My Next Step by Dave Liniger

Author:Dave Liniger
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook, book
Publisher: Hay House
Published: 2013-02-22T16:00:00+00:00

By February 22nd, I was showing improvements in every area, including my kidneys and limited mobility. I was able to move my left leg and lift my left arm off the bed, bending at the elbow. My progress may have felt slow, but given the fact that my body had been in shock from the virus and I had been in the ICU for nearly a month, it was actually quite a spectacular improvement over what they originally predicted. I wasn’t out of the woods by any means, but I was certainly taking the necessary steps along the right path. It had been only a week since my surgery, but the doctors were actually talking to my family about moving me—in time—from the ICU into a long-term rehabilitation facility such as Craig Hospital, the same place where Gail had recovered from her accident twenty-nine years earlier.

Before I got sick I never gave much thought to the meaning of happiness or freedom. I was certainly an upbeat guy—and appreciative for all of my blessings. Every day since Vietnam had been a gift. I have always valued life and fought for freedom. I never took it for granted because I understood how quickly things can change. My life experiences brought me to this place of acceptance without questioning the reasons why. I am a very pragmatic individual, someone who chooses not to lose sleep over the inevitable challenges that come our way. My philosophy has always been to approach challenges head on. What’s done is done. There’s nothing you can do about it now except deal with the situation by accepting your circumstances.

George Bernard Shaw once said, “Life is not about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” I created every corner of the life I was living before I got sick, and now I was faced with the notion of recreating myself in a new light—one which I never gave an ounce of energy to until now. I can’t deny that there were many nights during my hospital stay when I lay awake wondering what I was going to do with the rest of my life because for the first time ever, I felt helpless, vulnerable and worst of all, dependent. My mind was impaired, my body still weak and unable to move, and my ability to reason through potential solutions was limited at best. It was frustrating and I was becoming discouraged by my feelings of despair.

By February 27th, my kidneys had recovered well enough for me to be taken off dialysis. I was very happy to get that news, as it freed up even more time in my day to focus on getting stronger and improving my movement. I spent the better part of that afternoon watching the Daytona 500. Having owned my own NASCAR team, there was a connection to the event that kept me extremely lucid throughout the day. I was still having challenges talking, but there was no doubt that I enjoyed watching the event with Junior, who shares my passion for racing.

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