“God is the Sun and when His rays fall upon your heart, not impeded by the clouds of egoism, the lotus blooms and the petals unfold.”
The above pictures are from Chichen Itza, the famous Mayan ruins in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico. I had the opportunity to walk among the ruins and learn about their fascinating culture while visiting there four years ago. The reason I bring this up is that earlier this week was the Summer Solstice, the first day of summer and longest day of the year in terms of daylight. The Mayans were known for their affinity of the sun and the mysterious powers it possesses. While I don’t believe I am of Mayan descent, I certainly share their appreciation for the largest star in our solar system.
One of the many beautiful things about the sun is that you don’t need to have fully functioning legs and arms to enjoy its warmth. It’s healing power even transcends sight and sound allowing the deaf and blind to also enjoy its radiance. In fact, we probably enjoy it more in some cases. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the need for the rain, and in fact actually enjoy a good, strong thunderstorm. However, there’s just something about a sunny day that energizes me in such a positive way.
This past week had plenty of sun I was able to enjoy since I was not as busy as last week, however I still managed to squeeze a lot in. I continue to feel strong, however, I am currently battling another pressure sore that appeared out of nowhere. Hopefully, this one won’t keep me sidelined like before. One thing that can help alleviate pressure source is standing. I continue to stand on weekly basis for about an hour at a time, but I’m hoping to eventually stand on a daily basis. I need to get a sliding board of my own so that others can help get me into the standing frame — currently, Holly brings one with her each time she comes over to stand me.
I have purchased a 4′ x 8′ exercise mat to begin doing some floor exercises. I’m hoping to begin doing some upper body weight bearing exercises, such as assisted planks. One thing I need to be cautious of is the level of stress and tension I place on my joints and tendons. Having an “I’ll try anything” attitude can be a benefit as well as a liability if I am not smart about the new things I want to try. Holly is very eager to help me try more advanced exercises, but also cautious to make sure I don’t do something that my body is just simply not ready for. Although I often tease her that she is too cautious, I’m actually very appreciative of her opinion, knowledge and concern for my well-being. I am hoping to talk with some other individuals in my situation to learn ways that they have been able to do some weight bearing exercises with their upper bodies. I also need to find a new E-stim machine that I can use on a daily basis. The one I have right now is nice, but a bit antiquated. This machine is one way in which I can start to build up some muscles in my arms and shoulders.
On a somewhat related note, I was not selected as the 2011 recipient of the Mike Utley scholarship. That’s the bad news. The good news is that I don’t have to spend a month in Detroit. Just kidding, and no offense to my Detroit supporters. I have nothing against the city or its wonderful residents. (In fact, I plan to share a powerful message at the end of this post that I received via e-mail from my friend, Steve, a Detroit native). The month in Detroit would certainly have been a great benefit to me in terms of the therapy it would have provided. However, I’m hoping that in the not-too-distant future I will be able to receive similar treatment right here in Cleveland. Another friend of mine, Chris, is on the verge of opening a rehabilitation fitness center for individuals living with a damaged spinal cord. This facility, Buckeye Fitness, will feature state-of-the-art equipment and offer services modeled after Project Walk, a prominent California–based rehab facility. I am very excited about his endeavor and have been working with him behind the scenes to make it happen! If all goes well, the facility should be up and running this Fall, allowing individuals in the area/surrounding areas to get world-class treatment we otherwise would have to go elsewhere for.
In a previous post I mentioned I had some news I would share once confirmed. I am honored to say that I have been asked to be the Keynote Speaker at the 2011 Northeast Ohio Spinal Cord Injury Symposium, which will be held at Metro Hospital on August 5. This is an all day event geared toward educating and providing resources to medical professionals, SCI individuals, caretakers and any other interested parties. I will post more details about the event as it draws near.
Finally, I wanted to share the forwarded e-mail I received from Steve. Typically, when I receive these type of e-mails I read them and sometimes reflect on their messages. I very rarely, if ever, forward them on. For some reason the e-mail Steve sent me struck a chord this time. I actually received it from someone on a previous occasion a few years ago but never did anything with it until now. The message is as follows:
“There was a blind girl who hated herself because she was blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She told her boyfriend, ‘If I could only see the world, I will marry you.’ One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her. When the bandages came off, she was able to see everything, including her boyfriend.
He asked her, ‘Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?’ The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind. The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. She hadn’t expected that.
The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her to refuse to marry him. Her boyfriend left in tears and days later wrote a note to her saying: ‘Take good care of your eyes, my dear, for before they were yours, they were mine.’ “
Unfortunately, this is how the human brain often works when our status changes. Only a very few remember what life was like before, and who was always by their side in the most painful situations. The point of the message is to remind us that life is a gift, and rather than complain we should be grateful for what we have, because others aren’t so fortunate.
I hope everyone has a great weekend, hopefully some great weather, and takes a moment to enjoy all of the gifts, including family and friends, you have in your lives! And I certainly want to thank everyone for your continued prayers and support… Stand Strong!
Scott