Sunday (12/8/13)

Sunday (12/8/13):  I'm thankful to reach this milestone.  Alive another Sunday! I wish I was strong enough to go to church today, but Karen and I will stay home this week.  It's been a long hard week, full of trauma, hardship, and tears, as well as joy, laughter, and hope.  I have PLENTY to praise God for this week. 

What about you?  Don't overlook your gratefulness for things that didn't happen to you.  Your week could have been worse...much worse.  However, no matter what we experience, it is our attitude that determines how we view things as good or bad.  Our attitude determines whether we are happy or sad.  And we have a choice when it comes to our attitude.  We might be temporarily overwhelmed by events.  Our emotions become frayed, etc.  But after the event, we can stop. Take a deep breath and re-frame our thoughts as necessary.  What we just experienced may have been hard and painful, but the end result was something that benefited us.  Then instead of a pity party we should be thankful for what we have gained.  For instance, since the kids all moved out of the house, I have been wishing to see them more often and I wanted to spend more time with Karen.  I GOT MY WISH! Not in the way I ever imagined or hoped for--but I am spending much more time with my wife and kids.  Would I have every wished for my leg to be amputated?  Absolutely not! But it has also been a blessing in giving me the time I've craved with my wife and family.  So I choose to see this as a positive.

Many people have asked what they can do for Karen and me.  I've asked a few people for assistance already and am grateful for the help.  Quite frankly, there are so many unknowns about the details of my future that I don't know how to answer or what to requests.  For instance, a few days ago I was thinking that I would need to borrow a medium sized car for a few months.  My truck is a bit too high for me to safely get into the seat and Karen and the all the kids' cars are too low for me to get out of easily alone.  I was thinking that if I had the right car, I could be independently mobile.  But now after being home a few days, I realize that is out of my reach for now.  My handicap ramp is too steep for me to get up it alone.  I would need to have the walker and the wheelchair for my safety and how could I get both in and out of the car without risking a fall.  There is just no way at this point.  After I get my prosthesis, I'll get there.  But for now, I realize that I will need a ride to go back and forth to the office, etc.  

So Karen and I have things that we will discover and then we will let you know.  For instance, I will probably need a companion on some evenings when Karen is gone and the kids are unavailable.  I need a bit of assistance moving from the chair to the wheelchair for instance.  I do all the work, but I need someone to spot me and help if I am off balanced.  Getting me water or something that is out of reach, etc.  And just sitting and visiting.  We are still working out the schedule, but there will be many practical ways to help us, especially in the next few months. And what a hoot!  Usually it is the pastor who traditionally comes visits, now I'm thinking it will be the people come visit the pastor.  :-)  

Right now, they suggested that I will be fitted with my temporary prosthesis in two months.  It will take me awhile after that to get strong enough and practiced enough to function independently.  Eventually it will happen; but it will take time.  We don't have a lot of answers yet.  So if you wonder why I don't tell you more--it is because we are learning as we are going.  The medical people are just giving us info about the next step because they need to wait to see how I respond and heal before they give us the information we crave.  OH!  Another lesson in patience.  I won't get the details showing me every step of the way--but I will be shown the next step.

I'll send you the Attitude Poem that we made our kids memorize and recite whenever they got a bad attitude.  Each of us has a choice about how we look at life.  I hope you'll choose an attitude of gratefulness, praise and thanksgiving for what you have and have not received.