Aloha and Good Morning!
Previously I wrote about the very beginning of the journey with my husband after his spinal cord injury. Today, I would like to fast forward 10 months as I sit out on my lanai listening to our new neighbor Mr greet the day rooster. Yes, the days of sleeping late on a lazy Sunday relishing in the freshly cleaned sheets have passed. However, maybe not for the reasons you may think.
I read a post early on where a lady described her marriage to her husband who was paralyzed as including 3 entities: Herself, her husband, and the disability. She explained that the disability has needs just as well as husband and wife that demand a certain amount of attention. Her point being that everyone in the marriage needs their needs met so while it is necessary to give the disability attention, equally important is that both husband and wife meet their needs a couple as well. I have found this to be so true. There are routines that need to be followed and our wake up time is more scheduled now, the disability definitely calls for its due attention. However, compartmentalizing in this way has helped me remember that we are a couple who are very much in love and it feels great to nurture that love.
So back to why I am sitting here listening to the rooster crow, and the birds starting the symphony of their morning songs, well by choice of course! Did I ever think I would wake up at 5:00am on a Sunday (and Saturday too) on my days off? No Way!!! What I have found however is that this time of day is absolutely inspirational. As I continue to write blogs I hope to find ways to share how in my experience of adjusting to life after spinal cord injury I have found ways to be calm, peaceful, joyful, hopeful, and loving. One hugely important contributing factor is this time I have carved for myself at the brink of dawn. Starting everyday grounded and centered is the best thing I can do to help set the foundation for the day.
As always, to anyone struggling to move forward after they or a loved on have suffered a spinal cord injury, I send my love and prayers. Aloha!