To My Disaboom CyberFriends - I've Missed You All

For the past month or so, I've probably been placed on the "inactive" list by a lot of my Disaboom CyberFriends. Yup, all my fault but please let it be known that it was not intentional. Since Disaboom was launched, I have tried to check in with the newest posts and blogs almost every day. There are so many upbeat folks here that are willing to share their trials and tribulations and show how they turn that around into wins and promotions within their small part of cyberspace. I don't know about you but by reading the positive "ramblings" of others in similar situations give me strength to know that living forward is not only a slogan by Disaboom but also a reality for many of the Disaboomers. Awesome!

I've had my claimed spot on the Internet since 1999 and for the most part, I spend many hours every day in front of my desktop computer replying to E-mails, posts, listservs and a whole bunch of forums for various interests that I have. Here recently, however, I had a staph infection that nearly killed me and required emergency hospitalization to get ahead of the infection that was closing off my esophagus for breathing and a main artery to my brain as if it had plaque built up in it closing the artery down to 20% of its original size.

Once I was discharged from the hospital, I was "ordered" to 100% bed rest. Now even though my desktop computer is only a mere five feet from my hospital bed at home, it might as well have been next door in another house. Laying flat on my back and out-of-reach to my desktop computer, my Internet browsing and postings came to a screeching halt. And a lot of you noticed that. Where's Wheelin Rev?

One of the forums that I frequent is for 4-by-4 off-road driving / camping enthusiasts here in Maryland. We call ourselves the Maryland Creepers because we "build up" our 4x4 vehicles to slowly crawl over huge obstacles found in the Pennsylvania mountains at places like the Rausch Creek Off-Road Park. It is a great sport and if you ever get the chance to try it one day; jump on it! I can guarantee and exciting time!

Setting that aside for a moment, I am also a regular blogger/commenter at a Christian website known as MyChurch dot org. I bring them up because they are the other half of my screen name. You see, the "Wheelin" part was originally my love for the wheeling part of my Jeep off-road and more recently for the wheeling I do in either my Invacare ProSPIN X4 manual chair or my newer Pride Mobility Q6000 powerchair. The second half of my screen name is the "rev" part where I tell folks; "Yes I can marry and bury folks but I much prefer to just encourage them to do the best they can with what they have." It is akin to the glass that is either half-full or half-empty with water. How do you view it?

Disaboom is an awesome website to gather and disseminate loads of information relative to one's disability. But rightfully so, Disaboom does not try to specialize in the "niche markets" of off-road driving or sites geared toward Christianity and features for their member's churches. But take the three of these websites working together, you'll find 90% of what I stand for.

My Point?

The common denominator to the three websites is my need to be online. And while everything is fine when I can roll around and up to my desktop computer spread, that ideal situation is blown all to bits when laid up in bed for 4 to 6 weeks at a time. But that is where Disaboom plays a factor by "blowing apart" the stigma that a disability put a barrier in front of you. I would have said just that about being "stuck in bed" and no longer being able to access the Internet because I'd never be able to afford a laptop computer. This is where, I believe in this case for my particular situation, that God worked in a mysterious way among my many friends to get me back in business as fast as was possible. In this case, He moved within a small group of friends in the Maryland Creepers where they came together, without me knowing, and bought me a laptop computer  for use in times where I might be laid up in bed. I could not have been any more "in the dark" in a situation than I was with the off-road club members collecting "coin" to purchase my laptop. I got the message one day that UPS would be delivering a laptop to me the very next day. It took a while for all of this to sink in but I could not have been any more blessed that day than I was with the gift that some of my friends got for me to change that disability back into my standard slogan of my Do It Sitting ABILITY.

Yes, a disability is only as much as you allow it to be. I prefer it to be my Do It Sitting ABILITY!

Here is one very happy Disaboomer sitting enjoying his new laptop computer.

The "surgical mask" is an added precaution while my defenses against germs are somewhat diminished due to the staph infection. That should come off in another 4 weeks. Shortly after coming home from the hospital, I caught a lung infection that was causing me to cough up blood.

In the background, you'll see some of the "clutter" around me. All my life, I have been an electronics freak / computer geek and have managed to collect a lot of junque. So much junque, in fact, that I am not totally sure whether it will be the MELAS disorder that I have or a collapse of the junque around me burying me alive that is going to "do me in" one day. But regardless of how that day comes, I'll die being happy around my junque as I move into a much happier place without pain, junque and clutter; also known as Heaven. For now, thank you Jesus for my laptop that was graciously given to me by my friends in the Maryland Creepers. May God bless the Maryland Creepers and other organizations that would "chip in" and help others with disabilities to regain their abilities through generous gifts as this; my laptop:

Now I'll be in touch with my fellow Disaboomers regardless of where I am. Just roll me in to a local coffee shop with Wi-Fi and I'll check in...

Have a great week and c y'all next time!

Dave