Important Moments

It's about 7 am on Sunday morning and I'm up writing to all of you. My wife, mother, and brother are still asleep upstairs and the house is quiet. Even our little brown dog, Tate, is off staying with a friend for the week. The sun is coming in through the back windows, and the day is clear, bright and cold. I am content.

During the past few days, I've had alot of thinking time and I've used it to think about me. When your health changes, you turn inward, analyzing, and diagnosing. You try to control all of the small parts of your life that you still have to control. Its an odd time. For instance, my typing skills have improved remarkably since the surgery. I'm not fast, but I'm extremely accurate and my prose flows out remarkably easily. Its one part of my life I can still control, and I've noticed its importance to me again.

While thinking about me, however, I really noticed all of the beautiful people in my life that are working to help me. Curt and my mom have been at my house on and off since the surgery. Last night, at 4 am, when I had too much pain to sleep anymore, my mom was up talking to me in the kitchen, helping me through the pain, and working to get me in a better place again. We haven't had moments like that since I left for college, and its really nice to reconnect with them.

Jane has been the best through all of this too. Anytime of the day, she's been there to help with medicine, and even cooking our first batch of Nathan-friendly spinach soup last night. I count myself lucky.

As for friends, the emails have been great, but last night, I had my first phone call. I talked to Nicole for a bit and it was nice to reconnect with friends again. Paige stopped by yesterday to check on me, and we watched a movie. I helped her make some pizza, and I drank a Boost shake. Paige and I don't know each other very well, yet, but I appreciate her concern. All of these little connections are very meaningful.

Anyway, my point of all of this reflection, is that up with my marriage day and my marathon day, my surgery day has become one of the most transformational moments in my life. Its certainly tough, but I'm fighting through it, and when I come out the other side, I'll be much stronger for the process.