~Impressions~

Ive been told that at times I have had an impact on people.

Sometimes not good, but 99% of the time I hope it is good.

Ive always had stamina I guess and well not really courage,

but I wont back down from a fight. . I may get discouraged

and not push hard to advance, but those times I am only

gathering strength for a major forward surge and most times

its been one of those re-starts as I call the major turns I have

taken during this lifetime..Ive made changes in how I deal

with things as my issues have gotten more intense and I have

had to have an attitude to deal with them.. But there are some,

when they hit a rough spot..just stop..don't fight, let the others

around them do the fighting for them..and then it takes even

longer to get back...some, many dont...

A former caregiver, came by with her new client, named Richard.

young nice looking man, long black hair to his shoulders.. He

had hip replacement surgery that he had a hard time to get over.

Then to make matters worse, Richard was involved in a very

serious car accident, broke both arms and both legs.. He was in

hospital for quite a long time..In fact he was very lucky; at one

time they had thought the only recourse was to possibly amputate

his left leg it was so severely damaged.. They didn't have to, but

Richard just had a 'I don't care anymore' attitude.. He was brought

to me for a afternoon visit.. only knowing I was a former client of

his caregiver , and in a wheel chair as well... was he in for a treat,

meeting me... I knew about him..and his attitude, but he didn't

know about me and how I AM.. poor guy..he shoulda been warned.

:-) no I was nice... :-)

He was pushed thru the doorway and into the living room, I noticed

he did very little for himself..even though his arms had healed quite

nicely, his legs were the problem, he didn't do enough to really get

them re-started... When he was pushed through the door he had

his head resting in the palm of his hand, and his elbow was on the

armrest, a sort of sad, poor me look on his face, a weak smile,

and the hello was hardly intelligible.. He WANTED me to feel sorry

for him.. Now- you KNOW I did ..yes?.. HELL NO!.. I looked at

him..up one side, down the other, said, "hi Richard, how ya doin

Hon ?" I was ready to listen to his SAD story... I glanced over to

his caregiver, she winked at me ..she KNEW what was coming...

I smiled so sympathetically with each word he said, nodded my

head at the right times as he told me all of his story..what I really

heard was... "I go to therapy, but it tires me out so bad, and I just

get so discouraged, its just been so hard, and I am just so fed

up, I almost lost my leg you know," and sounded so pathetic and

whiney, POOR RICHARD... :-( You KNOW I felt so sorry for him

dont you?.. If he REALLY was bad, yes, I would..but he wasnt...

I leaned forward a bit and said to him "are you complaining about

this therapy and HARD work that will give you the use of your legs

again? You say your tired and don't FEEL like working at it? ?

Do you SEE these there? (touching my stumps with my hands)

WHAT do you see when you LOOK at ME? Do you see legs? ?

MINE wont take therapy or work again, there is NOTHING I can do

and YOU complain?, KNOWING you will stand, walk again ?

I will trade places with you ! Look!... I would do ANYTHING to

walk again, to stand, stretch..not feel constant aches and pain

every day, to not sit constantly ALL my waking hours..." He sort

of got a Guilty look on his face and looked at his legs..touched

his thighs with his hands.. when he looked up at me again he

sort of nodded his head and mumbled.."yes, I have mine, BUT,

its hard work".... I told him.. "ANYTHING worth getting you have

to work for it.. If YOU work HARD, you WILL walk again.. NO

matter how HARD I work.. I will never walk again..YOU have a

REASON to really TRY Richard.. DO IT I told him..and smiled..

Its really easy when you know already the outcome will be a

good one, trust me "....

We all chatted back and forth and soon we were laughing and

the atmosphere lightend..Richard seemed more relaxed, then

it was time to go.. He looked at me, and kinda smiled.. a nicer

one than when he got there, and said "nice to meet you Lois,

and thanks.. they left.. A few days later I got a phone call from

our mutual caregiver and she told me that Richards visit to me

was just the "shot in the arm" as she put it, that he needed, he

was really doing great. He had a better attitude that he was

more looking ahead to what he was going to be able to do again,

not what pain and agony he was in or had gone thru.. I was

really glad.. made me feel kinda useful..and having a purpose..

Sometimes I get days when I wonder, what is all this for.. I only

sit at a computer all day, and I type, and I gladly answer the phone

when it rings to talk to someone.. I enjoy the visits from Theresa,

and Rebecca, and I try to keep this place clean so Penny doesn't

have to do a lot so we have time to talk about her life, and how

she is doing.. But I still feel useless sometimes.. wishing I could

do more, then I will meet someone like Richard.. or someone

will write or phone and tell me I am "the bright spot of their day"..

then I feel I do have some use, and that makes this GORGEOUS
WEEBLE very pleased.. :-).

Now I am going to use the post thingie down the bottom and give

your eyes a rest.. Thank you for all the great Comments on my

True Love Story... Those- very few get to witness- it gives you

hope when you do.. "Nitey Nite" :-)

Y'all have a good one now, Y'hear.. Love ya..and Thanks! :-)

Always, Lois ****

God Bless you, is my prayer today,

I'm so honored to call you "friend";

I pray the Lord will keep you safe,

Until I write again.....