Making a break for it

Sadly, my husband left last weekend to work in three different countries (outside of Germany) and he will be gone for five weeks. This didn't come as a surprise and even though TADs (temporary assigned duty) are just another part of being in the Marine Corps, that doesn't mean I have to like it; and that doesn't mean it's easy to deal with. I've been kind of depressed since the day before he left; I'm sure being stuck in this rehab facility has something to do with it.

Today I got cabin fever and even though it turned into a gloomy wet day, I decided to break out and go for a car ride. I was so sick of eating German food that even though I rarely enjoy McDonalds, that was all I could think about eating for dinner. I jumped in my car which was parked in the parking garage (for 2 euro/day) and turned on the GPS to search for the nearest McDonalds. It was only 11 km away so I didn't hesitate before heading out on the open road.

Only five minutes into my drive I hit some traffic, it was 5:15pm so I'm sure everyone else was just getting off work. I didn't mind because by that time the sun was shining, and there was a cool breeze flowing through my car. It looked like the rain was only in a tiny part of Bad Urach, what luck!

I made a few wrong turns but still didn't care; I was out on the open road in my red Volkswagen loving life and on my way to some American fast food. When I reached McDonalds, I ordered a Chicken McNugget meal with a Cola Light. The woman working the intercom system at the drive-thru did not speak English, thankfully, I could order auf Deutsch. Once I paid and received my food, I drove to the grocery store parking lot next door and enjoyed my very hot dinner. I couldn't finish the whole meal, I was actually very excited about this because it must mean my stomach has shrunk.

After I finished my meal, I set my GPS back to Fachkliniken Hohenurach and blasted some Nena- 99 Luftballons from a CD made just for me by my friend Henry before I moved to Germany.

Now THAT's how you seize the Day!




Liebe,
Mandy

Balcony Bible verses & German Käse-Sahne-Kuchen, simple pleasures

Tuesday, May 24, 2011
It's been a while since I've felt like I've actually seized anything. Maybe last Sunday when I drove my car only 19 days post back surgery I could count that but not much else has really stood out as "seizing" this month. This evening however, I decided to pluck myself some me time.

In case you were wondering, Carpe diem is a phrase from a Latin poem by Horace that has become an aphorism. It is popularly translated as "seize the day". Carpe literally means "to pick, pluck, pluck off, cull, crop, gather", but Ovid used the word in the sense of, "To enjoy, seize, use, make use of". Courtesy of Wikipedia

Käse-Sahne-Kuchen

So back to plucking...I purchased a slice of Käse-Sahne-Kuchen from the cafe located here in Fachkliniken Hohenurach, my physical therapy rehabilitation clinic in Bad Urach. I also bought a Coca-Cola Zero because the only thing we patients get served all day is water and tea. I took the cake to my room and sat on my balcony, eating each bite slowly, listening to the birds chirp and the wind flow through the trees. I finally felt at peace and in my "happy place."

My actual piece

When I was finished with every last bite I opened my pocket Bible and began reading where I had left off, with Psalms. My Mother-in-law got me started on reading the bible chronologically and it has been very calming and soothing to my soul. If you'd like to join in the fun, here's a helpful site: Blue Letter Bible. Today is day number 144, if you'd like to begin where I am reading.


I hope you all are remembering to take the time to stop and smell the roses. It only takes a few minutes each day to take a break and center yourself again and it does wonders for your mind, body, and spirit.




Cheers!

Mango Monday

Monday, May 9, 2011
Today I slept in until 1100 because somehow throughout the night I ended up on my stomach, a position I was warned to stay away from by my doctor. I was in such pain at 0700, I asked Matt to get me some water and another Tramadol as I attempted to roll over onto my back.

When I finally got out of bed, I washed my dry, itchy face with some Mary Kay Facial Cleanser, brushed my teeth with the new tooth paste Matt bought for me, and then repositioned my bed head hair style into a tighter pony tail on top of my head.

For a snack, I grabbed the mango from the top shelf of the refrigerator and I stood in the kitchen enjoying every sweet ounce of that delicious fruit until it was nothing but a large hairy seed. It's been awhile since I took the time to live in a single moment and I forgot how amazingly rewarding that feeling was.

I spent approximately four hours on the phone today with the local Tricare office, International SOS (Tricare overseas/Europe headquarters), and nearby German physical therapy centers trying to figure out when and where I would start going to rehab to help me recover after my back surgery (Percutaneous Nucleotomy).

When Matt came home from work I was relaxing on the couch and he handed me a beautiful bouquet of carnations and lilies. I am so blessed to have such a loving, supportive husband. This week has really been stressful on us both. Matt has had to cook and clean on top of take care of me by helping me get in and out of bed or up from a seated position since I can't bend over or reach to either side. He's been really strong for me and helped me to stay positive and hope for a speedy recovery.



Cheers,
Mandy