Preparedness

Dude, Where Is Your Peaceful Joy?

/ boxcarmike / Leave a comment
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Hey, Y’all!

Let the dominoes lay where they fall! I will pick them up one at a time. I cannot get them all at once because that is taking on too much. I can only deal with one thing at a time. Since it is only one, it means getting my peace and joy back.

I have the door open for fresh air and my worship music going to help me combat the insanity taking place outside my door as I write. I pray silently inside.

I have not written since Thursday of last week followed by two different snowfalls of insignificant amounts that were unexpected. I keep letting things interrupt me. I am bothered by not being back one hundred percent since my stay in the hospital.

Here I am, two or three weeks later. I have my coffee at almost 10 am, with a breakfast of scrambled eggs, butter, and red plum jam toast. I am running way behind. This breakfast tastes good.

I am still healing and will share more positive notes on that soon.

This week is bittersweet as I have my private way of saying goodbye to a friend who left this world and mixed it with the Holiday of Thanksgiving. I have so much gratitude in my heart for this friend of mine, Millie. She and I shared many meals and watched ballgames together.

Millie was always thankful and lived a life that way as she was proud of and loved her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

It saddens my heart she is gone but grateful she made the world a better place for anyone alone.

Finally, here we are back at the question that started this entry. Dude, where is your peaceful joy?

I get off track and 30let 03other things blind me. Anger hurts, and I lose touch with myself. I must keep current and when I fail my routine, I lose that peaceful joy.

Today I am hearing the music once more, as it plays in the background, and it is bringing me peace.

I must keep grounded and do my absolute best at staying in my twenty-four hours. It is in doing the next right remembering to have and living out my life in thankfulness for the gift of each day.

It is a gift to be able to live today and not fall apart and be inconsolable. I never understood how selfish that can be when others need more from me.

Grieving is a tricky thing that can keep you on a slippery slope that just can keep you trapped. I have been wrapped up in myself enough. It comes down to priorities and keeping up with a plan that keeps me more balanced.

I am ready to do better for myself and still allow time for me to heal fully.

I cannot afford the time for anxiety. If only, taking the suggestions offered adds something to the life I want to live and the person I grow to be.

It is time to get up and act for the day.

Find your gratitude today and live it out.

Thanks for reading!

This has been another blog post entry by Boxcar Mike, over and out!

God Bless Y’all, Everybody!

Post-Surgery Physical And Emotional Healing Choices

/ boxcarmike / Leave a comment

one of my favorites

Hey, Y’all!

A little more than a week ago, my hospital admission occurred. Admission to the hospital is hardly ever a pleasant experience but necessary. In my case, it was very necessary. I am very blessed to still have all my limbs and lower extremities.

What the doctors and I did not know is that I had an active case of Osteomyelitis. It was causing wounds not to heal and was in two small bones in my foot. Last Saturday, I had surgery to have those two small bones removed and I could begin to heal.

I have about made it through the first week of healing at home. It has been multiple appointments and having Home Health come back to my home to resume care of wounds. Though the one doctor and the wound clinic are taking care of the foot that had surgery.

I have like six weeks before the sutures come out and I am to take it easy and allow others to do for me, which I admit I resent.

I am trying to find time to take that deep breath throughout the day without answering questions that seem constantly coming at me.

I need everyone to leave before the end of the day sometimes. I need time for myself besides just having to lie down and rest and elevate my feet. I need time for writing, meditation, and conversations besides with friends who do have time.

While I was in the hospital, I was very emotional much of the time. During my first few days, I was still reeling from one of my favorite country music stars death Loretta Lynn. I found myself singing God Bless America Again very loudly something hardly do except to cope with stressful situations.

The nurses easily poked on and dug into twelve times for an I-V and some attempts left lasting marks. Nurses that put in I-Vs, you must do better. Please do not dig, that is not the way to do it because you are afraid of running out of time for a break or because you have other patients. Do it right or do not do it. Admit you need better training. Supervisors, help your Nurses. Do not sit on your butt watching Facebook or other social media. If you do it correctly the patient will have minimal discomfort!

Saturday, I had my surgery and while I did have pain, it was tolerable. I needed four tablets of tramadol to get through recovery time until I went home Sunday afternoon when I was discharged from the hospital.

I was happy to attend my Men’s Group on Tuesday online where the topic of anger came up.

Many things push us into anger and feeling overwhelmed by everyday life-type things.

The importance is in identifying what anger looks like and catching our thoughts early on. Being able to control our thoughts and remember to remind ourselves of true statements instead of believing a lie.

The first part of everything begins with how we start our day and the self-care in beginning our day.

This comes from prayer and meditation.

We encourage ourselves and affirm ourselves by using “I am statements.”

The attitude of gratitude by remembering and writing down the things for which we are thankful.

Reading for me which would be in God’s word and remembering God loves me and wants the best for me.

It is a lifelong process.

Thanks for reading!

This has been another blog post entry by Boxcar Mike, over and out!

God Bless Y’all, Everybody!

Hard Times Are Here Harder Times Coming

/ boxcarmike / Leave a comment
Park Hills 2022

Hey, Y’all!

It is Sunday, August 7th, 2022. I write about some complaints, self-betterment, recovery, spirituality, religion, cooking, and enjoying life. I do not just stick to those topics, or I will not be sticking to only those topics.

I think all topics should be fair game. We are in a world full of changes politically, religiously, economically, and with real-life hard struggles.

Some have no understanding we are in the middle of a crisis that is coming. Yet for some of us, that time is here. If you are on a fixed income, it is here. Getting groceries anymore is an emotional time for me.

I am having to decide what I can do without each month and how to preserve and stock up at the same time. DO NOT TAKE THIS AS ME ASKING FOR HANDOUTS. I am not!

This is a time to stay busy and I should have started even a year ago or more. Hindsight is 20/20. I know today it is not just me. Soon a lot more will be facing these circumstances. We are learning that our dollar will not stretch. It is not worth much at all,

I am trying to keep my electric bill down to $60 a month. It is particularly challenging at times. I will keep reminding people we need to be prepared and do everything to save.

This entails learning new skills, stocking up on supplies, changing our entertainment, and doing what we can for ourselves so others can take care of themselves. I also believe in helping others and I do that as well. It is about sharing what we have and building community.

Do your homework. Find trusted news sources. Go over your budget and check out your insurance find someone to explain the legal jargon you can trust. Make changes, as necessary.

Find out what you would do if no electricity or water. Those times are coming, it is a fact.

I have shared I watch preppers, cooks, farmers, homesteaders, auto mechanics, and different people. We cannot just keep going with our heads in the sand!

I am grateful for the knowledge I am gleaning. It would be a lot different if only a handful are saying we are heading for a depression! It is not that way.

You do not like leftovers? Well, that may change soon, or you will learn to take a dish and make it a few separate ways. Some of these people are saying some of us will not make it. I have no reason to doubt that.

However even being late in the game and seeing price hikes looming over us if we take heed now, we may have a chance.

Meals in themselves may look different. It may not be three sides an entrée and a dessert. It may be an entrée with vegetables in it. That is if we are lucky to have anything!

Some people may have supplies stocked up and have things under control. Most people I know are living paycheck to paycheck if they even have an income of any type.

However, on a lighter note, I am in the middle of rearranging my living room/office once more. I am finally getting to arrange my space as if nurses will not be coming in from now on.

I am hoping in some ways, this is a new chapter. I hated having medical supplies having to be a focal point in easy care for me. They were taking over spaces I meant for other decorations.

This way my arrangements are about my space for me, rather than having to take visiting nurses into consideration for every move. It will take some tweaking, I am sure.

I am making chili this week some to have and some to freeze.

I hope to get another YouTube video up and again, I hope to be consistent here.

Thanks for reading!

This has been another blog post entry by Boxcar Mike, over and out!

God Bless Y’all Everybody!