There's an old saying, "Time flies when you're having fun." It hasn't been all fun, but the time has passed quickly. It was five years ago this week when I came to live at Pampa Nursing Center. My life has changed a lot since then -- mostly for the better.
It was 2014, and I had just had surgery for spinal stenosis and had spent three months at a rehab center in Amarillo. I had stayed at Pampa Nursing Center briefly before the surgery and decided to come back to be closer to my family. It was tough leaving my own apartment and really tough giving up some of my freedom, but it has worked out.
After the surgery, I couldn't do much. I had to learn new ways to do things. I couldn't raise my right arm to lift a glass of water or feed myself. I couldn't use the keyboard to type. That was really hard because I depended on the computer so much. With months of therapy and God's grace, I have slowly regained much of the use of my arm.
Today, I'm thankful to live in a good place where people care about me and help me.
I've met some neat people here and also have been reunited with people from the past. My eighth-grade history teacher, Mr. Porter, is here recovering from a stroke and learning to walk again. I learned about the Constitution in Mr. Porter's class, and he had us memorize parts of the Bill of Rights and the Gettysburg Address. I guess you could thank him (or blame him) for some of my political beliefs!
The nurses and caregivers here are really good to me and make my life much easier and fulfilling. When some of the staff found out I use the computer, they started asking me to make fliers for their activities. I also design and produce the center's monthly newsletter, which I enjoy doing very much.
I really have the best of both worlds. I have all the help I need, plus I have the freedom to still get out on my own to take a ride if I want. I'm so blessed! It may not be the ideal situation, but I'm thankful I have this place. It's been a wild ride so far, and I'm anxious to see what the next five years will bring.
