One thing I learned during my stint in a wheelchair these past few weeks is a different perspective on things. I saw dirt in areas that I had thought were clean.
Take the ice and water dispenser on the freezer part of the refrigerator, for example. When I was standing upright, I didn’t notice all of the lime and hard water buildup that had accumulated on the spouts, but in a wheelchair, it is kind of right in my line of sight.
I find things on the floor that I hadn’t noticed before either, and I had no idea how dirty that toilet was until looking right at it from the height of the wheel chair.
Today there was a news item about the disability act and how it has helped those with disabilities to live a fuller life. While my disability is to be short-lived, it still gave me new ways of thinking about how life would be if it were permanent.
Of course, I would have a better ramp to get in and out of the house, and a better wheelchair that is easier to handle, but still, once someone takes me somewhere, there are obstacles to overcome. Curbs, steps, just to mention a couple.
Even the bathroom has made me decide to stay at home. My bathroom has a high-rise toilet, with handles to help propel me up. Going somewhere else, even a clinic or hospital, can prove a challenge for me.
Six weeks past surgery, I have learned how to overcome some challenges, but for the most part, I am content at home, because here I know what I can do and how to get it done. I am sick of all the hassle and looking forward to the visit to the doctor next Wednesday, and pray to hear the words that I don’t need the cast any longer and can go to a boot. While that may not be perfect, it will be a welcome change.
In the meantime, I seem to have recovered from the pneumonia, and I tolerated the antibiotics better than I ever expected. I am enjoying my time peering out of windows and seeing wild daisies in my yard; they are one of my favorite flowers. Morning glories are starting to wind their way up the railings of my front porch. Those purple blossoms make me smile every time I see them.
Makes me wonder why I bother to work so hard most springs and summers, in planting and caring for plants, when these are put there by nature, just for pure enjoyment. Meanwhile, I am thinking about next summer, when I will have the pleasure of pulling weeds and watering flowers.
Different years, different pleasures. I am also enjoying the visits and cards from neighbors and friends. Many have brought food. Small-town life is special in so many ways.
When all else fails, there is television, or I put in a DVD and watch that. I am also trying to put together a devotion on giving thanks for a women’s retreat in September. So I also spend time in Bible study and reading devotional books. I am jotting down so many ideas, but am not exactly sure how it will flow.
No problem in giving thanks to God, for all that I am and have is a gift from God.
