Feb 27, 2005

Again, its been a long while since I wrote anything on this site. I am fairly busy most of the time, and have been getting out and off the hospital campus much more often. I apologize to my many friends whom I have been neglecting in communicating with as of late.

That said, onto a little update: Rehab is going very well for me right now. Last week, I had an appointment with my spine surgeon, and after he looked at my most recent x-rays, he told me that the only restrictions that I need at this point are whatever restrictions make me feel more comfortable. Short, what that means is that I've been out of brace for five days now, and while I am sore in my lower ribs (they healed kind of funny), it is quite splendid to be out of brace. The best part is probably that I now require almost no assistance with anything that I need to do, such as dressing, getting myself up and in the chair, or back in bed, or transferring myself to the couch or into a car, or showering myself. Dependence is a good thing to learn, but for a Colorado mountain boy, there's nothing quite like independence.

I should be leaving Craig in about two weeks on March 15th, and will be living with my mom in Loveland until summer. So there is quite a bit of work going on at the little house at 3111 N. Franklin right now. A few doors are being widened and a ramp will be built. Once home, I plan on spending a few months in transition, learning how to live life as a paraplegic. I think that probably after that I will return to Grand Rapids to take a few summer courses to get myself back into school mode before the fall semester. There are a few weddings that I'm excited to attend this summer - one a friend's from Loveland, and the other a new friend from Craig - Jason Simpson - who will be married in Wakefield, NE in August.

I'm very excited about the idea of leaving the hospital because of the increased privacy that it will provide. However, there are still a few medical issues to tie up, as well a few tricks to learn. We're still trying to figure out how to control my bladder. Also, the hearing damage that I have in my right ear is probably due to poor conductivity (the little ear bones aren't in the right spots) so I do more testing/corrective procedures for that - I wouldn't mind going under the knife again if it meant getting my hearing back to normal, though I have gotten used to it.

Ah yes, I am excited to leave the hospital, but I have made many good friends that I feel like I've just started to get to know. Pray that these next two weeks would see these friendships bear fruit, or that I might at least continue to have a positive attitude/influence on those I come in contact with. Among others, there are 3 ten/eleven year old girls and a 9 year old boy whose fathers are in the hospital long term, who I have been hanging out with some lately. They're all super-cute, and if I was a kid living in a hospital with my dad in bad shape, I would be going up the walls.

I'm going to church again tomorrow morning with Heather, one of the physical therapists here at Craig - so I had better go get some sleep. I went last week and was reminded at a good time that faith must always be intentional, and the best way to stop sin is to check yourself before temptation turns to desire or action. Faith is "fight or die" even if you're in the hospital for 4 months - especially when you're in a hospital for 4 months. I'll keep fighting if you do.

Daryl

Oh yeah, The rumor that I'm learning to drive with hand controls is true, so watch yourselves on the roads this week...