her new prosthetic legs.
“It was diabetes and it started with ingrown toenails,” she said of the problems that led to the 86-year-old having her legs amputated last year. “When one foot hurts, they both hurt. But I haven’t had a pain since.”
Carthon said it was always her hope that she would walk again.
“By God’s help, and me doing all I can do, I’m walking again,” she said with a smile. “And I love these people here (at rehab). They’re sweet as they can be.”
Mrs. Carthon spent three weeks at the rehab center.
“I stand up and walk. I walk some. Then I sit down and rest a while,” she said.
Learning to walk again might have seemed difficult for some people her age, but as she looks back across the years, she points to much bigger challenges.
“I’m the mother of 13,” she said. “One weighed over 11 pounds.”
“There was no money then,” she recalled. “I raised them all on 50 cents a day.”
She explained that she earned 50 cents a day working in the fields and her husband earned 60 cents.
“When the field work was over, I would clean houses, clean yards and scrub floors,” she said. “If there was no money, I took food. I hauled it home in a croaker sack to feed the children.
“If we had bread, we stretched it,” she said. “I would come home from working in the fields and find boxes on my porch. People brought us clothes. I’ve sewn buttons and zippers, but we had clothes.”
She and her family moved to Andalusia in 1949. She has seven surviving children, and too many grandchildren to count.
“I quit counting at 21,” she said. “They had a reunion and said there were all kinds of young’uns there. And I’m the seed of the whole thing.”
She attributes being a healthy octogenarian to “loving everybody and living right.”
Comments
Posted by dusty18 (anonymous) on October 6, 2009 at 5:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What a story! What an attitude! I am sorry for her medical problems. I wish we could bottle her spirit and pass it around.
Posted by sweetie (anonymous) on October 6, 2009 at 6:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Absolutely dusty18. I've had the pleasure to know this beautiful lady for many years. I first met her as a teenager and she has been an inspiration to all lucky enough to let her share her wisdom and faith with them. "Miss Fannie Mae" we love you and you continue to amaze us!!!
Posted by Ineedtobeheard (anonymous) on October 6, 2009 at 7:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This truly is an amazing story. As I read the story, it brought tears of happiness to my eyes, just knowing there are still some good ones left. This lady has truly endured so much in her lifetime, and I wish all the young people could take one thing from her and learn, it would be so wonderful....they are all sitting around complaining about namebrand crap.....imagine if you had to grow up when this ladies children did, and you wore and ate what people could donate to you and your family, and love was so strong in the house, its just so truly amazing to me. Ms. Fannie Mae, congratulations to you on your ability to learn to walk again with the use of your prostetic legs, and many, many more years to come for you wonderful lady. I know your children, grands, great grands must be so very proud of you....take care of yourself....and people that have never met you must be so inspired by you.....I know I am, you are truly an amazing lady...thanks for sharing your story with us.
Posted by dusty18 (anonymous) on October 8, 2009 at 6:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Two comments on the same article - UNREAL! I just enjoy reading this one.
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