A Year Done, Another Ahead

It is the last day of 2023, we have traveled around the sun and had some fun, as well as challenging times for all. Looking at 2024, some say it could be a year to abhor.

This past year, I was thankful to be able to return to using a trach button again and to finally produce my autobiography. For the most part, I also had nursing shifts covered with only one extended period without help. God has blessed my year again and allowed me to serve Him in various ways.

As with any future time period, we need to remember that God is in control, even though we may not understand why some things happen. However, we may give estimates on what will be in store for 2024.

I recently saw a report about low marriage rates and declining US population. That means jobs will continue to remain unfilled and as more people retire, openings will only increase. Therefore, we'll see more jobs turn to automation and even more self-checkouts at retailers.

It was almost four years ago, but 2020 should still be firm in most people's memory. However, some news media and commercials twist reality by saying things that happened weren't true. Such as being made to get a vaccine, or not work, and threats for those who didn't receive at least one. Now, it's starting to look like lock downs may happen again and even more restrictions for being in public.

In the US, it is a presidential election year. Already, one state has tried to fix the ballot by not allowing a current front-runner to be listed. If restrictions are put in place again, mailing ballots will be highly encouraged, which allows for easy manipulation.

For me, I have a few ideas in mind. Last week, I heard about a course I can take to improve my preaching. It is a college-level close from a school that does still adhere to the Bible. It's also affordable, so the main question is time requirement. I hope to be able to do the course, but just need to balance a few life options.

I'm also having more trouble with my back twisting, either due to physical problems or chair trouble. That needs to be another project to continue on with the new year.

As the quad life continues, I will plan to keep posting each week. May God bless your year ahead and remember to look to Him in whatever comes.

Christmas Eve

It is the day before Christmas, time for final preparations and planning for the holiday. Stores will be closed and many families gather as they celebrate the birth of our Savior. Modern anticipation is fun, but it's nothing compared to what happened 2000 years ago.

Mankind fell into sin not long after creation and restoration seemed impossible. However, God promised to send restoration that would be born from the offspring of the woman. All throughout the Old Testament, more information is given about the coming Messiah, with fuzzy pictures becoming more clear. 

A virgin will give birth to a Child (Isaiah 7:14) who would be born in Bethlehem and be a ruler of Israel (Micah 5:2). A child will have the government on His shoulders and be called the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Many other foreshadows were given about the One who was to come, and His purpose.

After a 400 year silence from any further revelation, the prophecies were finally fulfilled. An angel announced to Mary and Elizabeth their roles in God's plan and how they would be used. Jesus was born in a stable and fulfilled every prophecy exactly as it had said.

Upon His birth, angels sang to shepherds and magi followed His star. Servants in the temple had waited a lifetime for what the Holy Spirit had promised and marveled as they held the baby, and warned of His purpose. Growing up, Jesus' parents and siblings didn't understand who He was and while performing the predicted signs, they wanted to take custody of Him.

About 33 years after His birth, the only sinless person to ever exist was crucified, died, and buried. He rose again on the third day, conquering death that we may have life in Him. All who repent of sin, and trust in Christ alone for forgiveness, not in works, can receive this free gift. As you celebrate Christmas this year, let us always remember the reason for our celebrating.

I have speculated a few times what I would preach at a Christmas service if given the opportunity, and it would likely be a reminder like this. It would mean going against my winter hibernation, but I would for the opportunity. Unfortunately, I found out too late that my home church needed help, but is instead not having a service. Whatever you're doing or life situation, never forget what is the true meaning of Christmas.

Small Town Life

Yes, this is Thursday evening instead of my usual Sunday afternoon post. Something happened in the past few days that I wanted to write about, so I guess this is my early Christmas bonus blog. In short, I'm thankful I am able to live in small-town Iowa.

Two days ago, Tuesday morning, I was scheduled for my regular haircut. Since my barber is in downtown, I also take the opportunity to run errands while I'm out. I hadn't deposited my paycheck from November yet and planned to visit the bank after getting a trim.

Before leaving home, my caregiver and I prepared the required documents and I signed everything so we could just go in, deposit, and leave. When we got to town, my preferred handicapped parking wasn't available and we had to use alternative parallel parking nearby. It took some work in tight quarters to get me unloaded, but we managed after some bumping and careful driving on my part. Soon, I was sitting in front of a large mirror getting my hair shortened.

At this point, my caregiver noticed my deposit wasn't in her purse where she put it. We concluded it must have fallen out in the van when getting me unloaded. However, when we returned to the vehicle, it wasn't there. It was a windy morning, and our next thought was that it must have blown out of her purse. After some careful looking, my deposit slip was found stuck on a fence post about half a block

from where we parked. That was a good find, but my fully endorsed check was nowhere to be seen. My caregiver looked around a nearby gravel parking lot and alley, but didn't see the missing document. As we drove away, I continued to look as well, but without finding our goal.

Back at home, I called the bank to see what it would cost to have the check held so it couldn't be deposited. That expense was close to the full amount of the note, so I opted to wait and see what happened. The event near dad's workplace, and he also made a thorough search, but without success. I went to sleep Tuesday night still wondering my best course of action.

Wednesday morning, after finishing my Bible reading, I went to post the daily verse on Facebook and saw I had a message. It was from a friend of some of my friends, but nobody I knew. I hesitated to open the message, but decided to read it. The note said she had found my check on her driveway, nearly three blocks from where I parked, and wanted to arrange how to pick it up. Later that day, dad retrieved my wondering payment and everything was in its proper location by this afternoon.

It is unfortunate that the worst is expected, and excitement is found when the correct response happens. I'm thankful everything turned out well and lessons were learned for the future. Part of living in small, rural towns, is that many people know each other and how to get in touch if needed. Doing some Facebook investigation, I saw that the finder is a graduate of the same high school as me and works at the local hospital. Therefore, it's very possible we have met before, but in different circumstances. Most of all, I'm thankful for God's provision and demonstrating again we do not need to be anxious for anything.

Trading Rolls

Most days, and weeks, go on basically the same. Each one passes onto the next with regular routines changing very little if at all. However, sometimes rolls can be reversed and surprises walk-in when least expected.

Since last week's blog, I'm thankful to report dad is fully back to himself. Unfortunately, mom came home from work early on Monday and now she has been sick all week. Her symptoms sound very similar to what dad had, but I pray mom recovers soon.

In high school, I started reading the Bible almost every night. The practice has continued now for over 25 years and increased in the amount I read. I first started with my NIV Bible I used in school. It didn't have any commentary or study notes with it, just Scripture. After completing a course on Biblical Evangelism in 2016, I received the Evidence Study Bible as part of the graduation package.

This was my introduction to the NKJV Bible and commentary included with the Scripture. Reading study notes with the text took time to learn, but I still read from Genesis to Revelation in a year, or less. I varied reading style depending on the year, but I have enjoyed it and increased my depth of study. However, I have been looking at one more study Bible for a few years, and I finally got it.

My best friend John gave me a gift certificate for my birthday recently and with it, I purchased a John MacArthur Study Bible. Dr. MacArthur is a Pastor in southern California that is very well known for his in-depth preaching and teaching. I started reading through this new study Bible last Saturday, after completing another cover to cover trip in the Evidence Bible.

Starting in the New Testament, it took me three nights to read through the outlines of the New Testament and Matthew before getting to Matthew 1. Almost every verse has commentary and I'm only averaging one chapter a night for reading. However, I'm greatly enjoying it and the easier references back to the Old Testament prophecies. I will not get through the Bible in a year in my nightly reading, but will still do so in my morning reading.

Friday morning, I finished my regular routine and was working through my morning reading when I had quite the surprise. John suddenly walked through my bedroom door! The surprise visit had apparently been in planning for two weeks, but everybody managed to keep it from me. He could only stay the day, but it was fun getting caught up in person and having him around. I did really notice my recent trouble with memory, but it was still a great time.

Even in the quad life, routines can change on occasion. This week looks to be calm again, but I will see as Christmas draws near.

Three Down, Three Up

It seems like some weeks have their ups and downs. This week had three each, but I'm thankful it is done.

As we knew, I had three nights without caregivers this past week, Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. It is unusual to have open nights during the week, but my primary night nurse was off for his annual hunting week. Open nights isn't anything new, but it keeps getting harder for my parents as the decades accumulate.

It is hard to watch mom brush my teeth as the few minutes of standing on her already painful legs makes it unbearable. Dad was also still dealing with coughing and not feeling well and having little sleep wouldn't help the situation.

Thankfully, all my day hours were covered and my intern caregiver volunteered to help with my

bedtime cares two evenings. That allowed dad to go to bed earlier and made less for mom to do. I'm very thankful for the caregivers God has provided and all that they do. When my bedtime needs were finished, I could play games on my computer or watch a movie with mom to help stay awake and pass the time until dad got up. These were the three down times, but that wasn't all that happened.

I started biking in summer 2015. In the more than eight years since starting, I have pedaled more than 2100 miles. It took a long time to figure out good settings for my legs, but early last year seems to put everything where it needs to be. However, we still never know what my legs will do.

This week, I got on the bike four times and set new personal records during three of the sessions. My previous record was a little over 11 minutes, but my legs went for more than 14, 12, and 13 minutes. Everything seemed the same as it always does, but for some reason my lower half was more energetic. In total, I officially burned 1.1 calories over the four bike rides. It doesn't quite allow a lick of ice cream, but it's getting close. After Friday's time of 13 minutes, I even felt tired like I had actually exercised.

Living the quad life is indeed full of unexpected times. I am thankful for what God has provided for my family and will look to Him in both good times and bad.

Season of Stuff

Just over a week ago, the country stopped and gave thanks for all the blessings God has given us. The next day, stores started offering a multitude of discounts to purchase whatever they are selling. It starts with black Friday, small business Saturday, cyber Monday, giving Tuesday, and so on. Now that we are in December, Christmas is coming in just a few weeks and advertising continues for gift ideas of every sort.

Giving and receiving gifts isn't a bad thing, as long as it's done willingly and with financial responsibility. However, a point comes in life when you have enough stuff already and really don't know what to do with more. However, advertising is meant to make people covet and want the latest thing.

For me, I have collected a fair size library of books. One small shelf I have is full and another dedicated book shelf is also at capacity. I have read most of the books in my collection, but I still have about 6-7 that I haven't touched. What do I do? I gave a wish list of books to my parents and I ordered a new John Macarthur Study Bible for myself. A few nights ago, I was discussing with my night nurse on what I could rearrange in order to fit my new purchase when it comes. I would like another book case, but every square inch of my bedroom is already spoken for, unless I don't want to be able to get around in my own room.

The same scenario exists for much of our train layout. Dad likes older equipment and I like everything modern. As it is, many of our model train cars stay in boxes because we are out of track space and our current trains are getting quite lengthy already. It wouldn't make sense to get more cars, but they were also on my wish list and was the source of a recent pre-order I made.

Amongst all the advertising and accumulation of stuff, we need to be careful to remember the ultimate gift that is celebrated. Jesus was born in a livestock shed to a poor family in Bethlehem. However, His gift of salvation for all who repent of sin and trust in Him alone is worth more than anything we could ever receive. The Apostle Paul also said he learned to be content whether he had plenty or very little. It's something I need to remember in the quad life, but also for most of us.

Dreaming, then Thinking

It has been a slow week in the quad life. With the holiday week, not much for web development was needed and I don't have a lot of other projects going on. Dad was also not feeling well for several days and we therefore just stayed home by ourselves on Thanksgiving. When I have slow days, or not even, my mind wonders and I start to dream.

For at least a year, I have been listening to a weekly podcast called Transformed, with Dr. Greg Gifford. He is a Biblical psychologist with the Master's University and covers various topics each week. I have learned a few things from this resource and it has also jogged my mind.

I have had some people ask me for help when dealing with anxiety or other issues. I like helping people and pointing to God's Word for assurance. I've also heard my book has helped some readers see life in a new way. Therefore, what would it take become an actual counselor and be able to use the experiences God has given me? It's still unopened, but I already have a book on my shelf about counseling from a Biblical perspective.

This week, I browsed through the website for the Master's University and looked at the requirements for their counseling degree. It is available completely online and covers several areas I would enjoy learning about. I nearly clicked the button to receive more information, but then I actually started thinking.

My latest college courses were over 15 years ago and likely no longer applicable to transfer credits. Taking classes part-time would likely require six or more years to complete the course. I will be celebrating another birthday soon, and I would be nearing 50 by the time I finished. At that point, even if I was still living at home, I would likely not be able to make much use of my new skills.

Therefore, like many things, it will remain a dream of something I may have enjoyed doing, but wasn't in God's plans. No matter the case, it's still somewhat fun to dream and look at using the time I've been given for God's glory.

Thanksgiving in 23

Thanksgiving is a holiday that largely gets overlooked by retailers. However, we need to give thanks every day, not just one day a year, and not forget. Since this is 2023, I decided to list 23 things to be thankful for. If we truly sit down and think about life though, the list could be endless.

1. God's grace
2. Sacrifice of Jesus for my sins
3. God's Word
   
4. Loving parents
5. Caregivers
6. Friends
   
7. Medical funding
8. Freedom to worship
9. Freedom of speech
   
10. Computers
11. Mouth stick
12. Internet
13. Strong mouth
14. Wheelchair
15. Diaphragm pacemaker
16. Accessible van
    
17. Air
18. Vision
19. Hearing
20. Clear thinking
21. Grandparents
22. Furnace
    
23. Getting back on Facebook

Limiting myself to these was actually hard, but a good practice. Happy Thanksgiving from the quad life and let us give thanks continually!

Results Reveal state of Mind

Tuesday was election day in the US. It wasn't for any federal offices or state government, but primarily city government. Some states had different measures, but most weren't anything newsworthy.

In my town, a controversy has been going on over our library. Unlike most municipalities, elected officials have no say in what books are available, it's only up to an internal library board. A few of the book additions in the last couple years have included books aimed at children that encourage inappropriate relationships with adults. This, and a few others, have caused many in the community to raise issue with the library to make a change.

One of the options on last week's vote was to say Yes for a change to the library's governance or No, to leave it as is. I, and everyone I associate with, were hoping to see the change go through so that inappropriate books could be removed. Unfortunately, Wednesday morning, I saw that this vote did not go as I had hoped and neither did selection for mayor. The results were close, but that doesn't change the verdict.

Another vote I was listening to was in Ohio. An option was on the ballot to change the state's constitution to allow for abortion (murder) up until the moment of birth. This also passed, despite a lot of work to educate the public.

Both of these election results show how the state of mind has changed in the US, even in small-town Iowa. More people are abandoning the truth of God's Word that clearly says children are a cherished gift, not something to be killed for whatever reason. Also, they are to be taught the Bible so that everything may go well in adult life, not encouraged to practice sinful behavior that could scar them mentally and physically for life.

Reading passages such as Genesis 18-19 and the book of Judges, we can see what happens when a country forgets God. The US has been racing away from His Word and laws for decades, and it's only getting worse. We already have trillions of dollars in debt that continues to grow and some areas that are so lawless, that businesses just leave. God has been gracious that judgment has not already been poured out on us, but the time until it happens continues to get shorter. An interview I recently did on evangelism also came out this month, and I hope more people take these things to heart and do likewise.

Eliminating Human Option

Even before 2020, some companies were working to reduce employees and replace them with other options. Retailers such as Walmart replaced some checkout lanes with self-checkout. Therefore, instead of someone checking your items and bagging them, the customer has to do everything. Some stores have completely replaced checkout isles now so that you have no option other than doing it everything on your own. This has become normal routine when shopping, but it causes more problems.

Walmart, and other companies, have had to close stores due to a large increase in theft. Some people have learned to trick item scanners and get an expensive item for much less than the actual cost. Yes, these stations are somewhat monitored by employees, but not very closely.

When getting supplies, I refuse to self-checkout isles. It may require waiting in line for several minutes, but it's still worth it. Having an employee scan items decreases chance of theft, gives work for someone, and can allow for a gospel conversation. The products I purchase are going toward paying that person as well and I don't get a discount if I do their job.

The same thing goes with online interactions. Automation can be used for most items, but human intervention is sometimes needed. The last several weeks, I have talked about my trouble with Facebook. Saturday morning, I tried to make another account with a name and email change. This time, it worked and I was able to login. I started giving friend requests to people I know and were aware of what has been happening. However, the account was again suspended a few hours later as being a duplicate account of one that had been banned.

Without the option to contact an actual person, I can't see what was originally marked to delete my account or help to replace it. Now, even with searching for solutions, I have to guess and see what might work. I'm used to not interacting with many people, but I have definitely noticed the social isolation.

Studies have also shown that Gen Z especially struggles with human interaction and depression from it. Only looking at screens and text instead of verbal communication is something mankind was designed for, and needs.

I will start the appeal process for the third time and see what happens. As winter looms and this quad life mainly stays at home, I'm not looking forward to very limited interaction with people. However, it does at least allow for more time studying God's Word and His creation.

When is the End?

This week, Facebook officially decided to delete my accounts, both the one I've had for years and the new one I tried to make. The second account was cited as duplicate or fraudulent, even though I used a different name and email. My long standing account was deleted due to a reason I won't even write. To say the least, it was not something I did. Either my account was used by someone else, or the criteria for judging are very different than my understanding.

Therefore, with my free time away from social media, I have taken more time to watch some current news items. With Israel under attack, many people have wondered if we are now seeing the end times happening. My quick answer is yes we are, but also not really.

When Jesus ascended back to heaven, He said the end would be coming soon. Therefore, the end has been coming closer with every passing year, week, and even second. In that sense, yes we are living in the end times. The real question is, how far are we on the timeline?

Pretty much every generation has thought they would be the last one before Christ's return. Paul had to encourage some people in his time to go work because they were sitting around waiting for Jesus to come. It has been about 2,000 years since then and some still try to predict the exact time and day, only to get it wrong.

Several books of the Bible give warnings of what to watch for, and to be ready. Some of them include wars in Jerusalem, as well as earthquakes in various places, plagues, and people being deceived to the truth of God's Word. All of these exist, but they need to continue to get worse than they are today.

We are getting closer to Christ's return, and we always need to be ready by repenting of sin and trusting in Jesus alone for salvation, not by works. At some point, either our own end will come or Christ will return. Either way, let us continue to serve however we are enabled through whatever comes.

Week in Bed

It has been a really slow week here with hardly getting out of bed. As I poke at the keyboard, I'm still not real sure what to record for the past seven days.

Sunday afternoon, I finally started feeling back to normal without constantly falling asleep. However, I still had several occasions where I was nodding at what I was watching or reading and a lot of time passed for just blinking my eyes.

With extra tubes to allow my body to heal, I didn't venture to get out of bed. However, Thursday's daytime caregiver called off ill. Therefore, my parents and I took off for lunch to see leaves and get groceries. It took dad some guessing and hunting, but he managed to get a pair of jeans on me and keep everything straight. It was good to practice for getting me up today.

This morning was my last scheduled preaching engagement for the year. It was the tenth message I gave in 2023. This year hasn't been as busy as the last two years, but it has been a good number of engagements. My home church has, and does, had a couple interim pastors that I wanted to hear their messages. I enjoy preaching, but I also like it when I can hear and learn from other pastors.

Another week has passed and I still don't have a decision from Facebook. Wednesday, I received a message saying I still needed to appeal the suspension. Clicking the link brought me to the same screen saying I already appealed. Now I'm wondering if I missed something and didn't submit everything I needed. Of course, no actual person is available at Facebook to ask questions. I may be setting up a temporary account that could end up as permanent.

Web work has been really slow this month, but it has been okay for allowing for medical needs. That is everything in the quad life this week, not much other than continuing to wait.

Correction and Out-of-Touch

Last week, I reported I would be having my 25th surgery, but I was off by one. While getting ready, the anesthesiologist referred back to what was done in 2015. Since I had just looked at my records, I knew I didn't have anything written for that year. Looking back at my calendar, I found the entry and even wrote about it on here. I even said I recorded it, but I'm not sure where. Mom thought I had another procedure since 2012, and she remembered correctly.

This was my first time having surgery while using the trach button. It wasn't an issue, but the doctor put something in my mouth to hold my tongue in place. This was new to me, and I never saw it, but after having the procedure Thursday morning (it was delayed two days), my throat still hurt Friday afternoon. Now, I have to use something called a suprapubic catheter for a few days followed by a Foley for a few more days. Hopefully by this coming Friday I will be back to my normal hardware again.

In other news, I have been suspended from Facebook. I wasn't given a reason, but my guess is from posting my daily passage on October 6 from the book of Mark. I appealed the decision, but I have yet to hear a response even though it should take one day.

You don't realize how much you use something until you can't. For the first day especially, I kept feeling like part of my day was missing without posting my daily Bible verses. A week later, that feeling is gone, but I miss catching up with friends.

The quad life means not getting out a lot, especially just to socialize. Therefore, my main communication is online. A couple friends were having medical challenges and I wonder how they are doing. Facebook is my only contact for them, so I can't email or anything else.

Hopefully I will get my account reinstated, but I should be able to create a new one with slightly changing my name. I'm thankful for the communication social media allows, except when it doesn't like free speech. This week looks to be calm and great for recovery before preaching my final sermon of the year.

Surgery 25 Ahead

Living the quad life means I often require various medical treatments. Sometimes, more serious intervention is needed in the form of surgery. On Tuesday morning, I am finally scheduled for a procedure I've needed for a few months.

Looking back at my records, my last surgery was in 2012 to fix my broken femur. This upcoming appointment will be my 25th surgery. The goal is to get two large bladder stones removed that are each over an inch. They have been causing issues for a while and I'll be glad to get them eradicated.

As a veteran to surgical procedures, I'm very well aware of what to expect and how things go. The day prior to the appointment, I'll receive a call to verify the time to arrive. I will need to be at the hospital a full two hours before the surgery so I can primarily sit around and make sure paperwork is correct. However, I have already verified my medication list three times as well as my medical history.

Finally, after boredom has really sunk in, I get rolled back to the operating room. After I arrive, I have to verify my name, birth date, and what is being done. Thinking about it, I'm tempted to say something completely odd like head amputation and see what they say.

With more IVs hooked up, I finally get to take a nap. At first, I get a calm feeling followed by tunnel vision. The next thing I know, I'm in a different location and somewhat feel like I had a long night and don't want to get up. Thankfully, my head is usually clear and I can have fun with the recovery nurse.

As I currently know, I don't need to stay over night and will go home on Tuesday. It sounds like a minor procedure that shouldn't take long. However, after 11 years off, I don't know how my body has changed and how I will react. Whatever happens, I know God is in control and I look forward to being done with another surgery!

Bad Retailer

I started my first jobs in high school. One was a temporary data entry position and the other was writing for a local newspaper. Since then, I've had a few different occupations with various employers. However, everything has been in the technology industry. The "product" is data, either recorded for later use or for public information such as a website.

With these forms of work, everything is completed quickly. When data becomes available, it is entered and done. Changes to client's websites are done as quickly as possible and then the job is complete. With the release of my book in early September, I have been thrust into a different job type; one that I'm starting to dislike.

The book is available on Amazon in three different forms, electronic, paperback, and hard cover. If someone purchases an item, Amazon takes care of everything and I get paid royalties at the end of the month (hopefully). For physical books, which I prefer, they get delivered within a few days. However, I can also order author copies as they're called.

For these, I pay the cost of producing the book and shipping to me. This is a less expensive option and I can then sell them directly for less expense than Amazon, and I can sign them. The main problem with this is shipping can take up to two weeks. Therefore, when someone asks for a book, I put them on my list and let them know when it comes. Unfortunately, by the time it arrives, enthusiasm has worn out and people aren't able to come and get them. I am then left with stacks of books sitting around my room. As I write this on Friday evening, I have 27 books on hand to fill 25 orders. That sounds great, but this week added a new complication.

A friend is in charge of the Iowa Ability Fair, which was held yesterday in Des Moines. She arranged for me to have a table to sell books. I was very reluctant to agree, but she was persistent. That means I took 20 books along, which are technically already sold, to sell to anyone interested. The fair went most of the day and I will need to make another order Saturday night.

I'm thankful people want to get my book and are excited to read it. However, my like of clear surfaces on furniture is starting to get to me. I will learn my new skill of retail supply and storage. Living the quad life is interesting sometimes with never knowing what to expect.

Continued Health Maintenance

I don't keep track, but it seems this year has had frequent health updates than any time before. I'm thankful they are relatively minor items and not major struggles like cancer, but they are persistent.

On Tuesday, I met with my ENT and discussed trach button updates. Unfortunately, it still has a tendency to sink in further than it should and drainage has again resumed. To help combat these issues, my doctor and I decided to try another button option that has a larger top. He placed the order with my regular supply company, and I received a call on Wednesday they can't get it. That means a search will be on to find a supplier, but another option should hopefully be available.

Thursday was an appointment with my dermatologist. He continues to monitor progress on my skin openings and prescribe different treatments. The area had a major setback in June, but it has been recovering since then. Unfortunately, the physician wasn't pleased to see the regression in progress since my last visit. A few changes were made to treatment and I am scheduled to see him again before winter hibernation.

Most of Saturday was again spent at my grandmother's house. Earlier this month, my parents and I visited to help start emptying the house as she moved to an apartment. Yesterday, most of my dad's family came to completely go through everything. Every surface was covered with contents from the kitchen cupboards, various drawers, and all rooms of the house. Piles were made for different destinations and a burn pile was already smoking by the time I arrived.

After nearly five hours, my uncles and aunts had cleaned out the basement, kitchen, and most rooms. Grandpa's toy collection still remained, until my cousin's children arrived. Toys that had been forbidden to play with were now up for grabs and soon multiple large boxes were overflowing with trucks and tractors that delighted great-grandchildren were devouring. A few said they planned to keep some in good shape, but others are not old enough to understand such concepts as collectibles.

Yesterday is likely the last time I'll have a wheel in my grandparent's farm house. With ongoing health concerns, it's a reminder of the progression of time and frailty of life. I will always have fond memories of parties at the farm with little room to move, but I know it will be something I miss for the week to come and whatever time I have in this world.

Message Review

Last week, I spoke at a church in Sully, IA. Speaking at church isn't new, but this was a special rededication service that combined two congregations into one. It was a unique experience that I wasn't sure what to expect.

I was initially asked to give the message for this service in early spring. I wasn't very sure what speakers usually covered, but I immediately had half a sermon come to mind. Instead of going to bed at my regular time, I took about 20 minutes to write what was in my head so I may remember later.

As the months passed, different ideas came to mind, but usually in the middle of the night. In August, I got serious about preparing and started writing my message. When I got to page four and wasn't finished, I knew I had to restart. I began from scratch and did get a shorter message, but it still wasn't right. With advice from my mentor who helped me get my license, I did something new. Instead of completely writing what I would say, I just wrote my verse references and some notes for ideas and left it general.

While starting to review, I was also asked to do the children's service. I remembered a message I had given where I talked about Moses and had kids leave their shoes on stage. It would help supplement the service, so that is what I used.

On the day of the service, I navigated to the council room for a quick meeting and pray for guidance. Heading back to the main worship area, I passed an overflow seating area that looked pretty full. Sitting on the stage, I had a full main seating area looking at me as well as a side wing. Guessing by the gospel tracts distributed, there were around 500 people in attendance.

The message went well, looking at dedicating ourselves to God no matter the circumstances. I went over my allotted time, but I had good feedback from several people. It was a unique service, but I'm thankful God used me to give His Word at this service. Currently, I have three more services scheduled for this year, but don't have time for many more before winter.

As for quad life items, minor health challenges continue. I have two doctor's appointments scheduled this week and will need to have a small surgery soon as well. Thankfully, work is slow and I can concentrate on health needs. I will see what another week brings!

Completed Book Project

Over the years, I've had many different projects. In school, I always had assignments that increased in complexity as the years progressed. After college and starting work, I had new projects of web development that continue through today. I also have continuous work of sermon preparation (such as today) and life needs. However, one that has taken a lifetime of research is now complete.

I don't exactly remember when I started my autobiography, but I believe it was around 2018. Since then, I have been writing as I had time and jogging my memory through pictures, interviews, journals, and just thinking back. Some memories have been pleasant to recall, but others were very hard and I struggled to even write them. However, I thought my times of extreme struggle and wondering why I was still around may help others.

Since January, I have been working with an editor to make text changes as well as various suggestions to keep interest. As it progressed, we worked on cover design, wording for different aspects, and interior design. Each step also required approval along with adjustments of pictures and other points.

After nearly five year's of work, it is finally finished. This past Friday, it went available on Amazon for purchase. The paperback version came first, followed by electronic, and hard cover will be coming soon. I like that I can make small text edits any time I want and they can be uploaded to correct future purchases.

Part of me is excited to be finished, but I'm also unsure. I keep questioning if it was worth the effort or if only a few family and friends will find it interesting. Time will tell how it will go and promotion is completely up to me. After all versions are available, I may promote it further, but not sure.

My new question is; now what? I don't want to waste free time on superfluous activities like games or YouTube. I have had another writing project in mind, but not sure if I want to start it immediately. I'm thankful for the quad life God has given me and that I will continue to live remembering to trust in Him.

Toys Collection and Moving

It is Labor Day weekend, a time when families take one last trip before fully diving into school and the unofficial end to summer. Many people look forward to a break from labor, but my family has been laboring to get ready for this weekend.

My paternal grandfather died in 2019, just before Thanksgiving. Since then, grandma has remained living in their house out in the country. Recently, she looked at an apartment at a retirement home in town and decided it was time to move on Labor Day. Therefore, my family has been helping her go through the house she has lived in for nearly 60 years and decide what to take. Part of the process has also meant going through grandpa's things, including his toy collection.

Like most boys growing up in rural Iowa, I played with toy farm equipment and semis. Up through high school, I was in a competition with grandpa on who had what trucks. I had a few he didn't, but he also made sure I got a few special ones while they were still available. Of course, grandpa's collection far exceeded mine and nearly filled an entire room of their house. That room has hardly been touched since 2019, until now.

Dad and I looked through the expansive number of trucks and tractors that were on display. Several of them invoking memories of grandpa and our light-hearted competition. My uncles and cousins had taken a couple items already, and I picked about a dozen trucks to take. However, it hardly made a dent in the number that remain. I would gladly take any my family didn't want, but why?

Sometimes reality hits hard, and different seasons of life often do that. Since I don't have a family, I don't have children to pass memories down to. I am also limited on what funds I can have, so working on selling some items also wouldn't be good. However, the house itself is also a memory and reminder.

Just a few miles out of town, and a nice distance from the main road, it's an ideal location. I would love to be able to move in, live in the country, and help at the farm. Next weekend, grandma's neighbor is auctioning off his farm equipment and many acres of land. In my dreams, I imagine buying the land and operating my own farm, along with my family's adjoining fields.

God's plan for my life is a completely different path. I am thankful for what I have been given, even when reality is hard. I will continue to have memories, and see what my cousins do with the house and land going forward. Now, I need to finalize everything for preaching next week, and the tasks God has given me.

Hot Week, Outside and Inside

I'm not sure if it's age, or just part of being a long-term quadriplegic, but this summer has seemed to be full of health challenges. My trach button has been an ongoing issue since early July. It's doing okay, but I think I will be revisiting further options. However, that's not the area I'm watching.

July 13 was the day I returned to a trach button, but the morning started with an ultrasound of my kidneys and bladder. This isn't an unusual check, but one I haven't had since 2019. It's usually fine, but this time showed bladder stones as well as possible swelling of one kidney and a nick (or something) on the other.

One test therefore leads to another test for better pictures. Unfortunately, paperwork confusion and insurance approvals delayed testing until this coming Thursday, August 31. After that, it will be a procedure, more tests, or both! While I wait on testing, my body gets annoyed. Stones are a good source of infection as well as irritation.

I took in a test last Monday, to the hospital's confusion, and finally got results Friday and started an antibiotic that night. All week I have felt like I'm a small furnace as well as being tired and having no appetite. In addition, I had a rash start under one leg that spread to the top and continued up my back.

The skin problem was familiar to a previous time, so I used medicine I had on hand and it has nearly cleared up. My night nurse noticed the antibiotic is related to one I'm allergic to, but hope it will work. A few hours after my second dose Saturday morning, I noticed I was having trouble concentrating or forming sentences. That was a side effect and big problem with a med marked as an allergy, so I hope it passes.

Thankfully, I could stay home most of this past week. A few days had temps over 100 with heat indexes even higher. It was an interesting week in the quad life and I hope for calmness ahead.

A Fair Visit for 2023

Since 2016, I have been volunteering at the Ark Encounter Gospel Outreach booth at the Iowa State Fair. Each year has different experiences, and this one did not miss out.

My first day was Friday, August 11. Weather in Iowa in August varies, but it was a hot day with temps predicted to be around 90°. My caregiver and I got setup with my self-contained microphone, gospel tracts, and I parked in my favorite corner.

The day started out well with a child taking my first tract of the day. I somewhat turn into a salesman mode and I call out to people who have unique shirts. A few guys had Jurassic Park shirts and I called them out as needing a dinosaur. I directed them to the dinosaur tracts under my hand and got a smile from each.

One longer encounter was with a couple who had visited the Ark Encounter once before. We talked about the ark being to the biblical dimensions and really affirming the historicity of the Bible, and that Noah had plenty of room for the animal kinds. It was a pleasant conversation and represented most of what the day was like.

Going home, the van was very hot after sitting in the parking lot. It doesn't cool off very well and stayed hot the full hour home. I was overheated and had a temp of 102.4° when I got out of my chair. Thankfully, cold washcloths and fans cooled me off quickly.

My next fair day was Thursday, August 17. It was a gorgeous day outside and traffic by the booth wasn't very busy. It was nearly 30 minutes before I gave out my first tract, but the challenge of the day would come later.

Just before 11:00, an older man with a green shirt approached and briefly looked at the television near me. I asked my common question, "Have you heard about the ark?" My quandary received a response that the ark was structurally impossible to build. For the next 20 minutes, at least, he and I went back and forth on several lines of topics.

Part of the challenge was defining a word. I asked if he was a good person, and the response was what does good mean? I gave the second dictionary definition of morally perfect, but his answer was that the meaning of words are always changing and I couldn't say what it really meant.

Even with his unwillingness to agree to much of anything, I got in twice that we need to repent of sins and turn to Jesus alone for forgiveness. Even though he denied Jesus' existence, I kept providing evidences from various sources. Thankfully, conversation was cordial the entire time and he said he respected my opinion.

One of the other volunteers talked with me later and said this is the third year this same person has visited the booth. The first year, he had been very vocal with inappropriate language, he was calmer last year, and came to me this time. At least he has had three year's of the gospel being given him and I pray he softens his heart and comes to Jesus for forgiveness while he has time.

This was the last year that Answers in Genesis will sponsor the booth. It has now moved to a local group that I have worked with, but will need to raise a lot of funds to keep going to the fair. I also pray this ministry will be able to continue.

After my shifts, I didn't have much time to explore the fairgrounds. With my caregiver's schedule and health, I had about one hour remaining each day. I didn't see much, but was still thankful for the opportunity. Hopefully I can return again, but I'll see what happens in the quad life.

So Much with So Little

Those who are self-employed talk frequently about times of feast or famine. In other words, times of plenty of work vs. times with little work. Technically, I work for mother's business, but it's basically the same thing. The last few months have been blessed with a lot of work, and falling behind.

I advertise my web development services very little. The only promoting I do is listing the business name at the bottom of my client's sites. It's a practice most web developers do and I just follow the trend. Formal advertising is also expensive, plus I'm not allowed to have much income. Therefore, I am thankful for what work I have been provided.

With all that said, this has been a busy summer for site work. A few of my existing clients have had their sites redesigned and I also gained a new client. The new client has an existing site with different functions and it took time to see who had access to everything. After I started building the new look, it went well. The largest part of the project is nearly complete and I hope the site will be live to the public by the end of August. Once this site is complete, I have at least one more that needs to be made completely from scratch.

For most people, the projects I'm working on would go quickly and be done in a few weeks. However, I continue to only sit for 60-90 minutes and then be flat for 1.5-2 hours. This is better than I used to do, but it is still a short time period. In addition to web work, I have also had sermon preparation, work on my autobiography, health maintenance, and several meetings with a disability advocacy group.

Friday was my first of two times at the Iowa State Fair (next week's topic). It was a hard day and I was glad to get home. However, when dad changed my wound dressing Saturday, my skin had a large tear in the area. Therefore, I really need to decrease my time sitting and stay flat even more. This has also been a recurring them this summer.

It can easily get frustrating with setbacks and not being able to do everything I would like. Unfortunately, it's part of the quad life and I know that God allows good times as well as testing. This week's fair trip may be even shorter than my first, but I still can serve God and speak to others.

Reading, Writing, and Watering

Once again, I had the house to myself this week. Unlike last time, I didn't have any appointments and could actually enjoy the at-home vacation. However, that didn't mean I wasn't busy with something.

For household chores, I needed to make sure to get the mail and water plants every day. It became a routine that my evening caregiver would start the shift by getting me in my chair. We then did our chores before biking and having supper. The schedule adjusted depending on day-time help, but it worked pretty well.

Biking continued to be odd early in the week. Tuesday morning, I was half asleep while my regular morning exercises were done. Working with my left leg, my caregiver and I heard a small pop, likely around the hip. We were concerned, but everything felt and moved fine. Later in the day, biking went much better than it had been. At the end of the week, after ten sessions in a row, my legs did very well with pedaling over seven minutes. We guessed my hip may have been slightly out of joint and caused the earlier reactions, but we don't know for certain.

Sermon Notes

My book that has been in progress for several years is very close to completion. I recently received it in PDF format with the internal layout complete. Since this is the final phase before printing, I was told to proof everything again and to have someone new read as well. Even with editing multiple times, both my publisher and I, several errors have come up. I don't know how they have been missed, but I have noted each one and what needs changed. I am about 25% of the way through and am finding fewer as I go. I'm hoping to have it out by early September, but I'm starting to doubt it will happen.

Also this week, I got to prepare for the sermon I gave this morning. It was a recycled message, but in a different environment from the previous presentation. My "notes" consisted of the Scripture I was reading and very little else. I may have had half a line available for text in a few spots without going to a third page of notes which would no longer fit on a music stand.

I was very thankful for the calm week while working on different projects. Having a busy quad life is fun, but it's also good to adjust and take on different responsibilities for a short time.

Calm Week with Questions

With all the trouble with my trach lately, it was nice to have a calmer week. However, I did visit my ENT on Thursday again. Since it was my third visit in three weeks, I wondered if I could get some sort of frequent visit perks. Unfortunately, no such options are available. He slightly adjusted the button to be further out, but I hope to not see him again for a few weeks.

Biking has been my main oddity this week. For the past several months, my legs have consistently pedaled for at least a few minutes without the motor's assistance. I have biked four times this week, and three of the sessions have had unusual reactions.

Twice, my left leg has been jerked with spasms much more than usual and I can see my foot even pushing and flexing much more than normal. However, it doesn't register as anything productive on the bike's electronics and at the end of the session, I only recorded 12 seconds of peddling on my own. One time, my legs decided to be energetic and, for a few seconds, peddled at 54 RPM instead of the set 30. For the entire 30 minute ride though, I only recorded a little over two minutes of not using the motor's assistance.

Since I can't feel my body, I can only monitor and guess at why things happen. During biking, I've also noticed other irregular reactions such as sweating. One thought I had was my pressure sore getting irritated and perhaps painful. The wound did get worse a month ago, but it doesn't look red or having extra problems. So far, it is only a mystery that I will need to keep investigating.

This coming week, my parents are again taking a week-long vacation. It's rare they go out in summer, especially twice in less than a month. However, it's just how my caregivers are available and they likely won't be able to go anywhere this fall as they have before. That means I will have the house to myself again while figuring out my body's oddities.

Such is the quad life with strange reactions. I will continue to learn and be thankful for what God has allowed me to do.

In, Out, and In Again, Trach Trials

The last week has had highs and lows, along with a couple in and outs. On July 13, I visited with my ENT as planned and anticipated going back to a trach button. After looking at some options, we decided to go back to using the same system I had in place for seven years, but had stopped in December. He carefully removed my trach, placed the button, made sure it was sitting correctly, and all was good.

Once again, it felt great to be free of trach ties, the rubbing in my throat, and improved speech quality. However, good things may not last very long. On Wednesday, July 19, my night nurse thought the button looked like it was falling in again. My day caregiver and I evaluated it Thursday, and thought it didn't look bad and it would be okay until my follow-up appointment in August. Friday morning it looked worse though, so I contacted my doctor about getting checked.

After a series of phone calls, it was determined I should meet him at the ER in Des Moines for when he finished scheduled surgeries. They wanted me to me the hour-long drive in 30 minutes, but I quick finished lunch, headed to the city, and arrived about 1:30. Once I was checked in, I was told to go back to the waiting room as all beds were full. Therefore, my caregiver and I stayed in one spot while people with various ailments, including major "upset" stomach, sat around us waiting.

Bored in the ER

Around 5:30, after dad came to relieve my caregiver who never got lunch, the doctor found me in the waiting area and wondered when I arrived. Apparently some paperwork problems never alerted him to my arrival and we had both been waiting for four hours. He evaluated my button again, took it in and out a couple times (without pain management), and determined the skin needed to seal up the area. My ENT made an improvised dressing, put the button in place again, and it felt fine.

Dad and I drove home, picked up supper, and we were at the kitchen table around 7:30. When I got out of the van, I noticed something didn't feel right and I had a hard time talking while eating. Upon investigation, dad discovered my entire trach button was out and only my shirt was holding it in place.

This started a few attempts to try to reinsert the button, but it would blow back out with another breath. Finally, dad removed the impromptu dressing, pushed harder, and everything was back in place. The first time dad had seen the button out was just a few hours earlier in the ER, but he did very well with reinserting it and me hardly able to help. However, I'm now back to where I was Friday morning. Also, the button does better when I sit, but my skin needs me to lay flat, so I battle which issue to address and to be upright or flat for longer periods.

I'm scheduled to preach this evening at a local church. I am thankful I start reviewing early, but this entire saga has my mind distracted. Living the quad life indeed has unexpected times, but I'm thankful for all the people God has put around me that can adapt quickly as needed.

2000 miles with more added

In July 2015, I first used an FES bike at Younkers Rehabilitation in Des Moines. It was a great experience that I was thankful I could enjoy. Now, eight years later, it's still an activity that keeps on giving.

I have written frequently about the benefits of biking. Late in 2022, two of my skin sores were officially declared healed. When I'm able to bike, my skin tends to do well. A month ago, I wasn't able to get on it for a couple weeks and my remaining sore became much worse.

Every Monday, I receive a summary of my previous week's bike sessions as well as a total of all sessions. The latest report showed I have officially pedaled more than 2000 miles in 609 sessions. According to Google maps, I could get from my home in Iowa and go to either Seattle or Los Angeles and still have miles left to go around the city. Alternatively, I could nearly make a trip to New York City, or Houston, TX and back. Averaging more than three miles per session, these would be very slow trips, but they at least happened.

When many people look at my legs, they may think they never move or do much of anything useful. However, they have done a fair amount of pedaling under their own power. In a 30-minute session, I've

seen them do anything from 0 seconds to more than 11 minutes without the bike's motor assisting. Looking at the graphs, it's a very bumpy roller coaster for how much they do (red line). It isn't at all close as to how other cyclists perform (blue line), but my legs have been lazy for several decades. Getting them to do anything productive is a reason to rejoice.

However much time they give, I'm thankful God has allowed me to use this technology. As I said initially, this is something that wasn't even dreamed about when I was injured. God has used this to increase my muscle tone, decrease muscle spasms, increase circulation, and help improve skin problems.

With my parents gone this week and having extra caregivers, I was able to bike three more times since the latest report. Adding more than nine miles to my total is fun, and I look forward to seeing how long God allows me to use this device and everything done through it.

Relaxing Busy Week?

The first full week of July is now complete and it was a good start to the month. As with every turn of the calendar, I prepared new virtual paperwork, calculated my hours worked, and reported my income. June was blessed with about 10 hours of work over the 30 days and July may be around the same. It also helped that I didn't have any scheduled outings and could stay home, bike, and take care of other needs more easily. This coming week does not look the same though.

After a few months' of planning, my parents actually get to go on a trip. All my hours are covered with caregivers and they can do their own thing. It's rather evident the break is needed as well. On Saturday, dad finished some of my personal cares and, as usual, went to clean everything up. However, he forgot to return and set me up with the computer and replace my protective pillow between my arm and DPS port. When I heard him start vacuuming as I laid waiting in bed, I was able to get mom's attention while she could hear me.

With my parents away, I was looking forward to a calm week with the house to myself. However, I looked at the calendar more carefully. I realized I have two days with doctor's appointments and two more that are full with virtual meetings. Therefore, my free week will actually be just one day that doesn't have scheduled activities. At least with an evening caregiver, I'll be able to get in my chair and bike more often.

On Facebook, I'm friends with other quadriplegics and their families. One is a mother and her 23-year-old son who has the same care needs as me, plus further challenges. For the first time in 17 years, they recently started receiving nursing care for four hours a day a couple days a week. This isn't an uncommon situation unfortunately and in this case, mom is also having extreme pain and can't get relief for herself.

I'm very thankful God has blessed my family and I with so much help. I pray that all those living the quad life can get more help, and that caregivers can get relief. As I go through another active week, I will also give thanks for everything God has allowed me to do.

A Day Trip, and No More?

Last week Saturday, June 24, was the annual Galesburg Railroad Days in Galesburg, IL. Since 2021, it has become an annual trip that Dad and I make for a fun day of trains. We left home early Saturday morning and made the three-hour drive to get in line to enter the model train show.

Shortly after entering the college field house, a ticket number was called for the door prize. As dad looked at his ticket, the announcer red the same thing he was seeing. Therefore, we returned to the entrance to claim our prize, a full loop of track, controller, and short train set. It looked similar to what some people have around Christmas trees and is a great starter for those new to the hobby.

All week had been very warm in Iowa with Saturday not any different. The forecast for Galesburg that day was sun, thunderstorms, and a high of 91°. As we roamed around the building looking through various vendors, the heat in the crowded, non air-conditioned building continued to rise. After nearly two hours of looking at model trains, and carrying around our door prize, we purchased a couple good deals and departed.

Instead of returning on the route we had came, Dad thought it would be fun to go through Ft. Madison, IA. I liked the thought of watching trains in the river city, so we started to navigate to the town, with a very sparse map. Using our compass and guessing our approximate location, Dad picked roads that were going the correct direction. Unfortunately, my nearly 30 year-old van does not have good air conditioning. As we traversed very rural roads with nothing in sight except fields, I continued to be on the border-line of overheating.

It took nearly two hours to navigate the 70 miles between the two cities, but we made it. Our first stop was to watch a train we had followed into town. Doing so, we were also seen on Virtual Railfan's Fort Madison railcam and received an alert from my uncle of sighting us. Next, we found a local ice cream shop where I gladly ate a dish of plain chocolate ice cream to try to cool down. We stayed in the railroad magnet for about an hour before starting our remaining two hours home.

Finally, about halfway home, we ran into the thunderstorms we knew were coming. The downpour of rain sometimes made driving a challenge, but it provided a welcome decrease in temperature. After several hours of being too hot, it was nice to cool down. Unfortunately, my nearly healed final pressure sore did not fair well and nearly doubled in size. Therefore, some fun outings I had in mind for this summer have been delayed and will likely be canceled.

Living the quad life has challenges in many directions. I'm thankful I was able to spend time with Dad on a hobby we both enjoy. However, I should have been better prepared to deal with weather conditions and check my body more carefully before many hours in my chair. I do now have two more model train cars on my track and a kit to use in some way. Now, I look forward to a slow week for outings and more recovery at home.

Missing Summer Start

Summer officially started on June 21, but the weather in Iowa has generally been very pleasant for several weeks. This is the time of year I look forward to the most, but I feel like I have already missed a significant amount of it.

Part of what I enjoy during warm months is getting out on the deck at my house and sitting in the sun. After a few minutes of sitting directly facing the sun, I reposition so that my face and upper body are in shade. I bake my legs and feet, at least, for about 45-60 minutes and soak up my surroundings. Getting vitamin D naturally is great for your health in many ways, as well as just getting out of the house. I am careful to limit my time so I don't get burned.

Unfortunately, I have only been out on the deck 3-4 times this year so far. Spring was relatively cool and didn't allow for much time outdoors. Also, I only have one regular caregiver who is comfortable with getting me in my chair. She is also the one who goes with me on all my adventures (appointments). I have had several speaking engagements the past few months and I didn't have time to sit outside.

For the last few weeks, I was also dealing with UTIs and some of the treatment I was doing didn't allow me to easily get up. Now, my dad has been working on the deck by replacing boards, washing it, then applying stain. With large holes where rotten boards removed, I didn't think it was safe to navigate around them. Thankfully, work on the deck is nearly complete an my school visits are now complete. If it doesn't get too hot, I see more deck visits in my near future, finally.

Living in the upper Midwest, it sometimes seems like we have a brief window of opportunity to enjoy time outdoors in summer warmth; at least warmth as considered by the quad life. Whatever I am able to do, I'm thankful for the life God has given me and the opportunities to enjoy His creation.

A Fair Visit

As many Iowans, I make sure to visit the Iowa State Fair annually. A few years ago, I experienced some accessibility problems with parking. Since then, I have mainly had the same issues and have had to work around it. However, I don't like to let accessibility issues slide, especially when it may impact others.

In 2019, I wrote to the fair to let them know about parking problems, but it didn't receive much attention. Last year, I noticed some improvements on the fairgrounds, but more that needed work. Therefore, I composed another letter, but with more backing.

I am now in my fourth year in the Olmstead Consumer Task Force, and was recently elected to be vice-chair. Instead of sending the letter on my own, I included the task force as well. After several rounds of edits and approvals, it was sent to the Iowa State Fair. This time, they were happy to hear from us and wanted to meet in person to discuss changes.

On Friday, two other team members and I gathered at the fairgrounds and talked with their new CEO. We addressed several issues such as parking, restroom availability, bench access, and more. It felt like we were important and the offered suggestions would be addressed and hopefully improved.

With this year's fair less than two months away, it's unlikely any of our suggestions will be implemented this year. Thankfully, we were told that our timing was good as next year's budget is being considered and what to include.

I'm very thankful for all that I have been allowed to do. I do not like to complain, but want to try and make activities like the fair accessible for everyone. I will have to wait and see what changes, if anything, come in 2024, but I hope this quad life can help others.

Another Off Week

Almost every week, I write these entries on Friday or Saturday and schedule them to release Sunday afternoon. I  try to make it sound like it was written on Sunday, but primarily so it makes sense when you're reading it. I did the regular routine last Saturday, scheduled the release date, and didn't think of it again.

Friday, I received an email from a friend who said she missed my blog post and hoped I was okay. I promptly came here to look, and saw I scheduled last week's entry to post on June 11 instead of the 4th. I corrected the date, but it was an indicator of how the week went.

Monday morning, I received confirmation that I do have another infection. I started on another antibiotic that night, but with a stronger dose than what I had a few weeks ago. That restarted my routine of trying to take more probiotics to counteract negative aspects of the medication.

On Friday, June 9, I visited with a new doctor at a new location west of Des Moines. My caregiver and I looked at the directions, but briefly got turned in the wrong direction after picking up lunch. Eventually, everything worked and I saw the doctor for a regular annual visit. However, it took about four hours to have a five minute conversation. That's fairly typical with my specialists, but it feels like a waste to the day.

Yesterday, I ended up in Des Moines again, but in the ER for four hours. The second round of antibiotics isn't going over well with my digestive system. I went to check on some concerns my night nurse had, but thankfully it wasn't an issue. However, I now have more things to drink in order to get everything moving again.

Tonight, I'm scheduled to preach for another congregation. Thankfully, it's a recycled sermon that is familiar, but I pray no other problems arise to hinder being able to serve. Some days, or weeks, the quad life gets to be challenging and the last few have been along that direction. I'm thankful to remember to look to God in all situations and pray that everything goes well.

Too Much Talking?

Memorial Day has passed, along with the unofficial start to summer. That does not mean my spring schedule of speaking has stopped though, but a decrease is in sight. Since last week's post, I have spoken to three classes at two different colleges. Tuesday was an EMS class followed by respiratory therapy students and Thursday was another EMS class.

I have always said that I don't care what school I'm at, I just want to help students for their future careers and hopefully help patients. I have spoken to EMS students for several years, but Tuesday was my first time at that particular college. My normal presentation takes about an hour, and that is what I told the instructor. When the usual finish time came, I somewhat breezed through my final PowerPoint slides to get them covered in my time slot. After the students had a 15-minute break, we then went on for another 30 minutes.

When I start my presentation, I always say I welcome questions at any time. This particular class fully took me up on the offer, as well as the instructor. I was very glad to see they had concern for patients and wanted to ensure best practices in etiquette as well as patient care. It was great to see and is what I would like all classes to do, but I wasn't prepared. After nearly 90 minutes of talking, I had a ten-minute break to have a 3 Musketeers lunch before starting another hour-long class. This one wasn't as interactive as the first and I showed a little more video than I usually do. After I was finished, my voice and throat were sore and very ready for a break.

Thursday's class was also good at asking questions and learning what they could glean from my experience. With Tuesday's class in mind, I covered a few extra items to try to preemptively answer questions and save some time and voice. This morning, I also filled a local church's pulpit by covering the entire service, not just the sermon message.

Along with this, I'm still battling an infection and am now having quite a few problems. I'm thankful I can be used by God to serve Him and have an active quad life. This week, I'm only scheduled for a doctor's appointment and no other outings. I'm looking forward to the break with time to recover and get caught up on other work. I only have one more college class coming and two evening church services. I will see what comes up next and continue to serve as I can.

Upgrading Skills

Like many students, I attended college immediately after high school. Thankfully, I was able to earn my Associate's in Information Technology in 2003. A few years later, I returned to school to try to get my Bachelor of Science, but had to stop about halfway through the program due to health needs. I briefly tried online college, but quickly learned it wasn't worth the effort.

Therefore, it has been around 15 years since I have done anything in the formal education. I have done several online courses in creation science and read about upgrades for web technology, but not much. A few months ago, I received a message from my cell phone provider that I could get 60 days of free courses through a program called Upskillset. I looked through the course offerings and didn't find any that sounded interesting except one, graphic design. It's no secret that I am more of a web programmer than designer, so I thought I would give it a try.

Word Art

Since March 30, I have been trying to take 2-3 classes per week in graphic design. The program covered three programs from Adobe: Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. I knew the very basics of Photoshop, nothing of Illustrator, and haven't touched InDesign (or its predecessor) in over 20 years. For the most part, I would say it has been a fun exercise in learning the programs and thinking a little differently than I normally do.

The course has you watch a video for 45-60 minutes that shows different techniques and make different projects. You can either follow along, or make your own project after the lesson. I mainly worked along with the video and did a fair amount of pausing and restarting. After completing 16 lessons, I created word art, flyers, a magazine cover, a magazine, mood boards, and a few other items. Unfortunately, some of the lessons required A LOT of clicking to produce an item (such as artwork) I never foresee needing. I mainly just watched those for information and tried to learn new techniques.

A test/assignment was available after every two classes. I was studying more to learn programs than tests, but didn't do as bad on them as I expected. Now that my free time is complete, I don't plan to pay a hefty fee to continue through the remaining 16 lessons. However, it has been a fun challenge and time to learn.

On this Memorial Day weekend, I'm thankful for those that have given me, and others, the freedom to do things such as take classes and work independently. I'm also thankful that God continues to use me and allow me to learn and see this world He has given in new perspectives.

Drugged Speaking Week

It's a new week, but the challenges have been continuing. On Monday, it was confirmed I had a bladder infection and I needed to continue on the antibiotic I had already started. I had expected the result, and had planned accordingly.

In order to prevent digestive issues while on antibiotics, I increase my yogurt and probiotic intake as well. I have mostly remembered to do this with every meal and it seems to be keeping everything working well. Tomorrow should be my last day on the extra medication and I look forward to getting back to my regular med schedule. However, every type of treatment also has associated problems.

Tuesday was my first college visit of the year. Going from grade school to college is a bit of an adjustment, but it went pretty well. My allotted one-hour time slot was easily filled and I could have gone longer answering questions. It seemed odd talking with a class of only seven students, but I hope my brief time with them helped.

On Friday, I had my last grade school visit for the year. While driving (riding) to Tuesday's college talk, I noticed I was really tired. Preparing for Friday's talk, I couldn't keep my eyes open. While I took an impromptu nap, my caregiver looked at my antibiotic's side affects and found it included drowsiness and inability to focus. It explained my foggy feeling at Tuesday's class, but didn't help solve anything.

Even with the nap delay, I arrived to an energetic class of third graders with a full minute to spare. I didn't have time to feel tired or not focused as the class kept the teacher and I busy maintaining an appearance of order. I'm thankful I was able to get to visit this school again and now can focus on more upcoming college classes.

Working with students of all ages and teaching them about the quad life is something I enjoy. I'm thankful I know the routines well so that I can do everything without much thinking and the audience can learn even when I'm in a fog. I don't know if I'll be able to visit more next school year, but I will do what God allows.