Humbled

I decided to stay home from work today. Which if anyone knows me, I HATE to call in sick and miss a day of work unless it is a planned vacation. I've been trying to go about everyday business despite my knee and foot being injured, but the past few days my leg has been cramping. I know, it's because I am stubborn and not resting. So, since I am bored at home, thought I'd blog about my 'learning experience'.
This is the first time (other then when I was 3 and broke my collar bone) that I have broken a bone. I'm a pretty careful person, so accidents don't usually happen to me. It has thus far been a very frustrating and yet humbling experience.
I know that heavenly father had no part in my accident as I do not believe he would want me to get hurt...however, I do believe he is glad I had this experience to humble me. I hate and yes, I mean H-A-T-E asking others for help or for others to go out of their way to help me. Since getting injured, anywhere I go there is someone saying, 'do you need help with that'? Most of the time I want to tell them, please ignore my existence, because it embarrasses me. I do not like attention, I'd rather be invisible. And I enjoy helping others, but not being helped because I can do it all on my own...well, not so much right now. So, here are a few experiences of receiving service from others.
Tuesday I went to work for the first time, every time I got up to get something or tried to walk around the building I'd hear 'oh, poor Andrea' or 'Andrea let me help you with that'...I hated it and left work crying to Mark because I was so embarrassed. Then we arrive at the grocery store, where I told Mark I would wait in the car for him while he shopped because I refused to ride in a motorized cart. I had already been humiliated all day, did not need any more self pity. Five minutes later, I see Mark coming back to the car followed by a grocery clerk riding a motorized cart. 'your chariot awaits my dear' Mark says with a grin on his face...I was mortified! After riding the cart around the store for a while, it started to become funny. Mark and I had a good laugh and I was able to shop. It was not as bad as I thought it would be. And when I look back at the sweet employees who helped me throughout the week, I'm very grateful for their kind hearts to see that I was not able to do these things on my own and will admit, I needed their help
Since I had not purchased any Christmas gifts, I was stressing about how I would get this done by Christmas. Tina brought over a transport wheelchair and watched Lily so my Mom and I could go shopping and my mom could push me around the Mall (since there are no wheels on the sides for me to push myself). This was yet another extremely embarrassing moment for me. It must have been a pretty funny site to see a little tiny woman, pushing a woman two times her size around in a wheel chair. At one point while we were standing (me sitting) in line, my mom was making the chair dance, she is so funny. I was able to complete my shopping with the love and help of both my moms. I am very grateful for them...they even cleaned my house! What would we do without mommies?
Then there is the overall service from Mark. I feel terrible that he has to take care of me, lily, work and focus on his final exams for school. Despite all he has to do, he has not complained once! I was having a little melt down the other day apologizing to him for getting hurt and making him go out of his way to help me, his response? 'I love to help you, it makes me happy. You always take care of us, now I get to take care of you'. I love him.
Still have one more week until they check my foot again, praying they will not need to do surgery. Luckily I will have the 25th thru the 2nd off so I can rest my foot. I'm ready to be independent again. Life has interesting ways of teaching us humility. I am probably one of the most prideful, stubborn and  impatient people I know, and I did need this experience to teach me, you are not less of a person because you need others to serve you...it's what makes us appreciate those who are around us and allows others to be like the savior. I have no reason to complain, as there are others who have it a lot worse then me and my measly broken foot...and now I have a greater appreciation for those who are physically disabled and manage to live their everyday lives without feeling sorry for themselves. I've also learned that there are not very many places that cater to disabled individuals, which is wrong...that needs to change.