Lady gaga, amputations and all things in between

I have a patient. Her name is Ms. X. Everyone needs to meet a Ms. X or know a Ms X in their lifetime. Like I can seriously resign six feet below right now having met Ms. X. It is that serious. This is a petite like 4 ft almost 85 year old lady who I met last year at the rehab I work. She always hasw red hot lipstick and her hair is always in a bob cut. She used to walk around independently however recently she started using a wheelchair because she had a necrotic toe...This woman is a riot I tell you. She had this older man patient who she would say okay I am going to Mr. Y room - make sure you call the fire brigade when I am done. Like she had such crazy talk you would think she was a truck driver in another life. She grabs life by the horns. She always has a joke to tell - some a little rouggh around the edges but funny all the same. This past Sunday at work I check the workflow email and see she was re admitted from the hospital..The other nurse came to tell me oh Ms. X is back they had to to amputate her leg above the knee she was developing gangrene.The nurse went on to say she came in dressed as Lady Gaga. I smiled.During my break I went to the floor she was on to see her. She was watching TV. Her face lit up when I came in. She says Penny they had to chop it off. I tell her its good they did, that leg would have killed you if you got septic. I ask her if they prepared her for an amputation. She said no. I asked her if she had looked at it she said no. She went on to say Penny you know what everything happens for a reason. And I know God has a beautiful plan for me even with one leg. That is why I came in wearing my lady Gaga outfit. Yup sure enough she had the shoulder pads the hair etc. Her attitude just reminded me of how sometimes we miss out on smelling the roses and remembering how short life is. We forget to laugh to embrace life with all its twists and turns. Instead we mope around mourning things that are dead - dead flowers, dead relationships, dead dreams. There is a nook that had a catchy title - why I wore lipstick to my mastectomy..I loved it...anyway I was just touched by her amazing attitude and show of courage I had to write about her.