It's been awhile since I've posted. Justin's situation is hard to write about, but I know there are people who want to know what's going on with Justin, my son. In truth, he is getting sicker and weaker. For awhile,he made great progress, talking, eating, and getting back into his power wheelchair. Then he started getting weaker. His left lung became covered with secretions, and he needed surgery to scrape things out. Then a CT scan revealed more new spine fractures (total of 7). After that, he just hasn't been able to get over the hump. This week, Justin decided to discontinue the weaning from the ventilator. He is on full breath support and can no longer use the voice valve to talk without dangerous oxygen drops. Pain medication has been significantly increased to help him deal with the pain. It's a tough thing for a 23-year-old to confront one's mortality. We will continue this journey with Justin to the end to the best of our abilities. We
A minister who gives me something to think about is more likely to
see me on Sundays. This week, our minister told a story that stuck with
me. When this pastor was a youth, he worked summers as a day camp
counselor for fourth graders at Marshall Park on the western shores of
Lake Mendota.
As
a special summer treat, the counselors would find some garbage
can-sized tubs into which they would pour water, root beer extract,
sugar and dry ice. Coupled with vanilla ice cream, and you had all of
the makings of root beer floats (or black cows as they are called in
Iowa).
The kids would line up for their floats while the counselors filled
the paper cups with root beer and a scoop of ice cream. He noted that
no one got a perfect float. Some of the cups were fuller than others;
some floats had more ice cream than others.
Years later, the minister still remembers the kids falling into two
categories. One category of kids said, “Thank you, Thank you!”. These
kids had smiles on their faces that could light up the world. The other
category of kids wore frowns, looking at their cups and at other kids’
cups, and asked for more root beer or more ice cream. Some of the
really greedy kids would down half their root beer floats and, without
even leaving the line, ask for a re-fill. The minister remembers that
the counselors called these kids the “more-mores.”
The point that the minister was making is that people who feel and
express gratitude are generally happy people. People who aren’t
satisfied or search out ways that life is not fair are generally
unhappy people. I reflected on that during today’s six-mile hike from
Marshall Park to the top of the hill at Pheasant Branch in Middleton and
back again.
From Allen Blvd., I walked north to the end of the road next to the
Walgreens, discovering a private trail easement that the Heins family
thought to donate to the community. I was thankful for their
generosity, which established a link to the Middleton Trails System and
Pheasant Branch.
Ten
minutes later, I was enjoying nature, and I was grateful that to the
many governmental entities and volunteers who worked to establish the
Pheasant Branch Conservancy, a safe place to hike in the middle of deer
hunting season.
I was out here
not that long ago for the first time, but I discovered a new feature:
the Frederick Springs These springs feed the wetlands, producing 1100
gallons of water per minute and 1.6 million gallons of water per day.
Steps lead down to one of the “boils.”
The temperature of the spring water is 52 degrees Fahrenheit, no matter what the season.
I’m grateful to the Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy who
protect and maintain this valuable natural resource through countless
volunteer hours.
On the way home, I stopped at Taqueria Gonzalez
for a carne asada burrito and a Modelo Negra beer. I am grateful for
diversity in America, good food and drink, and hard-working immigrants.
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