Happy duo weathers trials with smiles

Happy duo weathers trials with smiles

By DARREN DUNLAP, dunlapd@knews.com

December 12, 2006

KNOXVILLE, TN -- This is the story of a worn pickup truck, adventurous driving, dialysis, free blackberry jam, 26 Easter baskets and two charitable women who give trial and tribulation little press.

"Well, there ain't no sense crying about it," Wilma Lee, 74, will tell you. "I've always said, there's always someone worse off than I am."

Somewhere in the mix is an Empty Stocking Fund basket, but that's not what Lee's caregiver, Margaret Overbay, wanted to talk about Monday at her home in Clinton, where she has cared for Lee for five years.

Overbay pointed out the late-model gray Mazda pickup truck in the driveway, the one she once used to take Lee to Oak Ridge for dialysis, which she needs three times a week.

"We call it adventure driving," said Overbay.

The truck is spotted with rust, and its little engine simply will not die. The passenger side door is tricky, however. Sometimes it won't open for Lee, who is tiny and has been through 29 surgeries. Other times it swings wide open as the truck rounds a curve.

The safer option is the van in the driveway, but Lee can't get up in the seats, and Overbay, who calls herself Lee's adopted daughter, can't lift her into the vehicle. So sometimes Wilma Lee will sit in the floorboard of the van on the way to dialysis.

They could probably use another vehicle, but you won't hear this from Lee.

"Mamaw don't complain," said Overbay. "She don't complain about nothing."

Instead, when you visit, you'll probably get offered something to eat, or at the very least, a free jar of blackberry jam.

Likely what you will hear about is the shared history of care-giving the two have. Thirty years ago, Lee took care of Overbay's parents when they became ill. Lee attended the same church as Overbay's parents. Lee and Overbay aren't related.

Sometimes they reach out to the other patients at the dialysis clinic where Lee is treated.

"There's some people from nursing homes there, and they ain't got nobody," said Lee.

In-between dialysis visits this year, Overbay went to a nearby Goodwill store to buy baskets. She bought 26 baskets, all different shapes and all inexpensive. The two don't have a lot of money, so Overbay had to shop smart for the Easter baskets they gave this year.

She added bows and ribbons, found stuffed toys like ducks and rabbits for the baskets at discount stores.

Overbay seemed pleased with the result.

She said, "I had the whole lobby sitting full of baskets."

URL: http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/local_news/article/0,1406,KNS_347_5207286,00.html
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