Sometimes we surprise ourselves!

My husband and I love to go to bed early, with our books.  There is scarcely anything more enjoyable than a long evening with nothing to do but relax and read—especially when the body cries out for a rest.  Fatigue is an ever present friend for most of us who have chronic illness and/or pain, and [...]

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Better than a “forum” . . .

I believe I’ve made my last foray into the Back Pain Forum which I’ve visited online in recent months.  Initially, this forum was a valuable information resource when I needed it—before and after spinal fusion surgery.  It was good to connect with others who had gone that route.  After all, one doesn’t attend a tea party or coffee [...]

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So very grateful!

Winter is moving in, ahead of the calendar date.  This is “business as usual” in Wisconsin.  We normally have several extra weeks of winter before the December solstice and way after the March equinox. Winter is beautiful.  Although I no longer “play outside” like I did for many decades, I still appreciate the winter landscape.  [...]

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Spry and Sprightly

The handsome gentleman pictured above is my dad, Ernst Longenecker.  The portrait was taken in the 1940s.  I think most everyone who knew him smiles over memories of this man.  He was an individual!  He was a mechanical engineer by degree, an industrial designer and manager, an inventor, a wonderful father, and a mellow story-teller.  Dad [...]

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Praise God for the “normal” things . . .

. . . waking in the morning to the sound of much needed rain, sharing a breakfast at our local “good old boy” restaurant, stopping at the library and leaving with 2 heavy sacks of books, celebrating the progression of summertime in our gardens, sitting in ”our row” in church with 10 great grandchildren—ages 6 and under, gently stepping back in [...]

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How can I help?

Most of us have had friends in need, either due to illness or a crisis.  The question we always ask is, “How can I help?”  Before I experienced the flack and fallout of chronic illness and pain, I asked that question many times—and often did try to “help” in the wrong way.  Only when we have [...]

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The Sweetness of Closure

It’s one of those Greek-owned restaurants with large platters of good food at a reasonable price.  We had not been back there since October 23, 2010 when Joe stepped in front of our empty van which he thought he’d left in “Park”—and the van moved forward pinning Joe to the ground, advancing over his left [...]

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Still valid!

I have been pondering the fact that the word “invalid”, meaning an ill or disabled person, is the same as the word “invalid”, meaning not in use/not workable/not valid.  How sad that our wonderful English language cannot create a different word for each context.  Perhaps the North American Eskimos, who reportedly have at least 100 words for “snow”, [...]

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Those things we CAN do!

Today I had a “wake up” call, as I began seriously realizing what my limitations will be for several weeks after my September 30th spinal fusion surgery.  (Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion.  Yikes!) I suddenly realized that for a long time post-op, I won’t be able to bend over and pick up bits of lint or [...]

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“Fearfully and Wonderfully Made”

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful.  I know that full well.”  Psalm 139:14 Indeed, we are fearfully and wonderfully made.  In recent weeks I have printed out and studied what is adding up to volumes of information on the spine, spinal issues, spinal surgeries, etc.  When I [...]

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