Val's BEST GIFT ever...

So -- fast forward. Val's health has not improved. She's had several strokes -- and this summer, ended up in the hospital again. Then -- yep -- back to the nursing home.

After the complimentary Medicare stay of 21 days in skilled care -- she was sent home. Although she would have a Visiting Nurse once or twice a week, along with some home rehab and a bath aide -- I wondered how she would be able to manage on her own. She still had frequent bouts with vertigo....and FALLING was the biggest worry.

Two days before she was scheduled to get home, I was stalking the internet, looking for a "lift chair". I thought if only she had a decent chair that would help her get up...along with her snazzy new walker...the danger of falling wouldn't be so great.

Then -- Ritaluck kicked in. It's kind of a long Facebook Marketplace story -- but, I found a chair, right in Davenport, Iowa -- for sale for $50.

Hummm...the pictures looked pretty good, but considering a new chair like this could cost $500+ ... I was pretty sure $50 chair would be covered with cat hair. Probably even cat pee.

But...if the thing still works -- I could clean it -- Febreze is an amazing product -- and, worse case scenario, I could sew a slipcover for it.

Val could really, really use a lift chair....

So, with all those reservations, I enlisted my sister Deena (and her TRUCK) -- and made arrangements with the woman to pick up the chair.

Deena's son, Chad, happened to be visiting that day -- along with his 12 year old daughter, Avery.

The chair could be heavy -- and we might need the help. So, our little party of 4 set off to pick up Val's new/used lift chair....and then, deliver it to Val's house.

The woman selling the chair lived in Cross Creek Apartments. It's a fairly new complex of low income apartments.

We were pleasantly surprised by the neat landscaping and well kept buildings.

The burgundy chair looked to be in perfect condition. The seller --Karen -- said she used it to rehab after a knee replacement -- but now it just takes up too much room. Her apartment was neat as a pin -- and there wasn't a sign of cats anywhere. Karen left the chair plugged in, so we could see it all worked. And -- the instruction pamphlets WERE IN THE SIDE POCKET..!!

It WAS very heavy -- and I was glad we had Chad to help us lift it up into Deena's truck.

Now -- all we have to do is get it into Valerie's house.  SHE IS GONNA BE SO SURPRISED..!!