Another Week Goes By

Greetings from a very warm Chilliwack. While not as bad as Eastern Canada or Europe we are seeing temperatures into the mid-30s. Last week was very hot, this week only really hot and next week simply hot. But every week will be well into the 30s which is over 90°F. We don’t have the humidity of the East but it is still very hot for a person like me. I hide in the afternoons in my bedroom/office with our little air-conditioner going full speed. We try to get out for a walk in the evenings when the temperature drops below 30°.

Life goes on as normal. Some days better than others. The hard part for me is getting time off. Like I said, I can’t sneak off to the bathroom to have a few quiet minutes. I don’t have the private time having a shower or getting dressed. I can’t go for a drive to the corner store and get a couple of minutes on my own. So, I miss those quiet moments to gather my thoughts and start recharging for the next event. Even finding time to sit down and write something like this is extremely difficult. People come and go and then drop by to spend time with me which I really enjoy. But I do not get the time on my own for just a few minutes to do anything – including staring at the wall.

So, the battle continues as always. I have adjusted my sleep medication and that seems to help. The air-conditioner makes a difference for my sleep. Very important to have a good night’s rest. I have managed to get a lot of small jobs around the house accomplished which helps me feel better. There is always something new – especially with electronics and automation. Sometimes everything works, normally something is causing an issue. But we are getting adept at finding solutions. Slow but sure.

I still struggle dealing with the thought that I will be a quadriplegic the rest of my life. Fully dependent on assistance on every level. And privacy has left my life. Try to spend your day with someone always in the room when you’re having a shower, getting dressed, brushing your teeth, going to the bathroom, driving to work. Try to make conversation through all those events. Even worse, eat while you are on the toilet. Shave while you are on the toilet. Brush your teeth while you are on the toilet. Then you will get a small idea of what life was like. I need the moments of privacy and I just don’t get them. For me that’s a struggle.

Thank you again for all your support, all your visits, all your prayers, I cannot live without them. We will find a way, Isabelle and me, to get through this and move forward. Sadly, we don’t have a choice.