So, I have COVID again. I think this is the 3rd time.
I have talked about isolation elsewhere in my blog. I've heard on the news that experts haven't yet seen how COVID and isolation have and will affect people's mental illness
However, I can talk about my Cerebral Palsy and the isolation that goes along with it.
I think anything that causes you to feel different than others can cause you to feel isolated.
Thus many, probably most of us, feel isolated now and then.
Isolation is lonely. It's like being stuck on an iceberg, surrounded by islands. You know others are there, but you can't get to them.
Remember that feeling as a kid of being picked last (or never) for dodgeball?
Even though I know many disabled people, many people with CP, in my own warped thinking, I think nobody can understand how I feel.
People may call us selfish, but when we are in the thick of their situation, we don't know how we would react.
I think there is a difference between feeling a natural genuine reaction to a problem and feeling sorry for yourself and entitled to something.
Even more than that, I think we need to have compassion for those who feel isolated. We need to be able to look with love at people and see that they're hurting; not judge them because they're hurting.
So, as we're considering what mental illness looks like in a posted COVID world, and its isolation, we need to be gentle and caring, remembering that we are sailing in uncharted waters.
This was my son, Dalton, and his wife, Megan's 1st Thanksgiving as a married couple. They hosted dinner. It was just nice getting the 2 families together. We were only missing Megan's sister, Emily, and her boyfriend.
It's truly amazing to watch young love.
There's a purity about it that can only be recognized by people who have been in themselves.
Thank you for a wonderful Thanksgiving. I pray you have many more!
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Every now and then, life blesses you with an unexpected gem.
Mary Long is one of my gems.
She is an 84-year-old, uh...character...Yeah, that's it!
She is a patient here at The Waters.
She's had a very interesting life, to say the least.
She's been married 10 times.
Mary met her first husband when she was a 13-year-old hitchhiker.
He was in his 40s. and they were together for 30+ years. He was the father of her 3 kids.
He was a bad diabetic and lost both his legs. She said she was 70 lbs and toted him 'round like a sack of taters.
She says that he is the only one she ever loved and the only one who ever really loved her.
The rest of them, as she says, only wanted someone to keep them up and go to bed with.
As I said, she is a character.
But no matter how many times she tells me her stories, they are always, consistent!!
On Thankful Thursdays, I've been writing about strong women who have influenced my life, and Mary Long has definitely influenced my life.
Last week, I talked about how Mama always prays that GOD will place people in our lives to help us when she can't.
Mary is one of those people.
Mary has taught me many things, and probably many things she probably shouldn't have.
She is one of the happiest people I've ever met. She's a natural entertainer. She makes me feel better when I'm upset.
Who is a gem in your life?
Over the past few years, "social isolation" has become part of our everyday vocabulary.
GOD said in Genesis 2:18, "It is not good for man to be alone."
We were created to fellowship with others.
Many of us can feel alone, even when we're in a crowd.
Isolation is deeper than loneliness; it is a feeling of despair and/or abandonment.
Some forms of isolation are forced on us by others, and some we cast upon ourselves.
Why?
I think, at least for me, I don't feel worthy of love; GOD's or men's.
But we are called to live by faith, not by our fickle feelings as Joyce Meyer says.
No matter where I am or what I am doing, GOD always loves me, and He is always with me.
In Hebrews 3:5, GOD says, "HE will never leave us or forsake us."
We have to trust, even when it's hard.
In Miracle On 34th Street, when Susan is in the car with her mom she says "I believe, I believe, I know it's silly, but I believe."
Sometimes, we have to have a child-like faith, even when everyone and everything around us says that is no sense in believing.
So, how is your faith?
Now people have several opinions of the occurrence:
-Some people say this story is clearly saying that this man is demon-possessed, and does not have a mental illness.
-Some people believe that this man does have a mental illness.
-Some people don't believe in mental illness; and that mental illness is definitely not talked about in the Bible - which it is, BTW.
-Some people think that sin causes mental illness.
-Some people recognize mental illness as a true medical issue, and that has nothing to do with sin. (*Side note~some sins does lead to medical & other problems*)
Regardless, of what you believe, JESUS healed this man of his demons.
And HE can heal people who have a mental illness.
However, HE doesn't always heal people.
Many people stop believing in JESUS if they aren't healed.
-Some people say you're not healed because your faith isn't strong enough.
Sometimes, JESUS uses our mental health as part of our ministry
In Luke 8:28 we learn that demon-possessed man asked; "What do you want with me, JESUS, SON of the most High GOD? I beg you don't torture me"
Are we asking GOD what HE wants from us; what HE wants from me?
Now, I know that HE doesn't "need" anything from me EVER!!!
I do owe HIM my love and respect; whether HE ever heals me or not. I may end up being crazier than a betsy bug, so I ask that someone please remind me to praise GOD when I can't remember to.
According to dictionary.com, comfort means to soothe console, and reassure; (verb), a feeling of relief or consolation (noun).
Comfort is one of those words that has a different meaning for everyone; maybe it is associated with an image.
When we first got married, some friends of ours gave us a big overstuffed chair. It was awesome to curl up and watch a movie or read a good book.
Comfort gives me a sense of peace. No matter what is going on around me, if I can just close my eyes for a minute, then I can go on and deal with the ordeal at hand.
John 14:26 (KIV) says;
"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the FATHER will send in my name, HE shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remeberance, whoever I said unto you."
It should come as no surprise that GOD HIMSELF is the best comforter of all.
John 16:6-8 (NIV) tells us:
"Rather you are filled with grief because I have said theses things. But very truly I tell you these things, it is for your good that I go away. Unless I go away, the ADVOCATE will not come to you. But if I go, I will send HIM to you. When HE comes HE will proove the world to be in the wrong about sind and rightouness and judgement."
A couple of years ago my brother, Luke, tragically lost his oldest son. I can't even start to imagine what that would feel like. Luke took it in stride. I'm sure he struggles every day to get up and live his life but he does it. I am in complete awe of him. I pray that he is able to dig down deep and take comfort in what we learned about GOD while we were growing up.
We do not always need to understand why things happen as they do. In fact, it's probably best that we don't understand why things happen like they do If we could understand why things happened, we would probably up in a ball and cry.
It's only through the hope, through the comfort, of GOD that we can survive anything at all.
This picture may have been made a couple of years ago.
OK, OK, maybe a few more...24 to be exact.
When we met in a 2-week summer Philosophy class, we didn't know how much our lives would change.
I had been praying to meet the guy I would marry and spend the rest of my life with. I knew within 2 weeks that this would be the man that I would spend the rest of my life with.
He was a little less enthused.
I think he loved me, I know he loved me.
However, it's one thing to fall in love and get married. Is quite another thing to fall in love and get married to someone with a disability.
SIDE NOTE: I am in no way saying that people can't or shouldn't fall in love and get married, it is just not easy. (I have discussed this many times in this blog.)
I can only speak about our experiences, especially mine.
I can't drive, and as anyone with kids knows, being a chauffeur is a big part of being a parent. We were very blessed to have Bryan's Daddy and other parents and friends who could help out.
When we went out as a family, which was a great ordeal, especially when it got harder for me to walk, he proudly carried the weight. It would have been so much easier for him to do things by himself, but he chose to do things that included us as a family.
He worked hard so that I could stay home with our kids and be the best mother to them I could be.
He worked hard to give me what I needed to have a more productive life.
Even now, when I have to be in a nursing facility, he does whatever he can to include me.
Even when I'm unlovable...
Even when he doesn't understand everything...
Even when I don't deserve him...
He's still there
Oftentimes, when you're dealing with someone with a disability, illness, or really anything that puts a strain on the family, it's the person with the impairment who seems to get the bulk of the attention.
Sadly, I am the one who got that attention.
Most of the time I selfishly wanted the attention.
I took this away from my children.
But he still loved me, still loves me!!!
I am continuing to give thanks to some of the women who have made an impression on me.
I have 2 friends here at the Waters who are sisters They both have some type of Apraxia. (I think)
I met Gail when I first came to live in the nursing facility. She's so sweet. Her condition is much more advanced than her sister, CJ. Along with her trouble speaking, she's totally physically disabled. I thought she had Multiple Sclerosis when I first met her.
I'll talk about these sweet ladies in other posts.
Today I want to talk about their mom, Mrs. Jefferys.
First, let me say it's been a difficult week for me.
My roommate, Sandra , went to live with a caregiver in her home in Hermitage. I got upset and Aella Saudade may or may not have, made an appearance.
Anyway, Mrs. Jefferys just called to say hello and see how I was doing. She said she would check on me next time she comes to visit Gail and CJ.
It meant so much to know that someone, out of the clear blue, just called to say she was thinking about me.
Mama always says that she hopes people step in and take care of us when she can't be there.
I've been blessed by a lot of good "Mamas" over the years. I'm proud and thankful to count Gail's mom as one of my adopted "Mamas".
Before I go any further, I owe my Mama a HUGE apology for all those times I wouldn't let her sleep!!! I love to sleep; like I could s...
