what makes a family?

today marked the first time that i did a clinic visit completely on my own, flying solo, without another researcher watching or my boss hovering over my shoulder. everything went fine, and i'm now able to say that i've pushed a 450-pound black woman in a wheelchair through johns hopkins hospital. to say i never dreamed i'd be doing that is an understatement.

there was but one snafoo: my coworker told me that this girl's grandmother would be coming in with her instead of her mother. when they got here, i kept referring to the woman as "your grandma" and said, "how nice that her grandmother was able to come with her." this went on until the girl mumbled, "that's my momma."

oops.

how was i supposed to explain that here in east baltimore it's not unusual to meet a 30-year-old grandmother?