“How are you doing today?”…”Terrible.”
While sitting in the waiting room of the doctor’s office this morning I witnessed the above exchange of dialogue take place between the nurse and an elderly gentleman whose turn it was to see the doctor. I found myself smiling after hearing his reply when he was asked what seemed to him to be such an intrusive question. It reminded me of a scene from the movie “Kingpin” when Woody Harrelson asks his neighbor, “How’s life?”…”It’s taking forever,” his neighbor answers, as he smokes a cigarette, sucking from an oxygen tank between puffs.
“Terrible.” As I watched the man disappear behind the door and down the hall I could only wonder if things were really that bad for him. I’m sitting paralyzed in a wheelchair with broken titanium rods in my neck causing constant discomfort, and yet if you ask me how I am doing “terrible” would be the last thing I would expect myself to say. Life is full of surprises and each day holds something different in store for us, but are things really that bad to be terrible? Who knows, perhaps they are for some of us. Who are we to judge other people and decide how they should or should not respond to the events they encounter throughout their lives? Instead, maybe we should make ourselves more available to help others who seem to be struggling to deal with certain things they find themselves up against. I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without the help and support from my family and friends. I am extremely grateful for that and hope that I can continue to also help others in need.
Speaking of helping those in need, this past weekend the 3rd Annual Scott Fedor Tailgate Benefit was held at Lehigh University prior to the Lehigh vs. Holy Cross football game. I want to thank my friend and fraternity brother, Bryan, for organizing another successful event. Unfortunately, the issues with my neck prevented me from attending this year, but I was represented by my father who made the trek out to Bethlehem. A special thanks to all of the Delta Tau Delta brothers for your continued generosity and support. Thank you!
Since I was in town on Saturday evening I headed out to the local watering hole to partake in a surprise birthday party for my friend, Katie. I arrived early enough to get settled in before she was due to show up. However, to my surprise the bar was not ADA compliant and I had no way to navigate the stairs leading into the room where all of the guests were waiting. Instead we parked our car in the CVS parking lot across the street and waited for her arrival. Once she had been ushered inside, surprised and wished well by everyone, we headed back over to the bar. I waited in the car while my mom went inside to find Katie. A few minutes later the group emerged from the building and I was still able to wish her a happy birthday, even if it was from the front seat of a minivan. The bad news is that I was unable to stick around and celebrate the evening with her. The good news is that I made it home to watch the LSU vs. Alabama football game!
In spite of the discomfort I’ve been feeling, I did make it to my physical therapy sessions last week. Once again, my body responded in a positive way that I was able to activate the nerves in my muscles upon command. It is still quite an effort to conjure up even the tiniest of movement in my foot, but nonetheless it remains very rewarding to see my leg trembling because I’m telling it to. I spent some time on the abduction/adduction machine for the first time. It’s refreshing each time I am on a new machine, bringing back the familiar feel of working out as I did prior to my injury. I was pretty spent after each workout this week and definitely felt like I had earned the rest I sought when I got home!
This Wednesday morning I am headed over to Cleveland Hopkins Airport to participate in “Project Airport” which is sponsored by Metro hospital. The activity involves going through the process of boarding an airplane – checking in, going through security and actually boarding the plane. I’ve been wanting to take part in this for a while and am glad I am finally able to do so. Next stop… somewhere warm!
I also have a meeting this week with the state of Ohio Medicaid representatives to seek more at home health coverage. I had applied for more hours several months ago, was denied, appealed and was granted a hearing. I am hoping to convince them that I need someone with me 24 hours a day in case of emergency. I don’t require nursing coverage, but rather a home assistant in the event I needed something. I’m not holding my breath that I will be granted more coverage, especially given the current state of Medicaid and the increasing associated costs, but at least I get the peace of mind of knowing I had the opportunity to state my case.
Finally, I contacted the neurosurgeon last week about setting up a surgery date to get the broken metal removed from my neck. I am waiting to hear back from the scheduling office, but trust I am making the right decision. It is my hope that once this issue is behind me I will be able to strengthen my neck even more and gain a little more range of motion.
It’s definitely looking more and more like Fall outside. The leaves have changed colors, the clocks have been rolled back and the air is a bit more brisk. Another season is upon us. My life seems to change with the seasons, usually for the better, although it’s tough to ignore what’s missing. But it’s also impossible to not recognize where there’s been advancements and positive gains.
“How are you doing today?”…
Stand strong!
Scott