I have been having trouble at the caregiving site. My computer keeps throwing me off the site. Then today I went to my dashboard, and I tried to write a blog. Well, I had it partly written, and it just disappeared on me! So I will now first try to write a blog with my favorite word processing program, and then I will try to see if I can copy paste it there before it disappears again!
I just got back from a hike at a State Park near Lake Michigan and also near our home. My son, three of my granddaughters, and their dog invited me along with them for their hike through the sand dunes. There is nothing more invigorating than walking through the dunes with three energetic children and a rambunctious dog. It was fun through. It did make me think about the times when my husband and I would do this kind of thing together. We loved to walk rugged trails. We even did this yet in the summer of 2006 after my husband had been diagnosed with his neurological disease. My husband insisted that we do that at that time, saying we did not know how much longer he would be able to do that. How much my husband has gone back since then. This morning I asked my husband to go along to see a Memorial Day short parade going down the streets of our village. He could have driven on his mobility scooter, and I could have walked the few blocks to see the parade. He refused to do that, however. So much has changed.
Awhile back I was agonizing about when my husband should switch to all wheelchair from the walker. At that time I told him that he should use the wheelchair at night. Once the wheelchair was in the house all the time, however, my husband soon began to use the wheelchair pretty much exclusively. So that question is taken care of, I guess. My husband used a wheelchair for first at church this past Sunday morning. Those firsts are difficult to see, but necessary. I have been doing a lot of substitute teaching the last couple weeks, and I do actually feel safer knowing that he is using the wheelchair. My husband has good upper body strength yet, so he is able to pull himself up to go to the bathroom etc.
I was reading today in Psalm 100 in the Bible. I also was writing a devotional about this Psalm which I will later hopefully publish at my devotional site. While doing this I was reminded of the need for joy. I was feeling very frustrated this morning about my husband’s refusal to do much of anything. My husband also spends so much of his day sleeping in the chair. That can become very frustrating and depressing, but I can choose joy. Lord, give me the grace and strength to choose joy each new day.
Hi Sharon—You are joy.
I wish you a good day today and that an unexpected blessing brings you peace.