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- - - -  Status Provided By Greg Businelle - - - -

Sunday, July 15, 2001

A few people have asked me to be more forthcoming with the more difficult topics.  And I guess I have covered a few things up because I did not want to address them on the web site.  So here goes ... Although my life is getting a little better each month (e.g. Power wheelchair, driving lessons, etc.) it is still a very difficult life. Even though I have feeling/sensation just about everywhere, I have no control over anything below my chest. This fact sometimes keeps me in bed until after one or two in the afternoon.  On these days, my life is a complete nightmare.  If it weren't for having Jill to take care of me, I think these days might drive me crazy. I also sometimes wake up in the middle of the night with blood pressure at or above 200 because of some physical problem.  Such elevated blood pressure causes me to cry out in pain.  If Jill were not there by my side to immediately fix the problem, I would literally die. A friend of mine with the exact same injury past away on June 29th.  He had lived with his injury for 6 years.  He was a young man and I don't know how he died.  My only peace is that on June 30th he woke up and walked around.  Please pray that a cure is found for spinal cord injuries soon.

Now that I have shared some of the more difficult topics, let's talk about happier things.

Wake the kids and phone the neighbors... I started driving lessons! I had two lessons last month equaling about five hours total behind the wheel.  I am able to work the gas and brake with my left hand using a joystick device. I push the stick forward for gas and pull the stick back for brake. At first, I attempted to steer using a post on a regular steering wheel. Unfortunately, I am not strong enough to turn the wheel to the right because of a bad nerve in my shoulder. So, I will be driving with a small horizontal wheel to my right.  That means our van will have two steering wheels, one for me and one for Jill.  The next step is to have our van converted which will take about a month. After that, I will have 40 more hours of driving instruction.  Then I am on my own. In other words, if you see a green Dodge caravan coming your way in about one month you best get out of the way!

School is still going well with module 3 wrapping up in mid-July.  I'll be fishing marketing strategy and finance.  I'm not real sure what is coming up in module 4. There are five modules total with the fifth module finishing on December 9th.  After that, no more school!

Jill and I took a trip to Florida for three days.  Jill had to go for business, and I was along for the ride. I took my power wheelchair and checked it as luggage. We upgraded our tickets using air miles and had the first two seats, bulkhead, in first-class. The trip could not have gone smoother.  Steve Reilly took two afternoons off to a taxi me around.  Steve also put together a dinner for Jill and I with about 15 of our old friends. That dinner was certainly the highlight of my trip.  Thanks to all of you who came out.  Thanks especially to you Steve.  You're a great friend.

On one final note, my family situation remains the same.  I have a few workarounds in order to spend time with everyone.  This makes things more difficult than they have to be, but at least I get to see everyone.  Please keep praying about this.

Thanks for reading.  Be sure to check back.  My next update will be a little different than the rest.  God bless you guys.

"At the end of your days, you will have done those things which you most wanted to do."  Brenda Brilhart - Greg's Aunt.

 
Saturday, July 28

It's not often that a man gets the chance to tell the world how much his wife means to him. So, to those of you who read my web site, these are some of the things that my wife means to me .  .  .

To my sweet wife on this our sixth wedding anniversary,

How can it be that I have known you for 17 years ?
I still see you as that 14 year old
waiting for her mother to pick her up from school
you are wearing that the orange sun dress
you did not see me because I did not want you to know I was following you
I think they call that stalking today :)

we each tried to make it on our own for a few seasons
but soon came to our senses and were married
what a blessing the Lord gave to me on that day
"when you can see your unborn children in her eyes,
you know you really love a women "
do you still remember those words that I spoke to you so long ago?

"for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health"
I think, maybe, I only heard "better, richer and in health"
that's how it was in those days
but those days are gone

so, here we are now in these days
spending every day together
me, getting to know you better than I ever have
your patience, kindness...the way you bear all things,
believe all things, hope all things, endure all things
all of these things, love is

in my darkest hours, you are my light
when I am crying, you cry with me and then help me to smile again
when I emotionally cannot go on, you and the Lord carry me
all of those physical things I can no longer do for myself, you do for me
it seems to me that it is just too much for one person to handle
like I have said, "why don't you leave...but take me with you "

how will I ever repay you?
I am sorry, Jill, but I can never repay the love that you have given to me
all I can do is love you all of the day's that the Lord gives us together
thank you for loving me
thank you for being my wife.