Looking Back & Lessons Learned

Sept 5, 2008
Days 24-27

Back On My Feet Countdown: 80 days

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Four Week Anniversary

Today marks 4 weeks since my accident. Today, I was in our Dinning Room looking up at the ceiling remembering the day, August 9th; praising God that I am still here and the whole in my ceiling has been patched and fixed. It is pretty amazing everything that has transpired over these past 4 weeks. 17 days in the hospital. Major surgery on both heels. Eating some spectacular food in the hospital (yuck, and a BIG NOT)! I am still amazed at God's grace and how He continues to sustain me! I praise God for this accident. I praise God for the difficulties that have come from it. I praise God for the pain I endured. I praise God for the character He is perfecting. I just love Him more and more each day!

I am able to do more and more with my feet and legs everyday. Yesterday, my sis-in-law came to stay with Collier and I. I had the privilege of playing in the floor with my son. I am able to crawl, scoot and roll. I feel like a Collier; a toddler! Collier kept coming up to me, crawling all over me. Even when I had to get back in my recliner to elevate my feet, he would come running; wanting in my lap. You might think, "Well, yes, you are his daddy and of course he would be crawling on you and wanting in your lap!" As a matter of fact, this really has not been the case until today. I had been gone 17 days and he had been going back and forth between many different family and friends....and in the midst of all the confusion, we lost some of the closeness we once shared. He really would not have much to do with me when I got back home. I have been pretty sad over this and have been praying that God would restore our relationship. I can confidently say that as of yesterday, things are much better! God again answered my prayer! Thank you!

People Say Crazy Things

Robbie was off today, so we went to Little Rock to run some errands. It was a great day to do it...sunshine without a cloud in the sky and temps in the lower 80s. Just a beautiful day! Our first stop was Hobby Lobby. This store is like Wal-Mart on a Saturday; wall to wall people. And of course, they have on 2 handicap parking spots and yes, they were full. So, Robbie had to drop me off at the front door and then find a parking spot 10 miles away! I went in to the store and waited for Robbie. It is strange to sit in a wheelchair and wait. People are trying not to stare, but they can't help themselves. It is funny to watch. As we left the store, I went outside and parked my chair on the narrow sidewalk, next to the entrance while Robbie and Collier walked to parking lot Egypt to get the car. I felt like a beggar looking for food and/or money. I bet if I were to have held my hand out, I would have gotten some donations! LOL So, as I sat there, people were having to walk around me as they came and went from the store. One lady said, "Boy, you are in a bad predicament!" Well, dah! On man said, "Wow, that had to hurt!" Well of course it did! There was one person who asked if I needed any help. I told him I was waiting for my wife to bring the car around. His question was legit! :) I will watch what I say to people or just keep my mouth shut! I never want to be a person who says something stupid to someone who apparently is dealing with some kind of difficulty! :)

From Hobby Lobby, we went to Wal-Mart. Again, Wal-Mart on a Saturday....we must like pain! LOL Another thing I have learned about Wal-Mart; lots of disabled people shop there. There is never handicap parking available...and they have lots of slots to choose from! My personal favorite are the people (like me) who have the temporary disability tag you hang from your rear-view mirror; they bail out of their car and NO ONE HAS ANY APPEARANCE OF BEING DISABLED! Where is the limp? Where is the wheelchair? Where are the crutches? Where are the missing limbs? Where is the oxygen tank? Are you kidding me? Here I and anyone else who is truly disabled is in need of a parking place and there they are....got the tag but not one person with a disability! So, we park in the back 40 and wheel ourselves to the front door! You learn many things when you are in the chair....things you never knew or you took for granted.

We are going to Church tomorrow for the first time in 4 weeks. I will let you know how glorious it is!