How Many Times?

One of my endless number of faults is reacting too quickly when I hear erroneous Bible accusations. A few years ago, one of my caregivers had read something about the book of Revelation, She said it was confusing and was certain I hadn't ever read it. While I agree it has several interpretations with various Scriptural support, I reminded her of my routine.

For many years, I have done a morning reading plan from Genesis through Revelation. For about 20 years, I also read 3-4 chapters of the Bible every night which also went cover to cover in a year or less. Therefore, I estimated I read Revelation twice per calendar year and possibly three times depending on my night reading schedule. That schedule had likely been going on for 15 years if not longer. The next question was why I read it so much.

The result of the conversation made me curious though, how many times do I read a full book of the Bible every year? I still do my morning reading routine, so that's an easy calculation of once for every book. Two years ago, I adjusted my night ritual after getting a John MacArthur (JM) study Bible. It has small print with bright white pages, so my eyes can't take it nightly. Therefore, I read it four nights a week and another study Bible the remaining three nights.

Reading all the Scripture and commentary in the JM Bible makes slow progress. However, I started in Genesis late in 2025 and I'm just now starting Isiah. It will take me more than a year to get through, but that's okay. In my other study Bible, I am skipping around some with having read Psalms-Song of Songs/Solomon before returning to the New Testament again. I also read two chapters in the New Testament every day for a month, but that can take a year to read one full book depending on the length.

At this point in 2026, with my various reading plans combined, I have read Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs three times. Isiah's 66 chapters will take quite a while at night, but I feel quite confident I will get through it before the end of the year. By the end of 2026, I'm guessing I will have read all the New Testament twice and likely another 5-6 of the Old Testament beyond what I said earlier.

With all this Bible reading, I don't consider myself an expert or even know where to find every reference. While my eyes are going over the text, my mind isn't always along the same course of study. It's a part of this quad life I enjoy and feel wrong the rare times I miss one of my studies. I'm thankful to live in a country where I can freely read the Bible and have easy access both digital and print format. I may change the routines again sometime, but for now, I plan to continue studying and teach when I can.

Fall Illness has Begun

I am very blessed in that I rarely get sick. As temps get colder, illness usually increases and we head into cold and flu season. This week, I felt fine as I usually do. However, I can't say the same for my caregivers.

Last week Sunday, mom received a message from my night nurse that he was sick and would not be able to come. We hoped my other night nurse could cover, but we never heard from my agency. Therefore, it was another long night with short sleep for everyone. Monday night was covered, but Tuesday and Wednesday nights also went without help.

In addition to nights, days also had trouble with missing help. My caregiver for Thursday and Friday was also ill and unable to come. Therefore, Sunday through Friday had five shifts open out of a total of nine. Thankfully, my night nurse who was on extended medical leave is back and doing well.

Since we didn't have help Wednesday night, that meant mom and I would have slept in Thursday morning. However, dad was also very busy at work and had something that needed to get finished. Therefore, I got up a little earlier than usual, did a hurried morning routine, and I went to work with him. In our rush to get out the door, we even skipped my usual protein shake for breakfast. By the time we got to lunch, I was getting hungry.

I've been with dad at work a few times. As a commercial printing facility, it's interesting watching folded papers get stacked, stapled, and trimmed to form an information booklet. I try to watch, but stay out of the way as well. For several minutes, I parked by the one nearby window and let the sun warm my face. It felt good, but I was also next to a machine's noisy blower. I battled for a while, good feeling sun vs. noise, but eventually my ringing ears won and I relocated.

Friday and Saturday were very nice days for mid-November in Iowa. Mostly sunny with highs near, and above, 70 was a treat. The two days were spent juggling witch parent stayed with me while the three of us tried to complete our various tasks. Unfortunately, the yard work dad did Friday was hardly noticeable Saturday as leaves kept dropping from trees.

These weeks are the more challenging times in the quad life. We all missed items we had hoped to do, but also made accomplishments. My trach button still feels very plugged at the end as well. The schedule meant my medicine was applied at odd times, but I doubt that would make much difference. I'm looking forward to this new week and hope it will be back to a more regular schedule.

Best Ideas, Different Results

Last week, I wrote about upgrading my computer and getting caught up with my friend John. The post concluded with a note that I would be making a few simple changes and all would be well. It has been another week and the planned adjustments did not go as expected.

Shortly after I finished scheduling last week's update, my Dell monitor arrived, along with a new webcam. Dad carefully removed the ASUS screen that John had installed and connected the required cables. Next, the new webcam was unboxed and plugged in. It all sounds good, but this is when the problems started to appear.

Since John originally unboxed the ASUS monitor, it was a struggle for dad to figure out how to get it packed for a return shipment. However, after a few attempts, he nicely figured it out and had it boxed nicely and ready to go. While dad worked on the old screen, I noticed the computer's voice system wasn't working. I could yell at my computer, but it wouldn't respond.

I did some research and soon found that my Mac Mini requires external speakers for voice control to work. Since the ASUS monitor included a webcam, it had a speaker that was picking up my voice. Therefore, I searched and found a speaker to add to my increasingly complicated computer. However, my new camera also wasn't working.

With all the parts and plugs, my Mac Mini ran out of plugins. I knew this would be the case, so John ordered a hub, or extension, to add more plugins. It's the same idea as a plug-in strip, but with computer outlets. After several attempts, it was determined the hub wasn't working correctly and could only take one item at a time. This defeats the purpose of a hub and therefore meant I needed to order more parts.

Webcam takes good pictures

Amazon was prompt in sending the speaker and dad graciously rearranged plugs so it could connect to my computer. The sound coming out of it was great, but despite my best efforts, it didn't solve the voice control issue. My night nurse and I looked further, and the speaker didn't include a microphone. Therefore, rather than trying to order multiple speakers in hopes to get one that worked, I concluded it would be best to go back to the ASUS monitor. Thankfully, UPS hadn't picked it up yet and I cancelled the return.

Tuesday night, after dad went to bed, my night nurse and I unboxed the monitor dad had carefully packed away and put it back on my computer stand. The Dell monitor was then packed up and made ready for return. It took three days for dad to notice the switch and that some of the wires he carefully tied up had been undone.

Now, I wait for the new hub I ordered to arrive. As it currently stands, I can use either the webcam or voice control, not both. This has been quite the learning curve in a few aspects. First, I know better what does and does not work for computer components. Second, I've learned what my quad life helpers can do with electronics and who is willing to help. Hopefully next week will have everything functioning and moving on to different topics.

It Takes a Community

This morning, I preached my last scheduled time for a morning service. It had been scheduled that I wouldn't have help Saturday night. However, as the previous time, my one night nurse was willing to adjust his schedule so I could sleep prior to preaching. Therefore, he took off Friday night and tonight instead of Saturday.

From observing myself and other quadriplegic friends, our families tend to stay pretty isolated. Beyond whatever caregivers a person may have, it is generally the person's parents that take responsibility for care. Unfortunately, this is nearly, or completely, 24/7 care all year long for many years. You often hear well meaning intentions of help from church or other groups, but it rarely happens. The long-term needs and specialized care for some procedures scare most people away. This weekend though, I witnessed a change.

Friday afternoon, I had my usual medical cares done by my caregiver Sara. However, we both forgot I needed an extra chest treatment since I wouldn't get it that night. I could see she was tired from our busy day, so I offered to skip it or see if dad could get it later. No, Sara got it finished so dad wouldn't need to fit it in. It meant an extra 15 minutes to her shift, but she was willing to help.

Before I was born, mom became friends with a couple ladies she worked with. It has been over 45 years, but we remain close friends with these families and my parents have vacationed with some of them several times. By now, they are very familiar with our needs and regular struggles without nursing. Friday night, one of our friends came about 7:30 to help us through the night.

Last week, mom and I showed how we arrange my pillows and table to sit, lay flat, read, and use the computer. Friday night was review that went well. When I went flat for my final time at midnight, mom was able to rest in the other room while our friend and I stayed up until dad took over. It may have been less than 90 minutes, but it still provided a welcome break and further rest for mom.

This Labor Day weekend, let us pause and see who we are laboring for. Do we mainly serve our own needs, or are their areas we can help others more? Living the quad life makes for a lot of work, but I'm thankful for help from those around us. Every Friday and Saturday night in September will be without nursing care. However, on occasion, we may get more help than expected.

Practicing what I Preach

Sometimes we learn while we age, other times we just age. This past week had some of both situations that I will need to keep in mind for the future.

My first sermon was given in November 2017. I preached on why we have suffering in the world, how it makes sense with God's love, and how we should respond. A week later, I was in the hospital with stomach problems, great pain, and a period of severe autonomic dysreflexia. Therefore, I got to practice what I preached. After I was back to normal health, my friend John suggested I should preach on what happens when a friend encounters sudden wealth. I have not preached that topic, but I've given my first sermon at other congregations without trouble.

Last Sunday, I preached from James who said to consider trials a great joy. The text refers to trials of faith, but isn't limited to this subject. Just prior to preaching, I received an email from my nursing agency. The scheduler let me know one of my night nurses has requested indefinite leave starting August 11. She normally works every Thursday-Saturday, but those nights will now be open. My other night nurse agreed to pick up one more day a week, but it means almost every Saturday night will be open. 

Staying up nights is hard on my parents and we all go with little sleep. After two nights in a row, we're nearly zombies by Sunday morning. I already have two preaching times scheduled in August that will be affected, but I'm not planning to cancel. It means any further requests for this year may get denied though. This morning, I preached on the importance of fellowship with friends and other Christians especially. I don't mind if I practice this more.

Friday was also my second attempt to get my trach button changed. This time, we had all the necessary parts and everything went well. My doctor did say the area in and around the hole for the button looks angry from infection though. More samples were taken and will hopefully produce results that give answers.

With one mouth stick, I've never tried juggling. However, it feels like living the quad life is a juggling act to keep everything moving as needed. This week has a full calendar as well, so I will see what God brings. 

Importance of Preparation

Another week has come and gone and it's Sunday afternoon once again. Thankfully, my breathing has continually improved. I was able to go from late Tuesday until Friday afternoon without needing my lungs cleared, which is near my regular routine. However, it was also a week of reminders to prepare.

Over the July 4 weekend, flooding in Texas was in the news. Several people were killed in flash flooding, including many children, when a storm produced much more rain than expected. The Quadalupe River quickly flooded its banks and ripped through homes, camp sites, and a girls' summer camp.

When Jesus was confronted with tragedy in His time (Luke 13), He answered "Repent, or you likewise will perish." Times like this call Christians to offer comfort, but also a reminder that we always need to be ready to leave this life and enter eternity. On Friday, I was also reminded to check supplies carefully.

For the past several months, I've had trouble with my trach button. My ENT and I decided to change it after a few weeks of treatment around it. That requirement was fulfilled, so Friday was another trip to Des Moines to see the doctor. Before leaving, I made sure to ask my caregiver if we had a new button. She confirmed she had checked just prior to leaving Thursday and all was good.

Unfortunately, when we got to the doctor's office and went to unpack everything he needed, the button wasn't found. My doctor was understanding and didn't charge for the visit, but now I need to return in two weeks. Upon returning home, the missing hardware was found and put in my travel bag. We don't know what happened, but learned a lesson in checking more than once.

Living the quad life is quite the journey sometimes. I'm thankful to have improving health and look forward to a very busy few weeks ahead and getting used as God allows. 

Working to Breathe after Traveling

Living through four decades of the quad life, I have learned a few things about lung health. One, I cannot continually go between warm and cold environments as my body can't take the rapid change. Second, I need to make sure I move regularly and not stay flat in bed for long periods. Both these lessons were learned by doing them and then ending up in the hospital with pneumonia. Unfortunately, I did both of these scenarios and added a third irritant just for good measure.

Sitting in a cabin to chat

During my trip, we brought one of my regular night nurses. This was my first time traveling with Michael and my parents and I wanted him to be able to enjoy the excursion as well. Therefore, after my parents took over at 7:00, we stayed in the hotel for a few hours so he could sleep. We did this three mornings in a row, which meant I was in the hotel bed for 11-16 hours straight. I turned on my sides at night, but the beds aren't easy to move me on and tried to decrease work as much as possible.

The weather in Indiana and Kentucky was wet, but nice temperature. We got caught in a couple down pours, but made it through. Just like in previous years, the buildings at camp were very well air-conditioned and visiting cabins was rapid adjustment. Our hotel rooms were frequently quite cold for my preference, with the air-conditioning nearly constantly running. Two scenarios are down, but one more came.

Wednesday and Thursday nights were in one hotel in Kentucky. Michael and I noted our first night that the AC sounded funny, but it worked. Thursday evening, I was in bed while my parents and I hung out until Michael had a nap. Even though it was on the opposite end of the room, it felt like the frozen air was pointed directly up my nose. After a while, my lungs started to feel sore with every breath. I asked dad to turn off the AC for a while and pull up the sheet, but it was too late. It wasn't long before I needed suctioned as well. Clearing out my lungs isn't unusual, but I normally need it 2-3 times a week. By the time morning came, I had already been suctioned seven times.

Ready to head home

I had Michael turn me to my sides to keep junk draining from my lungs, but it only helped to delay the procedure. Friday morning, we left as early as possible and let Michael sleep in the van. I suctioned once before leaving our accommodation and didn't like the looks of what came out. For the ten-hour drive home, we had to stop and clear my lungs twice, but thankfully not like over night. Michael also wasn't feeling the best, so we both suspected the hotel's AC had mold or something. I had hoped getting home would clear up my breathing, but it didn't.

The routine of suctioning 6-10 times per day, and constantly turning me to help my lungs, continued over the weekend. A trip to the local ER on Saturday didn't produce answers, but an antibiotic was ordered just in case.

Monday morning, I called my supply company to order more sterile gloves and suction catheters. The 60+ tubes I had before leaving would normally cover more than a month, but they were dwindling rapidly and would soon run out. Late Tuesday afternoon, a box arrived from the company, but it didn't contain what I ordered. It wouldn't be until Friday when I finally got my order, but not all of it.

Thankfully, suctioning has decreased to 4-5 times a day, with occasional long stretches between. My lungs are sore, and I'm tired, but a second medication has started and will hopefully help. I likely won't ever know for certain what exactly set off this round of illness, but I need to pay better attention to lung health. It's unlikely I will be traveling again, but I'm thankful for the time away and the experiences enjoyed.

Starting Over in a New Year

Another week has elapsed since my last entry. In those seven days, we have had the end of one year and the start of another. Many people make various resolutions for each year, but I tend to just continue with my regular routine.

In 2024, I did a morning reading plan of reading the books of the Bible as they were written chronologically. It was a different way to study, but it isn't a plan I wanted to do again. I'm still learning about the background and settings for each book, but do know a few things. It is fairly widely accepted that Job was the first book written, even before Moses started writing Genesis. However, Job was nearly halfway through the year according to the reading schedule. Therefore, I questioned it's accuracy.

For this year, I'm reading with a friend to help encourage her to continue. Unfortunately, when I went to restart the chronological plan (Genesis-Revelation), my usual web resource wouldn't let me. I reported the problem, but so far have been guessing what chapters to read each day. It won't be long until I'm staring at my computer screen in a morning sleep haze wondering where I left off the previous day.

I noticed that I again met my goal of blogging at least once a week in 2024, making it a full decade of this achievement. With my hospital stay and long recovery, I wasn't sure if it would happen, but long reports of the experience helped. I hope to do the same this year, but likely won't add the challenge of weekly pictures as well. I do like breaking up solid text blocks though, so I won't go completely without graphics.

Currently, those are my only plans for the year. As always, it depends on my caregiver schedule in what I can do. Two out of the the first three day shifts this year went without help, and winter is really just starting. That is a regular part of the quad life, and I'll continue to look to God and follow where He leads me.

Have a great week and year ahead!

Busy Quad Week

Most weeks, excluding my medical routines, I feel I do regular activities to other men. I work on whatever is needed for my job, study Scripture, and play some games for relaxation. This week though, has been mainly quad life activities.

The first four nights, Sunday through Wednesday, did not have a night nurse scheduled. Mom and I did the regular routine of staying up until 1:30 when dad took over. He finishes my cares around 2:00 and I

can sleep until around 7:45, if my body lets me. One or two nights is okay, but four gets hard. I had a couple afternoons I tried taking a nap for 30-45 minutes. If someone came into my room, they would maybe see a foot sticking out, but I am otherwise cocooned under pillows and sheets.

Monday, Brenda worked her regular shift and then another four hours Tuesday night so my parents could rest more. Unfortunately, that was her last regular shift with me. Brenda has finished her schooling in Iowa and now returned to her home in Arizona. When she started at age 19 in early 2022, I wasn't sure what we were getting into. However, she has been a blessing from God that my family has greatly benefited from. I'm thankful for the unique skills I was able to teach her and hope they will be useful in Brenda's future career. Now, I pray my remaining daytime caregivers will be able to cover all five days a week again.

Last Thursday, December 5, I made my regular monthly medication order. I had received a letter from insurance that rules had changed for one, but it sounded like it only needed an updated prescription. As with most things insurance related, that wasn't the case. Every day this week I had to call or email either my pharmacy, doctor's office, or insurance. First one thing was needed, then another, and at least once it looked like I could no longer get it. This Friday, I had a note from my doctor that insurance approved the medication and the pharmacy delivered it that day. Technically, I ran out of my month supply that day, but I've learned to accumulate a few extra with strategic order times.

I'm looking forward to a regular week coming up as we prepare for Christmas. I have also had trouble with a very stuffy nose and sore trach button the last few days, but I pray it clears up. Have a great final week before Christmas!

Another Exhausting Week

In late June, my main day nurse had surgery and will not be able to return until the end of the year. I have written about it a few times already, but I have thankfully had regular night nurses. Unfortunately, that was not the case this week.

The scheduler from my nursing agency mailed me in late August to let me know both of my night nurses had requested time off in September. Therefore, I wouldn't have any help September 1-7, a full week. Thankfully, my one caregiver's plans were flexible and he agreed to cover two nights. Labor Day on September 2 was also without day help. In a typical week, I currently have 11 shifts covered. This week ended with only five of the regular filled. Brenda, my college student caregiver, did come for a couple hours two evenings to help with my bedtime cares and allow dad to get to bed earlier.

Multiple days without assistance isn't anything new. I am very fortunate to have as many caregivers as I do and receive so much help. I know another quadriplegic in Iowa who is approved for funding to have 24-hour care at home. That alone is a big hurdle to overcome, but he has very few hours filled with nursing and is primarily just he and his mom. He has told me before that he stays in one place in bed all night while his mom rests and nervously waits until morning, hoping the ventilator and everything stays connected and working.

It is hard to see my parents getting little sleep and getting so tired they get ill. Weeks like this make me consider again about still living at home. Thankfully, this new week should have normal hours covered again and we can be more active.

One positive note came Saturday morning. My evaluation came for my sermon last week and I received 90%. The primary note was that I need to adjust my voice tone more often, something I already know needs improvement. Overall, my final grade for the course was about 89%. After 15 years of not taking formal classes, and a new course of study, it went better than I expected. 

Such is the quad life, I continue to rely on God's provision and give thanks for opportunities He has provided.

Inter-Generational Witnessing Training

Since 2016, I have been volunteering at the Gospel Outreach/Ark Encounter booth at the Iowa State Fair. Each year, I have had the same caregiver come with me. She has become very familiar with the routine and we know what to do. This year, Sara was gone for surgery recovery and I thought I would not be able to volunteer. Thankfully that was not the case and I got to go for two days, but with different helpers.

Friday the ninth was my first day at the fair and my intern nurse, Brenda, came as my assistant. She has helped me some during the spring outreach event, but the fair is an entirely different situation and much busier. As she always has, Brenda adapted very quickly and figured out how to setup my microphone and then volunteered to help put dinosaur sticker tattoos on kids. 

Our three hour shift went well including our restroom break in unfamiliar surroundings. We likely talked with over 100 kids showing that dinosaurs were made on the sixth day of creation week, along with Adam and Eve. I talked with many parents about the Ark Encounter and confirming God's Word as real history. When our time was up, we took a couple hours to explore and I tried to show Brenda a sample of the Fair for her first visit.

Tuesday was my second day and the day that my dad helped. Dad has helped me do many things throughout my life, but a gospel outreach has barely been one of them. Unlike Friday, it took us nearly 45 minutes just to get into the fairgrounds and then to our booth a few minutes late. It took more instructing, but he also figured out my mic system and how to fill my hands with gospel tracts. Dad was a little more hesitant on helping with sticker tattoos, but he also helped and at one point was one of three people applying tattoos to throngs of waiting children.

Therefore, my first day was training someone that could be my daughter (if I had been blessed with kids in late teens/early 20's). The second day was working with my dad, so two different generations helping with the same task. I'm thankful to be able to live an active quad life and all the help God has given me. It was also nice having younger legs for a day that didn't mind going up large hills.

Next year, I don't know what God will bring or what situation I will be in. Whatever the case will be, I hope to continue to serve and doing more outreach.

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.

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.

Healthiest in the Bunch?

Most weeks come and go without any big changes happening. Sometimes, you wonder what is going to come next. This last week was the second scenario with everything seeming to happen at once.

I am very blessed to have six primary caregivers and three that help on various schedules. As everyone ages, I have also been thankful that mostly everyone has stayed in good physical condition. Unfortunately, that can change quickly.

For my regular six helpers, three now have shoulder problems, one is having back trouble, and another has various challenges with age. The remaining three, one is leaving soon for summer break and only has limited availability. As sales commercials say, "But wait, there's more!"

After time in Hospice, my great aunt (grandmother's sister) passed away this week. Trying to coordinate how to get everyone to where they need to be and logistics has required careful planning. Just for fun, Iowa has also been having severe weather alerts. Friday night, mom and a friend went to a movie and had to spend time in the hallways due to tornado warnings. One of my web clients also had their site disappear and it took a fair amount of time and investigation to get it restored.

With all this, it can be easy to get anxious and worry about the future. However, it's time to remember that God said to be anxious for nothing (Philippians 4:6) and to not worry about tomorrow (Matthew 6:34). It doesn't mean to never make plans or do things get insurance. They remind us God is in control and to give everything to Him in prayer. When Job was allowed to be tested, he wanted to talk with God and get an explanation to his suffering. At the end, when Job did talk with God, he repented in dust and ashes (Job 42:6).

As another week starts, I look forward to seeing what God has in store and trusting Him for whatever comes.

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.

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.

Tired, but Productive Week

When I graduated from my first round of college in 2003, my night schedule changed. If a nurse is unable to come, I stay up with mom so she can stay awake more easily. This has been the case for two decades now, and it's starting to become harder.

Last week, I said my main night nurse will be gone for a few weeks and my day-time caregiver, Sara, was out one day for illness. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to return this week which meant only two days and three nights were covered. I've had several times this week I have not had energy to do much and start dozing off when I'm watching something I do want to see.

Thankfully, I was able to finish one website project I have been working on and I'm waiting back to hear from the site owners before starting three more. Therefore, my week was fairly free from more detailed items that could impact other businesses. I did get more editing done on my book and worked a few days until my mouth hurt, and then did some more.

With this week's progress, I'm over 2/3 complete with editing. It has been encouraging to see occasional remarks from the publisher of areas she liked or was happy to read. In one section, around 2009, I wrote about having night shifts not covered and my parents having trouble coping with the sleep deprivation.

Yes, it is a reoccurring theme that doesn't stop and gets old. I realized that I am now only a few years off from my parent's age at that time. It has me curious if the body goes through certain transitions at different ages or if any correlation exists. Whatever the reason for extra tiredness with this round of care shortage, it makes me especially thankful for all the care that I have been blessed with.

This week, I need to finish final preparations for preaching and speaking at a school chapel. Dad also saw a model train show is scheduled to be in Des Moines on Saturday. It sounds like a fun excursion, but will depend on how much energy we have and if I'm ready for Sunday. I will see what God has in store for another week of the quad life.

Be Careful on Plans

In two weeks, I'm scheduled to preach at my first church for the year and officially start a busy spring. The message I plan to give, and still need to finish, is on James 4:13-15 and to remember that life is short and to spend time doing God's will. I have received a reminder of that in the past few days.

Thursday morning was a regular day with biking in the morning before having lunch. It was a short day for my caregiver, Sara, and we planned to do biking and record a video on Friday. Just as we were working toward lunch, a phone call changed plans. My main night nurse had an unexpected death in the family and wouldn't be coming that night, or the next two weeks.

Sara's afternoon was extended by an hour as she did extra cares that would not get done at night. Early Friday morning, dad received a call that Sara was ill and would not be coming. Therefore, that canceled my activities for the day and I accompanied my parents on household errands and touring eastern Iowa.

My nursing agency was able to cover some nights for the next few weeks, but not all. Therefore, my parents have been adjusting work schedules to allow for nearly sleepless nights and later mornings. We are also praying Sara is able to return next week as normal.

While writing this, my mind is swirling with work on upcoming talks, more web updates than usual, and attempting to continue video updates while more consistently fighting sleep during the day. During all this, my trach also broke Thursday night while dad was getting me to bed and we had to go over emergency trach change procedures. 

Living the quad life indeed has unexpected times and trials from various sources. I'm thankful for everyone God has put around me and that I am able to be active in a variety of ways. The next two weeks, or really two months, will be a time of careful schedule management and working as God allows.

Scheduling and Thinking

Sometimes, I get ideas of various things I would like to do, and then think about how to manage time. Then real-world time and activities, not just those in my head, also get the same issues, if they happen.

As most years around this time, I get the spring itch to be out and active again. Iowa has had some warm (for February) days and seeing clear skies and sun especially makes me want to be out. I have contacted several of my regular elementary school visits and have two on my calendars. Two more have expressed interest, and one that I have been visiting for many years hasn't responded. Friday, I also mailed one of the college classes I normally see in spring to look at scheduling.

All this sounds like good progress to an active spring, but then I remind myself that only a third of potential places are actually confirmed. With every calendar spot filled, it also makes other additions harder to place. I knew this would be an issue, but my caregiver schedule is also a challenge to work with. Compared to 2022, this year is much better with nursing coverage. I am very thankful for this, but I only get one full day per week to use.

Not all of my caregivers are comfortable with driving me, or allowed by our vehicle insurance. Therefore, two of my three daytime helpers mean I can't schedule outings on their shifts. That leaves Tuesday afternoons, Thursday mornings, and all of Friday available to schedule. My one caregiver that drives also continues to recover from brain surgery in 2021 and gets tired easily. Due to this, I try not to schedule anything two days in a row. School visits are one item, I also need to start looking more at getting doctor's appointments made and working with their constraints.

Living the quad life has challenges from multiple directions, but I am extremely thankful God has blessed me with the ability to get out and be active. Whatever He allows me to do, that is what will happen.

Dealing with Transition

It happens every year, the transition from warm temps in the summer to the cold weather in winter. Bridging the gap between these two is the appropriately named fall, as temperatures begin to drop. Friday, I was out in the elements and not enjoying the new reality.

Early in the morning, my day nurse notified us she was ill and would not be able to come. Therefore, my parents would need to cover the time. They had planned on a day for the two of them to spend time together and I would go to my annual physical. Since the three of us would have the entire day, we would combine our separate plans into one.

Dad finished getting me ready for the day when he returned from work. Despite looking like a nice partly sunny day out my window, my thermostat read a temp in the 40's. Getting out at my doctor's office, the cool air hit my face with a shock. My appointment went well, but I also got my annual flu shot while I was there. I debated since I was scheduled to preach today, but hoped I wouldn't have a reaction.

When my appointment was complete, we headed to southeast Iowa with a goal of visiting the Dutchman's Store in the tiny town of Cantrel. I have heard many stories about this unique store, but never visited myself. On the way, we stopped for lunch in another larger town, but actually went inside to eat (a rarity). After dining on Chinese, we finally reached our destination. Getting out of the van each time, the sun felt good on my face, but the breeze and shade felt miserable.

The store was indeed very unique. It looked like multiple buildings had morphed into one large structure with each having it's own specialty. One section had belts and footwear, another hats, toys, spices of all sorts, and a large grocery store. The area around Cantrel has a large Amish population with many getting supplies at the Dutchman's Store. Young women with traditional Amish clothing gave curious, but polite, glances toward this guy in a wheelchair wearing jeans and barefoot.

With our main goal reached, my parents finished their purchases and we started heading home, with a few more stops on the way. As the sun sank low on the horizon, all I could think of was getting home in bed and under the blankets. I felt cold, but my parents were warm in the van that had been heated by the sun. As home neared, I was mentally planning early hibernation and wanting to stay inside and rest. However, I figured my flu shot had some influence on my feelings.

Around March, 40's-50's will feel warm again. Part of the quad life is dealing with bad temperature regulation, but I'm thankful for warm beds, homes, blankets, and the ability to get out and explore.