Frank Gets the Electric Chair!

Another visit with Dr. VanBuskirk, the team continues to define positions and that’s more good news for me. Even the best specialists in the world need time together to become as one, and mine is going in just that direction. They talk to themselves, to each other, to staff, to support departments. And they study well all the supporting organizations that can assist me. All this, while keeping an eye on the restrictions and allowances of my insurance plans and personal finances.

Yesterday was reinforcement and reflection in the area of pain with discussion of modifications – the good and bad of some thinking and further discussions with other team members, but I left convinced that I was also a member of the team with medical goals that would continue to be respected in decisions being made.

WOW! Blood draws and further analysis of my medical stats which we hope will continue to remain stable. Cross your fingers, but better still, say a prayer from your heart and soul. Next week time with Dr. Cox, My Doctor Columbo, who is always in the driver’s seat making the tough medical recommendations and decisions when necessary. I thank God for him every day.

Through the goodness of relatives, personal savings and medical plans, as of next Friday, we will have our new lift installed on our new 2004 Honda Odyssey. I’ve had an electric chair for two weeks, and it is the cat’s meow. It runs on the ceiling, climbs trees, scares bears, and has Kris huffing and puffing beside me. It has brought me unbelievable freedom of movement, and participation in retreats. It has instilled new interest in my drawing, writing, and desire to move about (yesterday – 4 hours out in fresh air). My breathing seems deeper and limbs feel stronger. I’ve got to remember the brittleness of my body, but all test drives bring me a renewed hope. The engineering is remarkable. I’ve got to stay away from teenagers who are known to go their full six miles an hour in reverse with eyes closed. My eyes would be closed but for different reasons. Excuse my excitement – I’ll get off this one. Don’t be surprised if you see the MP’s chasing me across the Parade Field one of these days - on the way to the Chapel.

My sister-in-law, Sheila, returned home to the east coast yesterday, after a four week stay with us. It was another of those wonderful visits. Every moment was spent in doing what she knew needed to be done. There remained the normal flow of visits from others, along with medical obligations, which seem to exponentially grow each month. Loads of laughs and good cheer with the care-giver who herself needs a lot of good cheer after almost two years now of unrelenting good care. She was almost out of here yesterday to deliver some cheer to grandson, Kellan, who is in two full leg casts. Further thought and reflection and use of other resources led to other decisions, and she’ll remain my #1 unless there are other changes that pop up.

One day retreat out to Hood Canal was excellent. We were able to take Sheila along with us, and it was a growth day for all of us. Nice facility, people, food and invitation for return visit. Ended with a request from Retreat Master for Private Mass for a friend who had just died several weeks ago. I continue to find a place for myself with whatever days I have remaining. I am better able to internalize my studies of life (history) reason (philosophy), and the Word of God and Living Tradition within the Church – the people of God in union with the hierarchy of the Church and find it not only to be mind boggling, refreshing, insightful and remain sane. I search each day for Peace with my brothers and sisters, an understanding of them through their reflections as poets, writers, people and individuals of love. Yes, there are frustrations, but there are breakthroughs and it helps so much. My doctor yesterday returned my updated book with such compliments and requests to be updated as I move ahead that I didn’t need my wheelchair when I left the office. It was where I wanted to be, and he evidently hit some of the points in his review that I had long searched for. That’s why you are getting murdered this morning by the length of this blog. However, I write when I can, and the last few months have been tough ones.

I’ll continue to reflect upon this. I do have a horrible disease, and I am under massive doses of drugs and opiates that leave me frequently in no man’s land. Enough said. God bless you all and hang in there with us. It’s nice just knowing you are there.