Friday Exploration

Another Friday has come and gone, which means further adventures on the roads of southeast Iowa. I have heard many tales, but none too tall, about a few places my parents visit in the tiny towns of Douds and Cantril. I visited them both once before, but they were part of our trip this week.

According to my watch, Douds, IA took just over an hour to reach after leaving home. The town doesn't boast much for tourist attractions except for one restaurant, the Lunch Box Cafe.

Image from Google

The Cafe is only open three days a week and the person who greets you, and takes your order, is Pastor Phil. He has been preaching for 40 years to a small congregation that meets over three miles down a dusty rock road. However, he remembers names and greeted dad, by name, even after a few months away.

Parking by a table in a corner, waiting for our order, I looked around and let my eyes feast on a smorgasbord of signs and nick-knacks. Some had political messages, while others denoted unique events in history. One said that on that spot long ago a one-time event happened in history, a husband won an argument. After dining on our cuisine, and getting acquainted with the Pastor, we headed further east to the Dutchman's Store in Cantril.

It had been about two years since my last visit, but it hadn't changed much and was still a very unique store. Several small shops have been purchased over the years and morphed into one building that now covers an entire block. You can get everything from clothing, fabric supplies, toys, books, and a plethora of grocery items that aren't available elsewhere. The area has a large number of Amish and the store carries merchandise of interest for them as well. We picked up several items on our list, as well as a few extras, before returning west.

Last week Friday, I had an all-day meeting that dad accompanied me to and didn't allow for shopping. Therefore, we stopped at three more stores before finally returning home nearly ten hours after we left. It was a long day of adventure that included two nights (Friday and Saturday) without a nurse. Saturday was a tired day in the quad family life with today not much better. Next time, we have noted to curtail our stops if we head out to locations further away.

Learning Hybrid Control

Last week, I had my annual visit to the dentist. The dental hygienist said everything looked good, but the dentist had a concern. After an x-ray, his thought was confirmed that one of my front teeth is absorbing the root. This is the same thing that happened in 2019 when I finally ended up with an implant in spring 2020.

For now, all is fine as I'm not having any pain. However, I'll likely need more intervention by next year if nothing changes. The doctor said my tooth problem is probably due to decades of using my mouth stick and having extra wear. Therefore, I've taken up a project to learn a hybrid approach for computer control.

Apple computer's operating system has voice control built-in, I just haven't used it. After my appointment, I briefly read about the voice option and activated it. Since then, I have been attempting to use it for regular tasks and decrease my stick use.

So far, I've used it to open and close programs, some mouse work, and dictation. Programs have done pretty well, but some that I regularly use don't seem to register. Reading is easier as I can just say "scroll down" and it automatically moves. Dictation isn't as bad as I expected, but still not great.

Trying to learn voice software while doing school work is not the best idea. Saying short phrases are better, but not single words. Trying to delete words sometimes works, but I often resort to just correcting with my stick. 

An issue we're learning though is to pay attention to what I say. Using a voice monitor, my parents hear me say scroll down, they hear I need to go down. So, I'm trying to pronounce more clearly and ask for help with more volume. I also need to drink more, which causes other needs.

Living the quad life has unusual challenges. I hope this hybrid method will help my teeth, but I don't see me completely switching to voice, at least not yet.

Independent and Dependent

A few days ago, America celebrated Independence Day. On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was ratified and signed. It declared the 13 US colonies to be free from rule of any other country and govern itself. One of the original intentions of this new nation was to allow freedom of religion, and not to have one belief forcibly put on citizens.

Many of the guides written in the constitution were based on Christian principals and that all people were endowed with certain right by their Creator. One pastor was concerned about a particular Christian denomination would be required, but a letter by the President guaranteed the government would be separate from the church. This worked well for over a century, but it has been changing over the last few decades.

As Darwin helped popularize evolution, the church slowly lost influence in the US and other countries. If life was just random and a lucky accident, it wasn't important and could be done away with. Therefore, the rise of abortion and euthanasia followed as well as no longer following God's rules for marriage. Now, instead of being independent from foreign rule, America wants to be independent from God.

Public education that once included Bible reading, now does not let a divine foot in the door. Instead it teaches the opposite and reinforces that life isn't special and to do whatever makes you happy. Workers that actually work are getting harder to find as young people feel they are just owed an allowance.

Just as the Old and New Testament shows, countries that rejected God were soon rejected by Him. Romans 1 gives an example of what society looks like when this happens and looks very familiar to the modern world. May we remember that it is through God that we live, move, and have our very being. It is due to His grace alone that we have air to breathe and even our next heart beat.

I pray that God will sen His workers out into the world, including the quad life. It is only be remembering or dependence on God that we will be able to stay independent of oppressive rule.

The New Schedule Begins

I posted a few weeks ago that my main day-time caregiver would be having surgery and be gone for recovery up to six months. Sara's procedure was on Wednesday and went well. I pray her recovery period goes well also, but my new caregiver schedule has started.

Thursday afternoon, one of my infrequent caregivers came to stay with me for a few hours. She doesn't do anything major like suctioning, but can help with putting me up and down in bed. Therefore, she came after lunch which allowed mom to go to her office and work on paperwork. Dad also stayed in the morning to do some of my needs before going to work and returning at 4:00 for more cares. It's a hybrid system that works and allows everybody to do what is needed. The same scenario, with different afternoon help, will repeat four more Thursdays in July and August.

Friday is generally the day when dad can get off work so he and mom can run errands and have their "date day" of sorts. Without Sara, it means I need to tag along with these outings to supply the household and just get out a while. Therefore, late Friday morning, the three of us ventured an hour east to Ottumwa and arrived around lunch.

Since Ottumwa is also a train town, we picked up fast food and ate by the tracks. Unfortunately, Friday was yet another day of thunderstorms and heavy rain. The best place to park was under a bridge as we dined on garlic bacon cheeseburgers from Sonic (which I highly recommend, along with a breath enhancer).

After lunch, we drove to our first destination of the Aldi grocery store. I've heard many tales of red bag chicken and other delicacies from Aldi, but have only visited a few times. Unfortunately, the downpour continued while we sat contemplating our next move. After several minutes, the deluge decreased

enough that dad could get everyone out of the van without getting completely soaked, just mildly wet. I followed my parents around the store, making occasional suggestions for items to purchase. After visiting the dairy section, one portion of the master list was complete and we could move on to other retail establishments.

Thankfully, the rain had now stopped and it was much easier to get in and out of the van. We moved on to Walmart and another grocery store before the list of needed items was mainly complete. Our group returned home about five hours after we departed. Once I had laid flat for a while and had supper, I spent the late evening with my regular Friday activity of updating church bulletins.

Thus, living the quad life has times that are needed to adapt. Other than a few Fridays when I have meetings, this will likely be a similar scenario for several months. I like getting out in summer, but hopefully we'll have a warm fall into November. More adventures will come, but I'm sorry my parents don't get time alone.

Back to School

I graduated from high school in 2000 and college in 2003. After earning my Associate's degree, I took a break from school for a couple years before returning to work toward a Bachelor's degree. Unfortunately, health problems and school availability prevented me from finishing. However, I also took a few online courses of creation apologetics and outreach.

Therefore, it has been at least 15 years since I have taken any type of formal classes. The bug has often gnawed at me to take a course in something, but I didn't let it bite. Well, that has changed and I can now say I am a student once again.

In a few days, my main caregiver will work her last day until near the end of the year. That means I will likely have a lot of extra time laying around in bed. Other than binge on YouTube, I signed up for a 12-week course from The Expositor's Academy. I applied last week Saturday and received my approval on Monday. Since then, I have watched five of the half-hour lectures and started reading one of the required books.

Normally, I prefer physical books that I can see and touch. However, that requires someone setting up my book board, putting clips in various configurations, and then clipping pages as I progress. It works, but I need to have help and I try not to make my parents come back and forth that often. Fortunately, I was able to get two of the three books electronically so that I don't need extra help. Now, I just have to read them.

The next item on my list is a book quiz, but I can't tell anything beyond that. Therefore, I presume I need to read the entire book before continuing. It feels odd just to sit here and read when I have work to do, but it is what's required.

My schedule says I need to be finished by September 10. I'll need to figure out how to do my final preaching assignment, but I have ideas for that. So, I'll see if this old quad can learn new tricks, but I have enjoyed it so far. Hopefully assignments will be kind, but I'll find out soon and test my memory.

Five Years

Today is Father's Day in the US. Many dad's will be getting cards, grilling, and be doing various activities they enjoy. I'm very thankful for the dad, and mom, that God gave me. For all my life he has helped through my needs and continues to work full-time even beyond retirement age so that I can keep insurance. I am blessed to have him, but the day set aside for his appreciation is one we haven't given much attention.

This day also marks the first full day for CHAMP Camp. I started attending camp in 1993 as an eleven-year-old camper. After seven summers as a camper, I graduated from high school and moved up to counselor. I enjoyed many years helping with the kids and marked my 15th summer of volunteering in 2019. Unfortunately, that year was very hard on me physically and I knew it was time to retire. Little did I know at the time, but camp did not meet in person the next two years due to COVID. I volunteered as a virtual counselor in 2021, but that's the last time I volunteered for camp.

Even though it has been five years, I still miss it and getting to help the campers and reconnect with friends. Yesterday, I saw pictures from a few friends as counselors arrived at camp for orientation before campers arrive today. One photo showed a table completely covered with every kind of snack food you could want. I remember many times sitting around the table listening to stories, telling some, playing board games on down times, and getting a sugar high. By the end of the week, it looked like every package had been sampled, but we still had an abundance to share.

Sometimes, I wonder if I could try to volunteer again. I know that non-medical volunteers have been greatly decreased since 2020, but it doesn't hurt to try. However, then I remember how absolutely miserable I felt in 2019 and would have to find different helpers for the week.

Whatever happens, I'm thankful for the years I was able to enjoy camp and almost forget that living the quad life is abnormal. The campers and counselors that attend now get to experience much of the fun I had, but now my dad also gets to have a break and observe his day. I never know what another year, or day, will bring and I appreciate all that God has blessed me with in so many ways.

Three turns to Six

Throughout the decades of having a spinal cord injury, I have been blessed to have many caregivers. The last 20+ years have been increasingly difficult to find help, and now nearly impossible. In late 2021 to 2022, Sara, my main day nurse, was off for several months due to a medical need. Thankfully Brenda, a nursing student at my local college, was willing to help and God again brought us through another challenging situation. Now, two years later, we're facing the situation again.

About a month ago, Sara let us know that she would be having surgery and was told recovery would take three months. Brenda has remained with me since 2022, but just graduated from college. Thankfully, she plans to return in August to finish two remaining courses that will conclude in December. Therefore, Sara considered waiting to have surgery until August so my hours could be covered more easily.

As the weeks have progressed, it has become apparent she can't wait that long and moved her procedure up to late June. During a doctor's visit this week, Sara learned that her three-month recovery will actually be closer to six. Therefore, surgery at the end of June could mean she can't return to full-time with me until January 2025. Sara normally covers three days a week.

My other day nurse is well beyond retirement age and isn't able to cover more than two days a week. For the immediate future, that means July will only have two day shifts per week covered. It looks like some of my infrequent helpers and a few volunteers may be able to help cover some afternoons so Mom can get some work finished. That still means my parents will be missing some work and not able to get out by themselves. When Brenda returns to class in mid-August, Fridays will still be open as well as parts of two other days. My parents are also managing their own health concerns with all this going on.

Comparing to other quadriplegic friends, I still have a lot of hours covered. I'm very thankful for what my parents and I have been given and whatever challenges come in the the quad life, I will remember to look and to God and trust His timing.