“In one case, scientists were able to hook up a video camera chip to a blind man’s tongue. The circuits of the man’s brain rearranged themselves to interpret the new information as a visual image. As a result, the ‘blind’ man was able to drive a car through a parking lot full of cones.”
We all fell silent, trying to wrap our brains around the concept. Oblivious to our deep technological ponderings, my grandma started muttering to herself. “Well that’ll help, get that bugger outta there.” I looked up to catch her peering into a crumpled up Kleenex in her hand.
She had pushed her oxygen tube up across her glasses the way some people push their glasses on top of their heads. I’m still not used to seeing my farm-girl-tough grandma tangled up in an oxygen tube.
I guess she’s not used to it either.
She picked up her pinchers—-a clever mechanical device that essentially adds three feet to her reach. With careful coordination, she navigated the Kleenex from fleshy to metal fingers and dropped it into the garbage can at the foot of the bed. Then she sat upright on her bed and let out a contented “Hmmm.”
Ever since this fearless woman’s body has confined her to a strange bed, her independence is even more precious. Small tasks like throwing away a Kleenex and sitting back up in bed are suddenly challenging, and therefore that much more rewarding.
I couldn’t have been more proud of her.
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