In life, it sometimes feels like there are only two kind of people. Those who like to complain about everything and those that live cheerfully. Although I have my moments, I really do try and live my live cheerfully. I try and be thankful for those small moments, even in bad circumstances, that bring me joy. I'm definitely an optimist, where my husband and best friend tend to be pessimist. One of the scripture President Uchtdorf mentioned was D&C 123:17 "Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed." Even as a prisoner in Liberty, Missouri, as he instructed the Saints to gather the details and document their sufferings, he instructed them to do these things cheerfully. It's often the times when you go back and really ponder your trials, that you see the blessings that were happening simultaneously.
One of my biggest trials occurred in 1997. I was in an auto accident and sustained a broken neck. I was treated and released the same day after closing a head and knee wound and told I had a bad case of whiplash. After a week of excruciating pain and not being able to function doing even the smallest task, I went back to the doctor. They found through further scanning that I had a fracture of my C2 vertebrae. Once the fracture was found, it started an immediate whirlwind of care. I was strapped to a table, transported to the hospital, where they contemplated for 3 days how they were going to address my fracture. On that Monday morning, I was finally rolled into surgery and was placed in a Halo. If you've not seen a Halo, here is the photo taken for my court case. For 5 months, I had to live in this contraption.
Let me tell you, living in a Halo was not fun. I couldn't shower the entire time. A sponge bath was as good as it got and that was with assistance every other day. Normal clothes wouldn't fit, I had to either cut them or in most cases, I lived in moo-moo style tops and dresses. That's not something most 27 year old woman would be super happy about. Sleeping in a bed, even a hospital bed, was never comfortable so I slept in a recliner the entire time. It just so happens we had that recliner till this year and I think of that chair very cheerfully, because it was one of the most comfortable recliners ever and used many times at my office for over night stays. Now one of the biggest irritants were the height of my poles. Normally when you wear a Halo, the poles don't extend much past the top of your head, well I wasn't that lucky. I basically fit between sizes, so one was to small and one was to big. They had to go with the larger Halo, which meant I was basically screwed in at the lowest setting, which left a foot extra up top. That extra foot, made it very interesting to get in and out of cars, so being transported was always fun and the view of the car roof was very exciting. Oh and can't not forget, I no longer had a car, because mine was totaled. To top that all off, to align my fracture property, my head was basically tilted up. That meant I couldn't see half of what was in front of me, on a lower level and that caused me to trip..ALOT. Sometimes my family would FORGET to lead me or tell me about a step and BOOM, down I'd go. Talk about an eyeful for those around me. People were already staring at me everywhere I went, but when I'd fall they would just freak out and panic.
I tell you these things, because even in that difficult time, I chose to look at the positive. My brother in law would come over to hang out and I remember him asking me one day "How do still have a smile on, every time I come over? You look so happy and I don't get it." Well, in that moment, as much as all those issues above were a pain and inconvenient, I was really thankful to be alive. In the hospital, they told me so many times, I was lucky to be alive after walking around with that broken neck for a week. One wrong move and I could of been dead or paralyzed in a split second. I chose to be cheerful because I was able to spend more time with my daughter. I needed assistance to care for her, but I was with her and not working. I was also cheerful because I was excited to do some genealogy work and ended up doing a ton of it during those 5 months I was home. I was blessed to spend more time with my family, while they helped me get to appointments and such. Even some of the weird things, actually made me laugh in the moment. As wrong as it was, scaring kids at the movie theater, would make me giggle. Having a wrench attached with Velcro to the front of my vest, was necessary, in case of emergency and I needed to receive CPR. I would tell my daughter "No momma, has a wrench like your momma" and do a little tapping game with it.
Like others who are dealing with afflictions, you have your moments, but if you choose to live a life of Gratitude, those moments are fewer.
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