Brains & Encouragers

I'm finding each phase of recovery is unique. The first part is very physical. The stage I'm in now continues to be physical but is also mental. Arnold Isley had warned us that long surgeries/sedations rob your short term memory thus making reading a book not all that much fun. If I'm not determined, I'll sneek into a little time to stretch out on the bed and low and behold I've fallen asleep. So I vascilate between trying to prop my eye lids open with tooth picks and giving in to sleep. I foolishly thought I would be able to do some long term planning, yearly goals, priorities, choose a "WORD" for the rest of the year. Huh! I don't know what day it is unless I look at my watch :)

I'm getting around more and more. I walk the upstairs hall many times a day. How glad I am for Benjamin Petty's pansies. I linger at the top window looking at them. Last year there were no pansies - no water. They are so cheerful looking.

I'm close to weaning myself off of night help. I can manage the bathroom well enough to make it alone I believe. That is another little baby step. It still takes a large amount of energy and I get to the bathroom sweating from exertion. I can tell I have my work cut out for me when I'm released to exercise again. Speaking of exercise, I'll need to figure out what I can do with this since flexibility won't be there. I can walk and eventually swim but don't know what else. Right now the fun will be trying to put socks on my toes when I can barely reach my knees!! There are contraptions to help with this. Everything takes so long as many of you who have had surgery know. My time priorities will be about dressing and grooming. Eventually they'll get to include cooking. That will be so much fun. I have come to really appreciate good nutritious food - lots of bone building protein and the wonderful winter citrus. It tastes like a delicacy. Slowness helps one savor each bit.

Thank you so much for your blog comments and encouragements. I have been meaning to give you a wonderful definition of an"encourager" from Ruth Cowan. "An encourager" is one who INFUSES courage into another." I love this. It translates into so many areas of our lives. I have seen so well that ya'lls lavish praise, cheers, encouragements have made me WANT to do more. The opposite is true when you tell someone they'll not get where they want to be by not pushing .... you just don't want to try. SO for all you many many who have been my encouragers -- it has been what has pushed me when I'd rather stay under the covers.

Thank you again for your constant prayers. I still need them.