The little things add up

I took a shower yesterday but beforehand, I took my neckbrace off and stood at my sink and shaved with my new norelco. I could not have even lifted my hand long enough and held my head steady enough to do that a few weeks ago.

Also, since I have to wear my neckbrace in the shower with me, Delaine helps me change the wet pads out to the dry ones. That’s been an ordeal in the past because of all the getting up and down out of bed. Basically, because I could not even sit up in bed long enough without wearing out and having to lay down. Yesterday, I did the whole thing and never had to lay down. Little thing, but big praise for God from my position.

I went out with Bethany to the Best Buy store to get a couple of computer related items I needed and a little accessory for Bethany’s iPod. That may be the second or third time in a car since I’ve come home from the hospital. The other trips were all Doctor’s appointment related anyway. We did make a stop at a drug store to see if they had an item I needed. So, Bethany pulls up into the parking place and I get out of the car and start to walk into the store.

Bethany said “Dad, you’ve left your walking cane in the car.”

So I said, “OK, lets get it but you know that’s a good sign.”

“What do you mean, Good Sign?” She asks.

“That I’m getting better, I don’t feel as dependent on it” I reply.

That is a little thing and if you take notice of them, they add up to significant improvements. But then stamina is a real problem. Bethany and I went to Best Buy and I knew what I needed and where it was so it did not take me long to get the items but I did shop around for just the right deal, comparing one brand over another.

All of a sudden my shoulder and neck muscles really started hurting. I told Bethany I had to sit down and then we could finish. She was really nice by saying we could sacrifice the iPod device she wanted but she did not really understand, I needed to sit down right then. So I start heading back to the corner of the store. She starts badgering me that there were no chairs to sit down in in the store. But I said “yes there is”  as I turned the corner on the wall of big screen televisions and two nice leather lounge chairs. I told Bethany to go put the items we had already chosen in a cart and park it over by my chair and then go find the iPod thing. I knew there would not be a person in that store that would make this crippled “old” man with the neck brace, cane and all that expensive stuff that I was about to buy, get out of that chair, no matter how long I wanted to sit there. That little ten minute break was a life saver. It’s like that all the time now. I reach a drop dead point and I can’t stand it anymore.

So I said all that to say, yes I am getting better, but I still hurt a lot and there are only a few activities I really enjoy. (Like sitting in places that don’t hurt.)

I’m supposed to return to work Feb 1, but we aren't on the same page yet. Maybe God’s going to surprise me with this overwhelming pile of small things that one day it’s going to feel “all of a sudden” great.

Did I tell you I can get back in my hot tub this Friday? Oh, man I can’t wait! See, little things excite me.