Fra-gee-lay

It reads:

"Good and gracious God, you have chosen the little ones,
the world's poor and lowly, to become rich in faith
and heirs to your Kingdom.

Open our eyes to see your presence everywhere and in all people
Open our ears to hear the challenge of your Word.
Loose our tongues to speak words of encouragement and strength
to those whose hearts are fearful
and sing the mighty wonders of your love."

I've been carrying around the program from last Sunday's church service in my purse because of this prayer. I looked at it while emptying out my purse last night.

Here's the deal. This is the part that scares me the most. The most difficult part.
Creating the new normal. In my journey with Dermot, I can't count on one hand the times I've hand to adjust to the new normal.
Usually just when I get used to the new normal, it changes.

Second week of school in full swing.

Yoga classes attended, paddle board purchased, running partner found, the new normal was looking awesome, until Wednesday.

The phone call from the school while I was on my run. It wasn't the first time I've received a call from the school nurse while I was running, just the latest.

I ran as fast as I could to the school to solve the situation which I was convinced was "no big deal". I arrived, calmly asked about Dermot's activities that day and lifted the blanket from his leg.

A flush of white came over me, Many "oh my God's came out in rapid succession and a few "Oh fuck's" followed.
Dermot's right thigh had a large swell and an unnecessary bend in it.

Horrifying.

A call to 911 was made and my new normal was starting to form.

Another ambulance ride, another hospital, another doctor, another procedure.

Today I will learn to care for my son while his broken femur heals for the next couple of months.

I am grieving my free time lost, I am grieving my yoga classes gone, I am grieving my paddle board outings cancelled and I am grieving my new found freedom that I'd waited all summer to have.

I am sad.
I am angry.
I am fearful.
I am also filled with faith.
Filled with hope.

Fragilty

"One day some people came to the master and asked. 'How can you be happy in a world of such impermanence, where you cannot protect your loved ones from harm, illness and death?'
The master held up a glass and said, 'Someone gave me this glass, and I really like this glass.
It holds my water admirably and it glistens in the sunlight. I touch it and it rings!
One day the wind may blow it off the shelf, or my elbow may knock it from the table.
I know this glass in already broken, so I enjoy it incredibly.'

-Achaan Chah Subato

I will learn my new normal. and hope that it is only temporary.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Letter to Dermot

Image
"Letter to Dermot" Dermot, I’ve been trying to put off this letter for quite some time. I just gave birth to your little brother and have realized how heartbroken I am over you. I look at pictures of you and get a tinge of sadness where I should get joy. I see the things you cannot do and the things you won’t be able to do. I’m so sad about it. I feel responsible, so much more than anyone else knows. I look back on the day you had your first seizure and I’m so angry with myself that I didn’t know what was happening. I feel like the length of time was my fault and that it caused more damage to your brain than was necessary. I’m so sorry. I know that you deserve the best in everything for your life and my regrets run deep. God has a plan for our family, I know. All of the challenges that you go through help make us stronger, but I wish more than anything that I could take all the pain away, all of the drugs, all of the therapy. I sometimes imagine you as a normal little guy get...
Read more

Fourth time

Just as I crossed the last thing off my grocery list, I heard a muffled chime from my purse. I thought to myself, I wonder if its Dermot's school. Not really believing it was, but teacher Jan was on the other end of the line. "Hi Sue, Laurie has administered the Diastat for Dermot", she said with a tinge of sadness in her voice. "Okay, I'll be right there" I said. I looked down at my full cart of much needed groceries and pushed them to the register. One part of me wanted to continue and check out as if nothing was happening, the other, wiser part said "get the hell out of here". Another abadoned cart at the grocery store. This time I call Joe, "I'll meet you there" he says. Three stoplights later and a quick jaunt on the highway and I'm there. Wiped the tears away and ask the receptionist for admittance to the special education wing of the school. I walk briskly to Dermot's classroom. The other little boys are having circle...
Read more

Profoundly

I've written many essays in my head. There's the one about being embarrassed by Dermot throwing up in the hospital cafeteria, or the one about friends and how they've changed over the years, or the story about the man I met at the hospital with the nineteen year old son with Dermot-like disabilities or my favorite, the way I use chocolate chip cookies as therapy. I sit in waiting rooms and write in my head, by the time I get home the details are lost or the energy has left me. I sit awake in bed staring at the ceiling knowing what I want to write, then I get out of bed, start up the computer and my words have left my head. I've been struck by how profoundly sad I am. I am really sad. The challenges keep coming, changing. I've learned many coping mechanisms, I've found a higher power to run the show, I seek out help from support groups and therapists, I volunteer to help others. All of these things make me feel better, but to my bitter disappointment, they do...
Read more