Mixed Blessing

It's a good thing that I had a restful weekend because this week has gone off the rails. I knew that I would be busy, but I completely underestimated the impact of my chaotic schedule. I'm exhausted! I wish I could relax and just watch Netflix, but today is only Thursday. Any plans for relaxing will have to wait another two days, because my schedule is not easing.

I find myself increasingly grateful that we have Friend. Not only is he a fantastic companion for Timmy, but he has become my walking buddy. Friend forces me to unplug a few times a day so that he can go for a long walk. His walks have become my time to decompress and relax.

All of the walking has had some surprising side effects. It is beneficial for my mental well-being as well as my physical health. I have shed 25 pounds since we brought Friend into our family, and it is all because of his walks.

Unfortunately, the mold for my leg was made before we met Friend. My super comfy new leg is now too big. Yesterday it slipped off during our walk and I nearly lost my balance. I was able to correct before I went down, but I know that I need a modification. Talk about frustrating! I finally received a new leg and merely 10 days later it no longer fits. 

Losing weight as an amputee is definitely a mixed blessing.

The "C" Word

I was sitting in the living room, working quietly on my computer, while Timmy was participating in his Zoom class. The topic was for the lesson was empathy and kindness. It was a relatively benign first grade lesson with a book reading followed by a class discussion. Empathy is a difficult topic to tackle in a classroom, and I'm sure that the issues are only compounded with distance learning. 

I could tell that the teacher was struggling to gain class participation. She was asking direct questions and receiving only one or two word replies from her students. I've been in that situation, and I understand the frustration. In what I assume to be an attempt to spark a conversation, she offered a scenario.

"Think of when you see somebody in a wheelchair. You should feel sad for them because they are crippled. You should also be nice to them because they can't walk." Before I could turn my head, I heard Timmy slam down his mute button. He immediately chimed in with his perspective. 

"You shouldn't use that word because crippled is a bad word. Using that word is mean and it isn't nice. You should be nice to everybody not just people who can't walk."

Sounding stunned, his teacher thanked Timmy for the reminder and promptly redirected to another student. My little advocate remained on mute for the remainder of the lesson (which is nothing out of the norm for him.) I'm not a proponent of correcting teachers publicly, but in this situation I was so proud of my little guy. He seized an opportunity to educate and he did it with passion and respect.

1917

 Another weekend has come and gone. It passed way too quickly but, unlike other weekends, I was able to take some time to relax and completely unwind. I feel energized and ready to tackle whatever the week brings.

On Friday afternoon my niece Tiffany arrived for a visit. We ordered delivery, hung out and watched a movie. Robby picked the movie so we settled in to watch 1917. I'm not terribly fond of war movies, but I was riveted. If you haven't watched the movie I highly recommend it. I can't think of another film that had me so captivated. 

On Saturday Tiffany packed up and continued down the road to meet some of her friends. I took Friend to his obedience class. I am determined to have this pup well-behaved!

With the exception of the cold, the weather was perfect for playing outside. I spent hours walking up and down the street with Friend, trying to teach him how to heel. Although he isn't perfect we have definitely made some progress. 

This week is going to be busy but that really isn't anything new. At least I am starting the week with a quasi-clean house and a few extra hours of sleep banked. Between work, school and training Friend, I have a feeling I'll need all the energy I can muster.

 

Puddles

I continued to put my new leg through its paces yesterday. With Friend recovered from his neuter surgery, we went on two long walks through the neighborhood and a hike through the woods. My little pup was in his element, sniffing around and happily waving his tail as we explored.

I am astounded by how quickly he has recovered from his neuter surgery. I was expecting him to feel poorly for at least a week. Instead he was up and ready to go the next morning, and he was completely recovered by the second day. If only humans could recover from surgery so quickly!

We won't be outside as much today because of weather. Much to the disappointment of the boys, we are getting rain instead of snow. Hopefully we will have at least one more big snowstorm before the season is over. I love seeing Robby and Timmy (and now Friend) playing and throwing snowballs. While there won't be snowball throwing today, but I suspect we will gear up and jump in some puddles. 

Comfortable Fit

After struggling for nearly three years, I am comfortable and walking with confidence in my new leg. The process took longer than I anticipated, but the result was worth every single delay. My new leg fits perfectly!

I can't remember the last time I was able to slip on my leg and forget about it for the rest of the day. It feels liberating to wear something so natural feeling. Yesterday I logged 15,000+ steps throughout the day and I never had to take it off or adjust the fit. I went through my day waiting for discomfort that never materialized. 

Not only is the new leg comfortable during the day, but I felt no phantom pain last night. The annoying stinging that has been visiting me nightly was absent. Because this leg is expertly crafted around my nerve bundles, the nerves were not angered throughout the day. 

After a long detour, I feel like I am back on the right path!

Fire

 Late Sunday night there was a fire in our neighborhood. I couldn't see the flames, but we certainly heard the firetrucks and emergency response. Yesterday morning I drove past the damage, and I was horrified by the scene. The entire structure was reduced to ash and rubble. The only thing left standing is a single brick wall. My heart ached for the homeowners. I can't fathom the devastation that they feel.

Not only did the occupants lose their home and all of their belongings, but there three beloved pups also perished in the fire. We have gotten to know these dogs because they always ran to greet Friend as we walked by each day. It is going to be lonely walking by the property without hearing the happy barks greeting us. The owner is currently in the burn ward of the hospital because of injuries sustained as he tried to free his dogs. 

I cannot begin to fathom the loss they are feeling. Seeing somebody in close proximity suffer such a total loss certainly puts my own frustrations into perspective. I held my family and my kids a little tighter last night.

Ice

Friday night into Saturday morning we received a mild version of the massive snowstorm that blanketed the East Coast. The two inches of snow covered a thick layer of ice, keeping us housebound all weekend. I am not going to complain though because I really didn't want to go anywhere. 

The cold temperatures thwarted any melting that may have occurred. Our road is essentially an ice rink. On Saturday night our neighbor lost control of his car and slid off of the road. He ended up careening into the woods. Instead he was lucky and his car stopped just in time, although he certainly has front end damage and was in need of a tow. 

Since we were stuck inside, I took advantage of the opportunity to work and to tidy the house. In addition to knocking out some work projects, I also cleaned my living room and kitchen, packed up some toys for donation. I am starting this new week feeling accomplished!

I'm hoping that the ice begins to melt early this morning because I have an appointment to receive my new leg. I've been waiting a long time for today. Hopefully it won't be delayed because of ice!