How ripples of hope can overcome the storms of life
Inclement weather can pose a threat to those who depend on in-home care
The weather can affect those of us with SMA in ways that many people wouldn’t think of. For example, I wish I could just enjoy looking out of the window as the snow falls, with everything I need to wait out a winter storm. But in my reality, ice, sleet, and snow are problematic in terms of the care I need to receive from others, which causes me a lot of stress and anxiety.
I live in a part of North Carolina where we don’t get many winter storms. When we do get them, it’s a major event in our community. A few weeks ago, we had such an event.
When I learned about the coming storm four days before it got here, my danger radar instantly activated. My medical needs don’t stop just because winter weather is going on outside. On the other hand, my nurses need to be safe while driving to my house.
In these types of situations, my mom and I always try to prepare by making the nurses an offer. If a winter storm is expected at night, we tell the night nurse to arrive earlier in the day, before the roads become treacherous. After they arrive, they can sleep in our quiet spare bedroom until it’s time for their shift.
Likewise, if winter weather is expected during the day, the day nurse can arrive the previous night and sleep until their shift begins in the morning.
Nurses sometimes take us up on the offer, while other times they don’t. But they always arrive for their shift if it’s safe enough to get here.
The recent storm was expected to start on a Friday evening. We made that offer to the Friday night nurse, but she didn’t take us up on it. I knew she still intended to come, but I was nervous about whether she could make it. As Friday evening approached, I frequently checked the local weather to monitor the hourly path of the storm.
It appeared that my nurse would arrive before the heaviest part of the storm hit, but I was still stressed. Ice, sleet, and snow were already coming down. I didn’t want to get a call saying that her car had slid off the road and she was stuck in a ditch. Nevertheless, she got to my house safe and sound. What a relief!
The next hurdle was my Saturday day nurse. The storm had moved out of our area by 3 a.m. Saturday morning, and nothing was coming down. Yet, by daylight, snow and ice were still on the ground.
My day nurse was due to arrive by 8 a.m. We told him he could come later to give everything a chance to melt some more. He arrived safely, shortly after 10 a.m.
Spreading hope to encourage others
My spirits were definitely lifted by the fact that my care hadn’t been affected by the storm and my nurses had arrived safely. It would’ve been really hard for my mom to take care of me on both Friday night and Saturday during the day. Staying up at night is like a blizzard of mental and physical exhaustion for my mom’s body.
For me and others who need medical care from people that come to our homes, winter storms aren’t about building snowmen in the yard or drinking hot chocolate. These storms can cause a ripple effect that can have negative repercussions for everyone involved. This is especially true if a community isn’t used to inclement weather.
For every literal or metaphorical storm I experience, an equal number of blessings shower down upon me. I’m so grateful to have the team I do helping me out of bad situations. In return, I know I’m also a blessing to my team.
That’s the type of positive ripple effect that increases my faith and tells me that God is looking out for me. My goal is to spread these ripples of hope further and further so that they encourage others. The further these positive ripples go, the greater number of people who can soar together in hope. Let’s use this hope to achieve great things!
Note: SMA News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of SMA News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to spinal muscular atrophy.
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