Well, I got lucky after my recent setbacks in late April and early May. I didn’t have to rely on faith. Not only was I shown the reason why all the setbacks happened; I was given three, not one, reasons.
After the April surgery that didn’t go as planned and the infection that followed, I cancelled my trip to Yellowstone National Park. I cancelled it for three reasons: first, the doctors weren’t sure if the infection would clear up; second, I would need those vacation days for subsequent surgeries not planned; and third, I wouldn’t be physically strong enough to do the hiking I wanted to do due to the infection.
In my last post, I told you how upsetting all of this was. I was down; more down than I had been in a long time. God must have known that I needed help, because the reasons started to reveal themselves pretty quickly why all the setbacks occurred and my trip was cancelled.
On Sunday, May 22nd, I arrived home after a short work trip to the All-Star weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Originally, I had planned to come home that day, swap out suitcases then board a plane to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. When I got home, my house was over 90 degrees as my air conditioning unit had broken; of course 8 months after the warranty expired. Had I still had the trip scheduled, I wouldn’t have had time to fix the air and I wouldn’t have been able to leave my cats in a home that hot for a week. I honestly don’t know what I would have done. Reason No. 1 revealed.
Then, that week I hear in the news “Heavy snow spoils Holiday plans in the West.” The lead of the story reads, “A key highway into Yellowstone is closed because parts of the road have seen more than 25 feet of snow” and Yellowstone had “just one campground open” (see photo of the Beartooth Highway, Northwest of Yellowstone Park). If I had gone on the trip, I wouldn’t have been able to see the park the way I wanted to because most of the park would have been closed. Reason No. 2 revealed.
Finally, last week I got a letter in the mail. It was from a media member who covers the NASCAR circuit. He had gotten together around 45 NASCAR industry members and put together a fund for me. He told me that “everyone deserves a rainbow now and then” and that my recent medical struggles and having to cancel my first real vacation in two years had touched them and they wanted to all make sure that when I was ready – healthy and strong – that they wanted me to take a trip of a lifetime to Yellowstone. I sat there and sobbed. I was so touched by everyone’s kindness and generosity. I couldn’t read that letter to my friends and family for days without crying. It was simply amazing and I was just blown away (I still am as I write this). And to be honest, after having to fix my AC unit, I wouldn’t have gone to Yellowstone next year, as the new AC unit cost triple the cost of the vacation. Now with this fund, I will go without a doubt and I couldn’t be more excited. Reason No. 3 revealed.
And to all of you who contributed, I am touched more than you will ever know. Thank you for your friendship all these years. The NASCAR circuit is just one big family and I am so thankful to be a part of it.
And for anyone who never believed that everything happens for a reason, I bet I’ve given you something to think about.
Love,
Marcy
P.S. – And a small update on the reconstruction process: I started the expanding for the THIRD time now on June 3. I expand every Friday from June 3 to July 1, with a plan of having the next surgery in late July where he will take the expander out and put an implant back. I guess since this is the second time we’ve expanded on the left side, it has actually been less painful than the first go around (Thankfully, a break!). The infection has stayed at bay, so the antibiotics seemed to have done their job. Keeping my fingers crossed it stays that way.
Mentally, I’ve been able to climb back out of that hole I was in and I’m feeling much better. I’m able to exercise again and start getting back into my old routines including yoga. I’m a big believer that time heals all wounds and it just took me a little longer than normal to bounce back. That was the most frustrating – knowing why I was upset, but just not able to move past it.
