Dear Reader:

I returned for my weekly Friday morning appointment yesterday at the Comprehensive Wound Center. And guess what? It wasn’t raining…this is the third Friday since I started going for treatments in mid-October that it hasn’t rained! Hallelujah! Finally… most of the ‘gang’ was back from the holidays and from taking some vacation days over the holidays. It was good to see Jim and Bobbie again…along with my “new” helpers… Kathy, Greg, and always the wonderful Dr. Stroud.

I am slowly but surely getting there with this new Affinity treatment. Out of a possible ten treatments I am allowed…we are now at number 6. I think I have had more treatments than anyone else but I keep telling myself that there is no race in this…just trying to get it healed completely. Apparently the location of this wound…right under my ankle… plays a big part in the lengthy healing time.

From a silver dollar size wound…I now have about a nickel size circumference. And the best thing…my foot no longer hurts! It is a miracle…I can walk on it with absolutely no pain. After drowning in pain for so long…it feels like ‘walking on water’ or the closest I will ever get to it.

And I finally found some canvas “mules” that are so much lighter than those clunky black “croc’s” that I have worn for over three months daily. As far as my feet are concerned…I am ambling along…springing forth with pleasure in mid-winter weather.

I phoned and texted Mollie to see if she was home to drop some packages off for her and discovered she is in Palm Beach on a Beauty Counter conference with some local Charleston area  participants. Hope the conference goes well Mollie…have fun.

Walsh was holding down the fort and we had time to catch up some while Eloise took her morning nap.

I brought her a birthday present…a numbered Dolly Dingle doll in a limited series…she loves Dolly!

Dolly Dingle dolls, paper dolls and all other merchandise (boy’s name- Billy Bump) morphed from a popular doll series created by Grace Drayton in the early 1900’s to becoming the image/icon for the Campbell Kids on soup cans.

With good weather yesterday and a more promising prognosis the hard times of the past three months seemed to be sliding farther and farther back into my memory. I am now looking forward to the future and I have a new appreciation for my former “normal” life…”normal” is good!

When I came across an article on some ways to help one through the hard seasons and days of life…I compared my thoughts with the four objectives of the author in these excerpts… ( “Four Things to Remember When Life is Hard…Dave Willis)

…Struggles in life are inevitable, but destruction is optional. Remembering these four principles can make all the difference.

1. Remember that your Character should always be stronger than your Circumstances.

We can’t always control what happens to us, but we can always control how we choose to respond. In those moments when I choose to stop complaining and instead give thanks to God for the good in my life, the parts that seem bad start to seem much less significant. Choose to keep a positive attitude and thankful heart regardless of what you’re going through.

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

2. Remember that your Struggles always lead to Strength.

Every difficulty in your life, whether big or small, is something God will use to produce more strength, faith and perseverance in you if you let Him! All your pain has a purpose.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”Romans 8:28

3. Remember that God’s timing is always perfect.

God’s plans are almost always different from our plans, but His plans are always perfect! Have the patience to wait on His timing instead of forcing your own.

“For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord; plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

4. Remember that God will never leave your side.

You may feel like you’re going through this struggle all alone, but from the moment you ask Jesus to bring you into God’s family, He will be by your side to the end so never lose hope!

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

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So until tomorrow…As I re-read the author’s four guidelines for healing when times are hard…I could relate to each thought and upon hindsight thank God for each blessing I received… disguised initially as a hardship.

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

*I am so proud of my car that I decided to “crunch the coins” and get front and secondary seat floor covers with the highly advertised Weather Tech floor mats…especially designed specifically for each individual car model. They came yesterday and Luke put them in with a flash…no problem. I plan on keeping Surcie looking good for as long as I can!