A Sweet And Tender Find If A Wheelchair Is Your Life

                       

                 

Last week we had a really sweet tender mercy, that for people that live life in a wheelchair, was a blessing to find.  About three hours from home is a town by the name of Sunriver, OR.  We have been there multiple times during the winter but felt the desire to see it during a different season.  We loaded up food for 10 for a week, computers (yes, laptops and chromebooks and the desk top) and school work, 7 bicycles and all things ALS.  It took two vehicles to get there. A friend that stopped by just as we were leaving said he didn’t know a family alive that would go to so much work just to have an adventure, but that is just our groove.  We were super blessed to find that Sunriver has 30 miles of PERFECTLY GROOMED trails that weave in and around forest and rivers to some of the most beautiful places on earth.  I can not describe how good it felt to put everyone on a bicycle and have Jonathan with us every mile.  He has lost the strength to use his hand to sustain forward motion for long in his chair.  BUT we have a special elbow support that we can push his arm forward thus engaging his hand in the "go" position.  When I shove his elbow support way up he is set for MILES (granted you have to chase him down at times to disengage captain go-go bringing him to a stop).  Getting places you would hike and bike to in a power chair can be extremely limited, and Sunriver was a tender touch of heaven in our lives.  If wheelchair life is your life, maybe consider some time in Sunriver.  Jonathan wheeled out of the accessible home we found to stay in and went right into the trails that led to endless hours and days of sweet blessings together as a family.

I wanted to share this opportunity with any that may also benefit from it, but before I close, may I keep it real for my tribe that lives real? After cruising without contention (which is rare) for hours as a family, and me literally thinking to myself, "This is my newest favorite day of my entire life!," we had a hum-zippy of a snafu 100 yards from the door of our rented home.  I saw Jonathan struggling and beginning to panic and I wasn’t able to discern what caused him to go from bliss to utter distress in seconds.  It didn’t take long for me to realize the source of duress.  We spent the next few hours doing a late night bath, clothing change, disassembly of the wheelchair and a thorough scrubbing of the Roho cushion.  For any that have enjoyed a Roho cushion scrub you know the joy of each individual air cushion and how carefully it tucks treasures between every little fingerling. 

                    

 After hours in the bathroom and not all parts of Jonathan’s wardrobe earning a ticket home his eyes caught mine and his silent lips mouthed the words, “Thank you.”  And adorned in odorous rubber gloves and with every ounce of love I had, I smiled back .  Hoping his heart would know I would do it for him a million times over because nothing brings me greater joy.  And for every imperfect mortal morsel that lives inside of me there is an equal amount screaming out, don’t you ever forget- I’m all in.  I’m broken and weak and weary at times, but don’t you ever forget, I’m all in.

                      

Ya.... we tried a bit of that thing called golf - first time for everything. 

Jonathan tried to see if he can still chew gum.  That was a riot!  He was sooooo close to making a wad in his mouth.  It was more of a wallowing around than wadding.  Good times.  Dang tongue just doesn't
git r' done like it used to.