Sleeping in

Normally, I'm known to sleep in as late as possible, and when I don't have to be up, I can easily sleep past noon. Unfortunately, that's no longer an option here as the whole getting up process requires the aid of so many others. I was so excited this morning when I got to 'sleep in' until 8:30. There were still nurses in and out of my room before then, but I managed to keep my eyes closed and rest for another hour and a half from their first entry. I also got to choose to stay in bed later and didn't make the transfer to my wheelchair until just before lunch at 11:30. The rest was a welcome gift as I tried to awkwardly massage my shoulders sore from several days of lifting and holding my body in the uncertainty that my legs can bear the weight. 

I don't have scheduled therapy on the weekend, so I was so excited for the chance to finally FaceTime my sister during the late afternoon. My days have been so full and exhausting the last few weeks that I don't have the energy for even a short conversation with the people I love eight or nine hours behind me. I'm so incredibly thankful for the friends who can come visit me here, but none of them top a conversation with my Nini. She's faithfully sent me video updates of her life while patiently waiting for me to have the energy to reply. When we talked today, she admitted how hard it was not to hear from me everyday, but I was all the more grateful that the people who love me don't love me any less when I don't have the energy to call them or even answer the phone when they call me. They love me where I'm at - which is a perpetual state of exhaustion - and they are excited to hear from me whenever I have the energy. Especially Kara who on occasion even answers her phone while on duty as a paramedic to answer my ridiculous questions about my digestive system (though she's usually busy saving lives).