I was talking with a fellow quad friend on Facebook a few days ago and the topic of living situations came up. That brought up memories of everything that was going on last year at this time.
Looking at nursing homes and not knowing from one month to the next where I would be living was a very challenging time. I'm glad that we are past it, but it's not the case for others in my situation.
The man I was talking with last week has lost his father, has few nursing hours, and his mother is his primary caregiver. Another gets nursing hours during the day, when he sleeps, and is up at night while relatives sleep nearby and he wakes them as needed. Still another friend has been forced to live in a nursing home for the past 14 years and is only in his early 40's.
Part of the funding for my caregivers is through the state and requires a lot of paperwork. My mom does pretty much all of it and spends about 20 hours per week on it alone. She was wanting to get out and take flower pictures the last few days, but end of month paperwork and other needs have kept her from being able to go.
The blessings I'm surrounded by are sometimes easy to forget, which is why I try to stop and think sometimes. I am in no way better or more deserving than anyone else and I wish others were able to have more ability to be active and live normal schedules.
In these past three decades I've been given more blessings than I can count. I would love to be able to help others more, but don't know the best way that can happen. Political channels are possible avenues, but the most recent changes have mainly had negative consequences and positive ones are few and far between.
This quad life I've been given isn't easy, but I have more than I can ask for. In your life, be sure to stop and count your blessings and thank those around you that help to make them happen. Ultimately, thank the giver of life and what He has done for you until next week and every week.
Monday, April 27, 2015
Monday, April 20, 2015
Looking Up
Recently, I have been watching a couple videos taken by NASA. The more I watch, I can't help to think what a tiny insignificant speck we are in God's creation. The first video is of the sun taken over a five-year period. This is followed by a very detailed picture of our nearest galactic neighbor.
Even with all this, God calls us to be His own, made in His image. Looking up and seeing the heavens declare the glory of God. Knowing that God cares for the quad life I've been given along with every person on earth is truly humbling.
Even with all this, God calls us to be His own, made in His image. Looking up and seeing the heavens declare the glory of God. Knowing that God cares for the quad life I've been given along with every person on earth is truly humbling.
Monday, April 13, 2015
While Parents are Away
My parents try to take a vacation or two per year just on their own. It takes some work to arrange someone to help me on the evenings and weekend, but we usually get it arranged with rearranging caregiver schedules and having grandmas come. Mom and dad took off last Thursday and plan to be back Friday. That means I have the house to myself, at least in a manner of speaking.
Saturday afternoon I was part of a radio interview. It was a national internet based radio that the participants, and hosts, just simply call in. We talked about life as a quadriplegic and the advantages if going sans footwear. The conversation then went to places that require shoes even for wheelchair uses. It was a fun half hour that I may need to do again. Today was a little more exciting.
About 9:30 the doorbell rang, so my assistant went to answer it. I could hear her talking with someone, but could only pick up part of the conversation. Pretty soon I could hear her say, "Well, he's back here in bed." A male voice answered, "Is he awake?" I listened to footsteps come down the hall and in walks a policeman.
He did well at not looking too surprised at seeing a man sitting in bed running a computer with a mouth stick. Apparently someone called the local redemption center and left a message of disgust about their hours. The cop said the message was quite colorful in language and the caller ID said my name. I assured him it wasn't me and that our caller ID has my father's name. I also couldn't help with anyone else I knew that shares my name. Our visitor left with that and I managed to stay out of jail. Hopefully that will be it for such visits.
For six of the eight evenings, my grandmothers are helping out. So far, they've been giving my ice cream desserts every night. By next week, I think I'll need to practice self breathing to get some exercise!
If I can manage to stay out of trouble with the law, the rest of the week should go well. However, you never know what to expect in the quad life.
Saturday afternoon I was part of a radio interview. It was a national internet based radio that the participants, and hosts, just simply call in. We talked about life as a quadriplegic and the advantages if going sans footwear. The conversation then went to places that require shoes even for wheelchair uses. It was a fun half hour that I may need to do again. Today was a little more exciting.
About 9:30 the doorbell rang, so my assistant went to answer it. I could hear her talking with someone, but could only pick up part of the conversation. Pretty soon I could hear her say, "Well, he's back here in bed." A male voice answered, "Is he awake?" I listened to footsteps come down the hall and in walks a policeman.
He did well at not looking too surprised at seeing a man sitting in bed running a computer with a mouth stick. Apparently someone called the local redemption center and left a message of disgust about their hours. The cop said the message was quite colorful in language and the caller ID said my name. I assured him it wasn't me and that our caller ID has my father's name. I also couldn't help with anyone else I knew that shares my name. Our visitor left with that and I managed to stay out of jail. Hopefully that will be it for such visits.
For six of the eight evenings, my grandmothers are helping out. So far, they've been giving my ice cream desserts every night. By next week, I think I'll need to practice self breathing to get some exercise!
If I can manage to stay out of trouble with the law, the rest of the week should go well. However, you never know what to expect in the quad life.
Sunday, April 5, 2015
Instinct
We have all inherited certain characteristics from our parents that are natural for all people. Some of them are rather odd when you're a quadriplegic.
As we grow older, we generally pick up after ourselves and if something drops, we either catch it or pick it up off the floor. When I see something fall in the corner of my eye, my head twitches in the same direction as if to try and catch it. That sounds logical, but not when you stop and think about it. What am I going to do about it? Will I throw myself on the floor and attempt to catch the object in my mouth? It might be fun to try, but I don't see it happening.
The broken bones that would come as a result of falling out of my bed or chair should be a deterrent enough. Also, no only will the item need picked up, but me as well! Something else we inherited from our original parents is the sin nature, and a conscience, knowing right from wrong.
Today we celebrate Easter, the resurrection of the Lord Jesus from the dead. With God's sacrifice of his Son, we can be forgiven of our sins and have everlasting life with Him. Our conscience tells us it's wrong to lie, steal, and commit adultery or lust after another person. Despite knowing they are wrong, these, and more, are things we as sinful humans consistently do in some form or another.
Whether you're living the quad life or not, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord (Romans 14:11). God's punishment for sin is Hell where adulterers, thieves, and those who sin God will have eternal punishment (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). Take the free gift offered on Calvary 2000 years ago and turn from sins.
As descendents of Adam and Eve, we all have certain instincts, not all of which were originally given. I pray that today you celebrated that gift, or will realize before it's too late the need for that forgiveness.
As we grow older, we generally pick up after ourselves and if something drops, we either catch it or pick it up off the floor. When I see something fall in the corner of my eye, my head twitches in the same direction as if to try and catch it. That sounds logical, but not when you stop and think about it. What am I going to do about it? Will I throw myself on the floor and attempt to catch the object in my mouth? It might be fun to try, but I don't see it happening.
The broken bones that would come as a result of falling out of my bed or chair should be a deterrent enough. Also, no only will the item need picked up, but me as well! Something else we inherited from our original parents is the sin nature, and a conscience, knowing right from wrong.
Today we celebrate Easter, the resurrection of the Lord Jesus from the dead. With God's sacrifice of his Son, we can be forgiven of our sins and have everlasting life with Him. Our conscience tells us it's wrong to lie, steal, and commit adultery or lust after another person. Despite knowing they are wrong, these, and more, are things we as sinful humans consistently do in some form or another.
Whether you're living the quad life or not, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord (Romans 14:11). God's punishment for sin is Hell where adulterers, thieves, and those who sin God will have eternal punishment (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). Take the free gift offered on Calvary 2000 years ago and turn from sins.
As descendents of Adam and Eve, we all have certain instincts, not all of which were originally given. I pray that today you celebrated that gift, or will realize before it's too late the need for that forgiveness.
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