Now I lay me down to rest

I prayed I’d pass tomorrow’s test

I did not die before I waked

Now one less test I’ll have to take.

And so I prayed last night, that regardless of the late hour that I went to bed I would make it through leading a craft at our local Lyme Disease support group meeting.  We made green hemp Lyme Awareness bracelets in recognition of Lyme Disease Awareness month.  Things went well and sometime later this afternoon will be time for some real sleep.  But of course there’s a few errands to run despite my fatigue.  No problem.  I’m used to functioning this way:  spacey, spent, sore, and half awake!

Bittersweet it s the experience of sharing a craft activity with friends on this same journey of recovery from Lyme Disease.   ‘Twas cool that I got to plan some of it with a dear friend earlier this week.  A sweet part of our time together today was the fellowship while sharing a simpler version of the jewelry that has become my home business. We got to talk casually while keeping our fingers busy creating something pretty.  And yet another sweet part was meeting a goal from my business plan for Trinity Jewelry by Design:  to teach a class in jewelry making.   Wow.  I thought it might be for a local craft store someday.  This works well too.  Check!

A more bitter part of today is the reminder of my inability to work as an occupational therapist.  Using therapeutic activities to help others recover in rehabilitation settings was part of my job as a Masters level clinician.  Today was a much simpler version of those type of activities without the billing, documentation, staff, or time pressures.   An activity analysis could show that the variety of exercises and tasks between the two would be similar but are usually more complex in OT.  To perform at a level needed for employment every day would be way above where I am now.  However I must say that it was nice to dabble in that realm some this morning.   And we did have fun!

You just never know what perspective a new day will bring.  Reminiscing on my former work life can be difficult at times.  Yesterday I watched a webinar on home safety for persons with neurocognitive impairments.  This used to be my area of expertise!  I had a small business 16 years ago teaching fall and injury prevention programs to community groups, sponsored by medical equipment vendors.  Then more recently I had used state-of-the-art evaluation and treatment protocols to assist patients and families with both physical and cognitive impairments to live in the least restrictive environments.  I enjoyed working with patients, families, caregivers, and colleagues to develop plans to promote the best function, the most accessible environments, the best quality of life.  I suppose those skills are still there in my background somewhere!  I suppose it wouldn’t take too much research and review to get back up to speed again.  I just don’t know at this time in my life if this is what I am called to do anymore when I am well?

”Tis a good thing that everything does not need to be resolved on a Thursday!  What I can say is that this morning was a decent one and good things happened.   I really appreciate praying with two gals afterwards and we could not do that in a work setting for sure!

Better get going.  There is shopping to do and two Lyme bracelet orders waiting to be filled.  I’ll sign off grateful in this moment and trusting the Lord for the ones to follow.  He is good and is already there in tomorrow.   ‘Tis a good thing that He is here with me now as well!