Update:
I had a busy weekend and by Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. I ran out of
energy. One minute I was fine and active
and the next minute it was like my battery had completely discharged. I crawled into bed for a three hour nap and
woke up refreshed. I spent the evening
at the County Jail helping to conduct worship services for the inmates. I came home tired and felt like I could go
right back to sleep; but I couldn’t—imagine that after a three hour nap! I used the time to work at getting my files
backed up from my computer and began rebuilding it from scratch. I am happy to say that my computer problem is
resolved and for the most part I’ve got all my documents and programs reloaded. I went for over a week without internet and I
am glad that I have it back! It was
insane how many times I started towards the computer to check something on-line
and then stopped realizing that I couldn’t.
Tech is wonderful when it works and we have become so accustomed to it
that it is difficult when it is down.
On Monday I had a podiatrist follow-up appointment. He seemed pleased with how everything was
going. One issue that I have is a bone
spur on the back of my heel. It isn’t
bad enough to warrant surgery, but it can be painful and it would be easy for a
blister to form there. Consequently I
tie my shoes very tight so that they can’t slip and rub. I also wear a poly-liner sock and at least
one or two other socks on that foot each day.
There is a concern that since I had a sore that turned into a bone
infection on my amputated foot, that if I get a sore on this foot the same
thing might occur very quickly. So I
have to be extremely careful with my foot and I inspect it daily for any signs
of a wound or infection. My doctor gave
me a padded silicone “sock” to weak over the bone spur. I was told that I should be able to wear less
socks with greater comfort. So far it
seems to be working.
I was told that I could purchase some aqua-socks or water-shoes to wear
at the gym when showering. I went to
Scheels and found a pair of water shoes that fit. I tried to talk the salesman into selling me
only the right foot since I didn’t need the other shoe and give it to me at
half price. He wouldn’t budge with the
price (as I suspected). I had fun giving
him grief and teasing him. So I have a
left foot water shoe available that I have no use for. It is a size 10 (however my other shoes are
11 1/2 or 12’s).
I went to work out at the gym Monday afternoon. I was just getting ready to use some of the
leg machines to do curls and lifts when two high school aged girls got on
them. I just used some of the other
equipment until they were done and then went to get on them. Although the girls were younger and average
in size (sophomores?); I had to cut the weight they used on the machines in
half so I could do my exercises. It was
a little poke to my pride; but I haven’t used my legs much in the last two
years so I suspect it will take some time to rebuild them. So my current goal at the gym is to lift as
much weight as a skinny sophomore girl!!!
On Tuesday, I put my boots on and grabbed my walking sticks and spent a
couple of hours hiking on the hunting land I’ll be using this fall trying to
get familiar with the terrain. It has a
steep hill that I climbed and then fought through the tangles coming back
down. I got a great workout walking in
the woods! The adjustable walking sticks
were invaluable. I could not have walked
that terrain without them. I saw some
deer sign and I decided where I will try hunting on my first day. It looks like it will be fun! By the time I got back to the truck I was
tired and my legs needed a rest.
On Tuesday evening I went to the Fire Department in Altoona. It is time for the yearly pressure tests on
every piece of fire hose. I was able to
help drag hose, drain it afterwards and help carrying it back to be stored on
the trucks. All my clothes were drenched
through with sweat and I was worn out by the time we finished. I realize that I have a long road for
recovery. I am not up to full strength
and I am just learning how to really dig in and used my left leg while pulling
hose, etc. There is a picture of me, one
of the firefighters, and one of our explorer scouts while on a break at the
hose testing.
As was talking to my wife this morning about how exhausting the hiking
and the hose testing were, we both recognized how blessed I am that I can still
do those things, even if it is at a reduced pace.
On Wednesday I have a prosthetist appointment. With my boots on, my left leg feels about an
inch too short; that throws my hips out of balance and makes me slant while I
am standing and lurch to the side when walking.
I suppose that I’ll need a lift for that boot to help straighten me
out.
I have a couple of other questions that I need answered as well. One issue is how I perform baptisms. My church practices baptism by immersion;
that means I am standing in waist-deep water with the person being baptized. I was told I am not supposed to get the leg
wet, so… I have a couple of ideas; but I
need to find the best solution.
Wednesday and Thursday are filled with appointments and
activities. I’m looking forward to
Friday where I am just scheduled to be in my office quietly working; that
sounds nice!
Thought for the Day:
I was thinking about how important hope is to our lives. Whenever we are faced with difficult or
trying circumstances, it is hope that gets us through. We have a hope that things will not remain
the same and eventually things will get better.
I’ve been fortunate with my left-leg amputation. From the very beginning I was told that my
prognosis for returning to a very active life and resuming most of the things
that I used to do was very high. Despite
spending over three months in a wheelchair, I’ve had the hope of looking
forward to walking and doing stuff I love.
It is taking time and I have to work at rebuilding muscles and learning
new ways to do things; but I am making progress. A couple of months back I was having trouble
maintaining a solid fit with my prosthesis.
I was getting very discouraged because I had to go in for adjustments
every two or three days and would often spend a day in the wheelchair before I
could get in for an appointment. I
couldn’t plan or schedule anything because I didn’t know from one day to the
next if I was going to be able to walk.
I was afraid that this would be the pattern for the rest of my
life.
I really appreciated the advice of one of my prosthetists. He said that instead of looking at today’s
problems, picture how far I had come since my amputation. There will always be a series of ups and
downs in my life; but I should look at the big picture and ask myself, “Am I
making forward progress?”
And there is! I am constantly
doing new things, more things, things that require strength or stamina that I
didn’t use to have. I have no clue how
far I can go. Every time I reach a
plateau and seem to stall, eventually I make progress again and can do a bit
more than I used to. I have hope.
I could choose to look backwards and only see how much I have lost and
allow that to drag me down. Instead I
choose to just keep looking up and looking forward. I glance back occasionally to check my forward
progress; but I don’t dwell on the past.
It is done. It is over. I cannot change it. All I can do is work to make my future
better, so that is where I put my focus and energy.
I also am striving to be reasonable.
There are just some things that I won’t be able to achieve. I realize that; but I am going to progress as
far as I can and enjoy everything that I can squeeze out of life along the way.
I thank God for giving me hope.
None of us can endure trouble and hardship for too long without it.
Romans
15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy
and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow
with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
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