A blog about hope, despite the disabilities.
It’s always interesting how sitting in the hospital makes me want to write. Catherine has pneumonia and we just learned she also has a bowel obstruction. That’s something that wasn’t on my radar! Her belly has been so distended for such a while that it’s become our normal. Lots of questions – from me, from…
Psychologists will tell you, according to Darren Hardy in his best seller, The Compound Effect, “Nothing creates more stress than when our actions and behaviors aren’t congruent with our values.” I think I disagree. I lead a business book group and we just read this book because it had dramatically altered the life of a…
There are quite a few things Catherine can’t do. She can’t walk. She can’t talk. She can’t see. She can’t move very much. These are facts and her reality. For most of us, the things we think and say we can’t do are actually choices. Think about it. Sarah might say, “I can’t do my…
I’m tired of training nurses. Perhaps I should view each new nurse as an opportunity for improvement. I do. I find that the perspective shift doesn’t remove the reality that I’m simply tired of it. Every time a new nurse starts, we wonder if she’s going to do a good job. And every time a…
A couple weeks ago, I flew Southwest to San Diego for a training conference. I forgot to check in exactly 24 hours before the flight and when I finally did check in, my boarding number was C46 – clearly one of the last to board. That meant I’d definitely be stuck in a middle seat,…
This morning, I read a devotional about being present. It was about not looking into the future and worrying and about not looking into the past and regretting. It framed the mystery of having hope for heaven while at the same time, experiencing heaven here on earth – in the present. As I reflected on…
If I don’t write, does that mean I’m no longer a writer? And why haven’t I written in four months, especially after I made a commitment to myself and to readers that I would? Well, for one, we’ve had an amazing summer and I’ve been soaking it up like the sunshiny rays I don’t want…
“Mom, what’s Catherine going to do? You said we all have to do something to contribute to the family.” Oops! She got me. “What can I have Catherine do?” I thought quickly. “That’s a great question, Sarah. What can Catherine do?” I said to fill in some time so I could think. This rapid exchange…
Today, I sit at my computer grateful to get back to my routine of writing blog posts after our recent medical mayhem. It’s ironic that I’m not quite sure what to write about because it’s obvious I should write about Catherine coming home from the H. Several have reached out to ask how she’s doing…