Eating Out - Living & Loving

We took dad out Saturday to eat at a restaurant for the first time since his stroke. He was a little nervous, but he really wanted to support his friends the Greenwalts by trying out their new place - Wow! What a Restaurant! So we packed up the Blair gang into dad's van and headed down there. We had a great time and other than the fact that dad spilled his drink all over him at the end - we did pretty good! I tell you that part because it's actually a good thing. . . he is really trying to use his left hand and arm more often - now his version is that it "got in the way". . . but the truth is, he is working harder and harder to make it useful. That's a good thing! His therapy is going well - at least I think so - I don't nose around when he's there. . . I just drop him off and go. He likes to work hard without the distraction of thinking of us waiting for him. He feels better knowing we're doing something useful while he's hard at work. He tells me that he is continuing his work with standing at the bars and his OT is really working to teach him to do things independently as well. . . he is now back to wearing the sling for his left arm. . . these therapists feel strongly it will reduce the tenderness and soreness he complains of from that shoulder - when it is not in the sling, it hangs and it's like a water-logged arm so to speak. This will keep it in place when he is not exercising it - and take the extra weight off that shoulder muscle. He is really hoping to get his "handicap accessible bathroom" finished soon - he talks about it to me a lot. . . he wants to take a real shower and be able to wheel up to a vanity with a mirror and brush his teeth and hair again. We are hoping we can get that scheduled and completed by the end of summer. I think that will really help dad to feel more like normal.

One thing is for sure - his sense of laughter and living and loving is a strong as can be. He keeps such a great spirit about everything and we try to do as much as he can. We get him outside every evening and last night he went up to Pam's to sit out by the pool and watch his great-granddaughter "tool" around and play. Mom is doing so well - I just Praise God everytime I see how well she is. . . that surgery has given my mom her endurance and stamina and love for life back.

We pray every day that as we go thru this season in our lives, that we may find something good to hang on to and be thankful for. . . we have so much more than others. . . no matter what the future holds for dad's ability to walk again, we will never give up believing that God can do all things - and while healing dad would be easy for God if that is what the testimony of dad's life is supposed to be. . . we also consider that his testimony may be to bring encouragement to others by showing them that in the midst of having your world turned up side down. . . that life can still be wonderful. . .either way, we'll accept the mission God gives us!