Yesterday, Easter Sunday, we left Nehterlands at 12:30 pm. Om Jaap and Tante Tobia drove us to the airport in a rented accessible bus. It was hard to say good bye!! When I was finally seated on the plane, I noted to Susan that the pain levels in my feet were actually at 0 on a scale from 1 to 10. (She leaned over to check if my feet were still attached!!) . The flight was remarkably different from the trip to the Netherlands only one month ago. I was able to recline without my leg pillows and wool mattress pad. I enjoyed the meal and wine, got up to the walk to the toilet , engaged in conversation and watched 2 movies.
We arrived in Calgary at 1:30 pm after a 9 hour flight and were surprised by a group of friends: Jon/Tracy/Zander Micah, Pastor Mike/Cheryl, Anne /Henry, and Linda D. met us at the airport. Somehow the short moments together in the airport became a celebration that echoed the Easter theme! Thank you!
Although the four of us are physically back in Olds, our minds and hearts are scattered between here, Netherlands and beyond. Today as we sat around the supper table (enjoying the meal provided by Nola Brown), we reflected on the last month. We realized that for each one of us the reality of my much improved pain control remains rather illusive. Although I can speak of the change I feel inside, outwardly it seems to Susan and the girls that not much has really changed. With the continuing exhaustion, and with the struggle of decreasing medication levels, it is sometimes hard for others to concretely understand that my pain has, in tact, decreased. The effects of pain have been replaced by a different set of challenges that wear on me. I need to spend a lot of time resting and then, gradually, I will begin to figure out what the next chapter will look like for me. This transition, with all it's challenges and joys will affect all of us. With this in mind, our family has decided that it would be best if the next weeks and months were guided by the same principles that have been part of our lives over the last year in particular:
We arrived in Calgary at 1:30 pm after a 9 hour flight and were surprised by a group of friends: Jon/Tracy/Zander Micah, Pastor Mike/Cheryl, Anne /Henry, and Linda D. met us at the airport. Somehow the short moments together in the airport became a celebration that echoed the Easter theme! Thank you!
Although the four of us are physically back in Olds, our minds and hearts are scattered between here, Netherlands and beyond. Today as we sat around the supper table (enjoying the meal provided by Nola Brown), we reflected on the last month. We realized that for each one of us the reality of my much improved pain control remains rather illusive. Although I can speak of the change I feel inside, outwardly it seems to Susan and the girls that not much has really changed. With the continuing exhaustion, and with the struggle of decreasing medication levels, it is sometimes hard for others to concretely understand that my pain has, in tact, decreased. The effects of pain have been replaced by a different set of challenges that wear on me. I need to spend a lot of time resting and then, gradually, I will begin to figure out what the next chapter will look like for me. This transition, with all it's challenges and joys will affect all of us. With this in mind, our family has decided that it would be best if the next weeks and months were guided by the same principles that have been part of our lives over the last year in particular:
- No expectations
- Be Patient, PACE
- Hold things with an open hand
- Be content with however things work out
- Celebrate the moments as they happen
- Understand the need for caution
- TRUST that the implant is working and do not worry.
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