Post Dad Sent Me.

Hey - here is another post from Dad --- for some reason they can't get it up on their computer.

MARK’S ENTRY FROM SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29….

Yes, I am up, breathing on my own. This medicine change has made life different. I used to live by way of machine that had more problems than a twelve year old VW. It would have major problems and just beep and stop when it wanted too. This new system will be more time consuming, but my life depends on this to insure I see tomorrow.

Having the doctor tell me about the weight on my left leg was good news, but I will have to build up to using my legs again. I still have daily pain from this hole the doctors put in my back and hoping my legs will get used to my using them again. It may be a while before I can walk again, though. I know putting weight on my leg at Matt’s soccer game was an experience for me and others that saw it, but somehow, I have to get this to work right. To me, a good night’s sleep has drastically changed. I go to bed around 10 or 11PM and have to wake up at midnight for medicine, two o’clock to deal with a headache and again at 4AM for more medicine. My life savoir (the crazy fool that agreed to marry me 26 years ago) has been the one who makes sure I am still around. Without the support she gives me DAILY, I would not even imagine where I would be today. I am not allowed to drive anything other than my wheelchair (and it doesn’t goes far or fast) for a while. I know my wife does most things for me, but I have many other people helping in so many ways. Some, like my kids and parents, keep me steered in the right direction in life, but there are so many more. There is no way for me to measure it all. I have some extended family members say they are cooking too much food for their family and want to bring some to us and others that just come by and mow my yard. There are so many that offer so much moral support and this means some much too! There is no way I can adjust to this new life style with out a large change in my attitude. So many people have become huge parts in my new life. There is no way you can spend two months of life on a day to day basis with so many friends and family pulling for you and not be changed. I have so many people signed in on my sign in sheet that I don’t remember seeing at the hospital when I was still out. I am just floored to know how many people cared.

Yes, my life has changed, some for the better and in some ways for the worse. There is no way to determine whether it’s better at this point, but I am alive and able to recognize my “new family members”. These are the people that have changed my life by making me part of theirs and I can never forget it! I am told that this pain will disappear in time but until this doctor tells me that the new plates in me can stay, my life will be a questionable parts of me. I have so much “added” metal in me, airplanes my but one of those questionably things for a while, but if life continues, all will be good.

Life is great. Live well and love well and everything will work out as GOD wants it too.