Friday, June 6, 2014

Friday (6/6/2014)

Update :

Thursday morning I held a worship service at the area nursing home.  My daughter, Kate, played the piano for me.  I hadn’t led worship there since early November 2013.  With the fit of my prosthesis continuing to change, I used my wheelchair to get to the Chapel and then I stood for the 30 minute service as I led singing and preached a message.  That was too long standing!  I’m glad that I preach sitting down at church.  I’ll have to do that the next time at the nursing home too.

I went to the hospital to visit someone from church who just had her baby.  Both mom and son are doing well.  It was kind of strange going there for someone else and not for an appointment with one of my own doctors (obviously I have entirely too many medical appointments).  I did get some good exercise using my wheelchair to travel from the parking garage to her room and back.   I’m thankful for the parking garage because it keeps me dry on rainy days while I’m getting in and out of the truck, especially with my wheelchair; but it seems that someone who loves to run 5K events designed the layout of the garage and hospital.

I then went to another bike shop, recommended by my friend Dick, to see what they might have that would work with my prosthetic.  They had a discontinued model that had never sold; a Giant Suede.  It seemed to work okay.  I’ll wait until next week to compare it with the Trek Pure before I make a decision.  The bike shop owner suggested buying shorter crank arms to be easier on my prosthetic leg.  So it looks like I might have a viable option besides the adult trike (I don’t know how emotionally ready I am to go to a trike unless I have no other option).

I am continuing to lose weight, so far I’ve lost 13 pounds and probably a couple of inches off my waistline.  I still have a long way to go to reach my goal weight but each pound lost is an encouragement to keep doing what I am doing.  Some days it is easy to do and sometimes I question if it’s worth it (when hunger gnaws at my insides); but I’m pressing on determined to get down to a healthier weight.  I have learned to eat smaller portions and to stop eating when hunger disappears rather than when I feel full.  That is hard to learn after decades of eating the other way.


I want to close my update with a reminder that it is the 70th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of France.  I am grateful to the thousands who participated in it or in any of the battles of WW2.  Their struggle and sacrifice will not go unremembered. 

Thought for the Day:

Earlier this week in the “Dear Abby” column, a woman reminded others that not all handicaps are visible.  Apparently she was confronted by someone who accused her of being a cheat and a fraud because she used a handicap parking space although she seemed physically fit as she walked into a store. 

Remember that looks can be deceiving.  With long pants on, I walk well enough that people usually aren’t aware that I’ve had a Below the Knee Amputation (BKA).  Yes, I walk fine but I am restricted by my doctors on the distance I can walk.  It is more obvious that I need a handicap parking space on the days that aren’t going well and I use my wheelchair; but on certain days if I walk more than say 100 steps, I am in sharp pain--so I need to save a few steps wherever I can so that I can walk when I have to.  Yesterday I was sitting at the dining room table and needed to wash my hands.  My leg was hurting when I walked and the wheelchair was outside in my truck.  I remember thinking that I would just wash my hands in the kitchen sink because it was about 5 steps farther to the bathroom sink and I couldn’t stand the extra discomfort. 

Just a few extra steps can make a huge difference to someone on whether that trip out is possible or if they will have to contact someone else and ask them to do an errand for them.  That loss of freedom can be a terribly crushing thing and something as simple as picking up one or two items at the store can make a person feel whole and bring great joy.

There are many medical reasons why a person might appear healthy but need a handicap parking space; so don’t rush to judgment when observing people who use them.  I have to admit that I use to be one of those judgmental people from time to time.  And quite frankly, there may be some who cheat the system and claim a space when they don’t deserve it.  But to my healthy friends: you weren’t going to park in that space anyway—so why does it bother you so much to see someone else using it?


Matthew 7:1-3    “Judge not, that you be not judged.  For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.  Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?”

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