Sanctuary

I always know with any great challenge in my life there is a phrase that always applies. "This too shall pass!"

Last week I celebrated 60 days since I was discharged from my two months in the hospital and rehab facility. The sixty days home have been filled with a great deal of work which is something I don't shy away from.

I wanted to write about the wonderful home health care team that worked with me in the transition toward independence. I left the facility weak and totally dependent on oxygen. I had severe digestion problems and still had water in my chest cavity with a persistent cough. Today all of that has gone away. I just finished a CT scan and an X=ray; my pulmonary doctor noted I had significant improvement.

I wanted to write about my team which was quite a process. I had an occupational therapy team; a physical therapy team; a social work team; and a general nursing team.

The process started when I was discharged. Within the first two or three days, the supervisorfs from the various teams came to my house and made an evaluation of my status.

Before they finished the visit, we determined goals and steps to get to the goal for each team. All of you who have been in rehab have gone through this process; if you end up in rehab in the future this will be part of your journey.

Then the work started. For the first month, I had each team coming twice a week. I thank spirit for my scheduler my wife, who kept track. We had a huge calendar that was so filled with appointments that she had a system that was color coded. My part of the process was to do my homework and I don't shy away from work to get better.

The team had plenty of exercises in the physical area. The occupational had to do with the daily chores and activities of life ranging from going to the bathroom to getting into bed to changing clothes. It was tough to start off with a new truth; I was very dependent on other people.

I had major 'wins' including driving a car again along with getting up and making a meal (including clean up). There are wondrous angels who approach life with the goal of "how can I help you?" They were creative in their approach and filled the visits with humor. My physical therapist came one visit and I was playing guitar when she arrived. My homework for her next visit was to stand with no walker and play a song on the guitar including singing. It took some practive as I renewed my balance to my life.

It's amazed me how important it is to face all of this with acceptance that for now this is my new normal and it is up to me to change that. My other reminder is how far down the ground is. A number of years back I had three falls in one year and two of them were down flights of stairs. Two of the falls resulted in concussions and it is still amazing to me how much a fog can cover my mind with a concussion. So I have a strong vow of no more falls. This means sometimes I go really slow but I like to think of it as slow and safe.

So I take this opportunity to thank the Sanctuary team who took care of me and are on call if they are needed. Thanks to Maria and Elle from physical therpy; Stacy and Nikki from occupational therapy; anc Chris and Patty Lynn from the nursing staff. I also give thanks to Don, a chaplains I pray with on a monthly basis. God has populated the world with angels and get to meet them all the time! I know each day you also get a chance to meet angels in your life; remember to recognize them and don't take them for granted. They are God's chosen..........