For some reason, I am tired today. So, I am just going to leave you with some recommended reading. Recently, one of the ladies I have met through this blog asked me where to start reading the Bible, if she wanted to be encouraged. I recommended Psalms.

But, a lot of people are interested in reading ALL of the Bible in a year. (Who says you have to start on January 1st?)

Recently, I came across a schedule that will take you through the Old Testament once and the New Testament twice, within a year. It also has you read both alternately, so you don’t get bogged down in some of those books that deal a lot with family trees, etc. Here it is:

Week #
Suggested Reading
01
Genesis Chapters 1-26
02
Genesis Chapters 27-50
03
Matthew
04
Mark
05
Exodus Chapters 1-21
06
Exodus Chapters 22-40
07
Luke
08
John
09
Leviticus
10
Acts
11
Numbers Chapters 1-18
12
Numbers Chapters 19-36
13
Romans and Galatians
14
I and II Corinthians
15
Deuteronomy Chapters 1-17
16
Deuteronomy Chapters 18-34
17
Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I and II Thessalonians, I and II Timothy, Titus and Philemon
18
Hebrews, James, I and II Peter
19
Joshua
20
I, II, and III John, Jude and Revelation
21
Judges and Ruth
22
Job Chapters 1-31
23
Job Chapters 32-42, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon
24
I Samuel
25
II Samuel
26
Psalms Chapters 1-50
27
I Kings
28
II Kings
29
Psalms Chapters 51-100
30
I Chronicles
31
II Chronicles
32
Psalms Chapters 101-150
33
Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther
34
Proverbs
35
Matthew
36
Isaiah Chapters 1-35
37
Isaiah Chapters 36-66
38
Mark
39
Luke
40
Jeremiah Chapters 1-29
41
Jeremiah Chapters 30-52 and Lamentations
42
John
43
Acts
44
Ezekiel Chapters 1-24
45
Ezekiel Chapters 25-48
46
Romans and Galatians
47
I and II Corinthians
48
Daniel, Hosea, Joel and Amos
49
Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I and II Thessalonians, I and II Timothy, Titus and Philemon
50
Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah
51
Hebrews, James, I and II Peter
52
I, II, and III John, Jude and Revelation
Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light

Yesterday, I looked at the counter that checks how many hits my website has in the last 24 hours. I was shocked to discover that it was 600 and counting! Thank you!

When I started this blog two years ago, I never really imagined the potential interest. I never really thought it would take off, let alone have readers around the globe!

I started it as my means of having and offering a support group. I was hoping to find at least a few adults that were also having trouble finding people that were aging with CP and needed someone to understand the increasing challenges.

I never thought I would have young readers, as well as adults with CP and family members.

I Try

I do my best to be as open and honest about my personal experiences and my limited knowledge as possible. Sometimes, I even tackle subjects that aren’t usually discussed over dinner, or even with friends. Some things can be too embarrassing to admit.

I do my best to keep the post positive, while at the same time admitting that there are just some days that I would like to forget or do over.

Success

I am happy to say that the site has exceeded my expectations. I have individuals that are writing me personally, asking to guest post, and asking me to guest post. I am still trying to catch up on my correspondence. Sorry. (You know who you are.)

My aunt, who has known me and been around me for 52 years, has even thanked me for educating her. Here I thought she knew most, if not all of my struggles.

I have had people laugh with me, and probably some who would have gladly cried with me over some of the experiences. Even my doctor has mentioned that she would like to be a bug on the wall at times. We laugh together at some of the pickles I get myself into. (She is glad to have a patient that gives her permission to laugh.)

This website has been cathartic for me. As most of you know, I really tried hard to become a teacher. It wasn’t so much going to be a job to me, as it was going to be a chance to use my life to make a difference in someone else’s. Although not quite the same, and definitely not what I planned, I am starting to understand that this site does make a difference to some – at least in a small way.

To sum it all up, I want to THANK YOU for reading my blog. I also want to offer my friendship and understanding, if you just need a little bit of support and encouragement.

Thanks again, and may you find that your life is a blessing as you go about Living with Cerebral Palsy, or loving someone who does.

Goobie is my 7-year-old shi-tzu. (His birthday was yesterday.) He looks much like this little guy.

Goobie is my constant companion. He is almost always somewhere in close proximity, if not sitting on me. He was a my present to myself, when I graduated from college. At the time, I thought I would soon have a good-paying job, justifying the expense.

Preferring cats, my kids were not very excited when I brought him home. In fact, they often discuss his lack of smarts. But, I think he is a lot smarter than my son credits him. For example, although I let the day pass without doing anything special for him, Goobie managed to give himself a birthday present. Unfortunately, he is now in the “dog house”.

His Present

Wednesday, when my son and I went to the store, my son thought a package of beef jerky sounded like a good treat. But, they only had the flavor he wanted in the large 10oz. bag. Although pricey, it is healthier than some snacks he picks, and I thought it would be great for his upcoming road trip.

However, he left it laying on the bookshelf. Who knows why? I noticed it when I let the dog out last night. Although it didn’t belong there, I forgot about it by the time I let the dog back in the house.

I got up about 6am this morning and let him out to do his duty. Then, I went back to my room, dozing off a couple of hours later. When I got up to go to the restroom, I decided to let him out as well. When my son is gone, it usually saves me from needing to get up at an inopportune time.

After I let him back in, I rolled through the living room, heading for the kitchen to make myself a cup of coffee. As I rolled past the recliner, I noticed a BIG puddle in the carpet. He had already been out twice this morning, and this puddle was big enough for a dog 5X his size! Ugh! I didn’t know his bladder could hold that much! (Well I guess it can’t; not for long, anyway.)

I got something to soak up the mess and investigated. The almost-full bowl of water for the pets that I checked that morning was now almost empty. But, how and why would he drink that much.

You guessed it! Somehow, my supposedly dumb dog managed to get that big bag of jerky off the shelf. Maybe one of the cats checked it out and knocked it to the floor. Goobie had ripped it open and eaten 10 ozs. of jerky in the last 3-4 hours! No wonder he was so thirsty!

I figure he ate the equivalent of 2-3 weeks of puppy treats! I usually give him nibbles, when I am cooking or eating. Not today, and not for a good while!

However, he is getting his just desserts -so to speak. Me thinks he has had a bit of a tummy ache all day. Do I feel sorry for him? Not really. Do I make sure he goes out every couple of hours- definitely!

All in all, I love him dearly. Being in a chair, and stuck at home all day, his companionship is worth the occasional grounding.

So, happy belated birthday Goobie. Sorry, you had to treat yourself to such an expensive snack.

Do you ever do a practice run, especially when you are learning something new, moved to a new location, or had to adjust to new limitations?

I do. For example, when I was working – especially when I had two part-time jobs- I had to know exactly how long it would take me to get ready in the morning, the length of the drive, and the time it would take to get into the building and ready to work. When I was teaching or tutoring, being late was not an option. In fact, it was recommended to be at least 15 minutes earlier than the student(s). A half hour was even better.

Of course, winters in Wyoming make scheduling even more difficult. Depending on the weather and the roads, I might need to double the time it takes to get to work.

Even though those days are over for me, I still have to do practice runs occasionally. Although you won’t get fired or told to turn around and go back home, if you are late for church, it is very uncomfortable to “walk in” late. It is much better to be early and have time to greet others, before settling down to a lesson or a song service.

Even at home, it is nice to know how long it will take to do a specific chore. Then, if it takes to long, or I am too sore the next day, I need to reevaluate how I accomplished the task, and if there is an easier way to get it done next time. If not, then I know I have to allow at least that much time in the future.

To a certain extent, I believe that everyone does this to some degree – if subconsciously. Some are better than others at monitoring their time. But, when you have a disability, it is vital. Otherwise, you will get frustrated and stressed. In addition, you are more likely to try and hurry, which might cause you to be less careful and hurt yourself. (I know I am guilty of that one.)

It Came to Mind

The topic for this post came to mind, because this weekend is a practice run for having an empty nest. No. It isn’t the same thing, yet it still applies. Before my son left for a weekend youth rally in another city, I had him get down my favorite cups and pull out a pan, so I could make beans and rice while he was gone. (He hates them. I love them.)

I made sure he emptied the trash, because the cat will get out, if I take the trash out. Last time the cat escaped, it cost me almost $150 at the vet. He was on the losing end of some kind of scrap. Sad for both him and me, that is the 2nd time, in less than a year, we have had to take him to get cleaned up and medicated.

Well, when my son leaves for college and I live alone all of the time, the cat will probably just have to take his chances. I am going to purchase another pie safe, or something similar, to keep the dishes I will need down at my level. I already keep most of our groceries in a pie safe; I also have a lazy susan to keep cans, spices, etc. I will probably move the microwave down to the bar, which is the only wheelchair accessible change that was made to the kitchen. It is a bit lower than the counters, and I can roll right up under it, in order to fix meals or eat them. The kids and I use this as a substitute for a table, although we do have a small one.

The weekend is a practice run. Unless he is playing his trumpet, my son is pretty quiet. But, I must admit I am lonely, just knowing he isn’t here. I don’t hear him raiding the frig frequently. The television is off; and, I don’t hear him telling my daughter’s cat to leave him be. (However, I don’t miss him deciding to practice the trumpet late at night, when he forgets what time it is, or that he plays REALLY LOUD.

So, it will be a very quiet, peaceful weekend with just me and the boys. (2 cats and a dog) At least, I hope so. I am sure that my son will have lots of adventures to discuss when he gets home Sunday night.

. . . except me!

Do you have trouble sleeping at night? Maybe you have joints or muscles that hurt. Maybe you have a habit of dozing off during the day, because you lead such a sedentary lifestyle.

I have problems with both of these on occasion. But, my biggest problem is night plumbing. No, I am not talking about the porcelain commode. I am talking about me.

Although it is not uncommon for anyone to need to get up in the middle of the night, most people can quickly get back to sleep. In fact, when my kids were small, I believe that might have actually still been asleep!

The Transition

Unfortunately, when I get up in the middle of the night, I have to fully awaken. Otherwise, I might unceremoniously dump myself onto the floor, in the effort to transfer into the wheelchair.

Then, I must be able to lift myself from the chair to the commode without losing my grip or sliding on the floor.

Most nights, my son’s cat will follow me into the bathroom. If I am in the chair, he is sitting on the lid. If I am using the facilities, he is lounging on the wheelchair and expecting me to pet him for his efforts to keep a vigil.

By the time all is done and I am back in bed, I am wide awake! So, I start watching some kind of program on Netflix, reading, or something to else, until I get tired again.

Maybe you have the same problem, especially as you get older. Maybe it is doubly frustrating, because you need to awaken a caregiver to help.

They say patience is a virtue. I think that anyone with CP definitely has this attribute, especially when you can’t even take a nightly trip to the bathroom for granted.