Grateful.

I just got back from a quick weekend trip to Idaho. I'm just so grateful for everything after going. We went to see my sister who has been in the hospital for 4 weeks now. My older sister is just truly amazing. Anyone who doesn't know her is missing out. She's great. She has been through so much in her life, yet she is so resilient and happy and fun to be around. She is blind and in a wheelchair, (residual effects from Reye's Syndrome when she was 8 - and the Aspirin given to her when she had chicken pox.) Right now - she's been in the hospital because a pump in her back that delivers medicine to control her spacticity is malfunctioning. She's been through the mill again. She slipped into a coma a few days ago, and was intubated, etc... but she is awake and doing somewhat better. She's had two surgeries since being in the hospital - and so far still can't control or move any of her limbs. I've kind of grown up with someone in my family always being sick or in the hospital. I often deal with it, just by kind of ignoring it. But, after visiting with my sister recently, I'm not really ignoring this. I got to go up and see her in the ICU a couple of times. It really put everything in perspective for me. I'm a whiner. I often sit around lamenting my "old life." Missing the weather in San Diego, and all my piano students, and the choir, and everything else that I was doing there. Instead - I should truly be grateful. At least I can move my arms and legs and see my children and have children and I'm not stuck up in a hospital bed not knowing when things are going to get better for me.

I'm just grateful that I have a sister who is so amazing who has reminded me that I can choose to be happy no matter what is going on with me. My sister sat up there joking the whole time. She is really funny. She is certainly feisty and was always teasing the nurses and making us all laugh. She can't even turn on the TV by herself, or feed herself, or move herself anymore. Yet - she was laughing, joking, smiling, and thanking me up and down just for bringing her some chapstick that wasn't mom's "yucky Blistex." I think I needed a refresher course in Gratitude 101. I really am grateful that I have so much. Sometimes it takes someone who has so little to remind us that it shouldn't take much to make us smile and count our blessings. Thanks sis. - for being you and teaching me a better way to live.