coping

When people have suggested to me that it's amazing how I've coped with becoming a quadriplegic, I always say that we all have amazing coping skills, but we aren't aware of them until we are forced to face something difficult. I was reminded of that myself last week.

As I get into bed, I'm always sure to have access to my cell phone in case I should fall and need to call for help. On this particular night, I had reached the safe point, and had moved my phone out the way so I could pull my feet into bed. Something happened though, and I got an unusual spasm that threw me forward onto the floor. Once I realized what had happened and I checked to be sure there was no obvious injury, I tried several different ways to reach my phone, with no luck. I eventually realized that I wasn't going anywhere until morning (luckily I had someone coming by early that day). So I managed to pull my duvet off the bed and got as comfortable as I could, which wasn't very comfortable. It seems I had aggravated an old rib injury when I fell, and the way I was lying wasn't helping. The point of this story isn't to have anyone feel bad for me. I did enough of that for myself lying there (with the TV stuck on HGTV). What it reminded me (after it was all over), is that somehow through the toughest situations we find a way to get through it. That doesn't mean it's easy, but we get through it.