Time

Sorry for the long gap without a post. It's been a crazy week, not that that's new, but since nothing else is that's what I'll post about.

Last Thursday night, my laptop dies. Here's the story behind that. I got a new laptop in November 2011. Summer-Fall 2012 it started acting up. I went on chat for the store it was from and the person I was chatting with told me bring it in to the store and they will fix it, the warranty covers that. I thought to myself "wow, that's almost too easy." So before driving to the store I called to confirm. I was then told I was given wrong information and unless I have their store protection plan, I would have to pay for repair. I decided to argue this one. I was clearly told they would do it and had the emailed chat convo to prove so; whether or not that is their policy is besides the point. I called corporate to basically be told sorry but they can't do that. Well my mom is a pro at this stuff so she said she would take it from there. Long story short, she reached some man at corporate who said he would be willing to take back my computer and send me a new one. Wow. All I wanted was it to be fixed like they told me they would do, but going above and beyond that alright you'll save me as a customer.

So he was going to replace my laptop but the same one was out of stock because they were coming out with all the new Windows 8 laptops. He said if I can wait I'll get the newer version. Well alrighty. I waited, but then I landed in the hospital, so then he waited. Then there was the commotion of my returning to Chicago, so he waited some more. Finally back here we got it set up to send back my old laptop and have him ship me my new one.

I set everything up, uploaded all my files and programs, and attempted to get used to Windows 8 (not at all a fan! but beggers can't be choosers). I noticed the battery wasn't lasting anywhere near the 7-8 hours it was supposed to but didn't think much of it. So now back to Thursday night. The battery was near 10% and it said to plug it in, so I did, but it didn't start charging. Wonderful. So I tried everything I could think of, a different outlet, taking out the battery, restarting the computer, nothing worked. Called the store and they were nice enough to say bring it over and they would take a look. Well, turns out it is shorting out at the laptop... a new plug wouldn't fix that. Great. 

Friday morning, call our man at corporate. He said he would ship another one. But I decided I no longer want this brand since I now had 2 bad computers from it. So he said look and see what I would want. Well next to everything on their website was sold out. On top of that I needed to find a 13 or 14" because that's the size my case is that I received as a gift and didn't want it to go to waste. And unless I wanted to spend more money, I had to stay around the same price. He would even-out the price but I'm guessing not if it were more than $100 over what was originally spent. I only had 2 choices. So I made my decision this week and my new laptop is supposed to arrive next week. I certainly hope this one's a winner! So thankful there are such kind people in this world willing to go above and beyond to help others out. 

The reason I say all this is because since my last post I haven't had my laptop so its not as easy to get on and post. And just as I was getting past the stress of everything falling through with the surgery, the computer problems happened which caused more stress. For a few days I was out due to MG flair from the stress. Then I started feeling better and went outside to make a snow angel when all that snow hit, and once again I was out. Apparently snow angels use a lot of muscles. So for the past week I've had to take it quite easy. I'm sure a lot of people are thinking, if stress makes MG worse, don't let it stress you out. Guess what, that's easier said than done. I tried my best to contain it and redirect it, but that doesn't mean it's not a stressful situation and that doesn't mean it won't affect me.

But guess what? That rescheduling of my surgery turned out to be a blessing in disguise if I want to look at the positive side of it, which I do. Because of it, I was able to see about 10" of snow and make a snow angel! Haven't done that in years and wouldn't have been able to if I were in the hospital. Because of it my 2nd laptop crashed within the first 15 days return period so I was able to exchange it and not only that but I'm ending up with a Windows 7 (sounds like a downgrade but I really really don't like Windows 8). I've been trying to "create" my room here at my parents since returning mid January. I've had paint supplies to make wall hangings/decorations sitting around for a couple weeks but never got to it. Because of the extra time and since my laptop crashed I decided that would be a good time to paint. I'm still in the process because lately my arms have been much weaker than my legs, but I've started. I've also been doing more reading, but that also has to be kept to a minimum because my eyes start losing focus. But one thing I found I can do no matter what, listen to music, and what a joy that has brought to my life! I used to listen to music when I was younger, and when I ran, but ever since not being able to run I just kind of left it behind. Well when you lose a lot of options, old options start to reappear and new options start coming into view. Music is now my escape and I'm so happy to have rediscovered it. And... because of the delay I will now be home when my brother is home for spring break, which overlaps a few days that my cousin is home for spring break, which just happens to be the same weekend another Aunt and Uncle will be in town visiting another cousin... so hopefully I will get to see everyone on my mom's side of the family all together for the first time in years! 

I describe things in detail hoping it will give all non-MGers an idea of what a day is like for an MGer, and how little life stressers can bring on crisis situations (thankful that didn't occur this time). Things are different. Things are hard. Things take longer. But things are things. All that I've had to leave behind has opened the door to so much more. God needed to take away some of my abilities in order to redirect my focus onto what matters. Him. I've been and will continue to be a work in progress, but I now have what I didn't have before, Him. And therefore, I now know wherever I go, however tough it is, whatever is thrown at me, I have Him. God is bigger than anyone or anything. He will remove the obstacles, guide me around them, or walk with me through them. God is my strength, and my hope is that anyone who doesn't know God comes to know Him... and does so before something major, like an illness, forces that relationship into focus. God is good, and since God created life, Life is good! Smile!