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A Very Special Doctor, Part Four: Dr. Wright's Story (As Told By Sarah) by Karen Lynn Vidra, The Texas Tornado
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Rated "G" by the Author.
Sarah Wright, wife of a well-known anesthesiologist, shares her feelings and thoughts about her husband and his career in the medical field.
I am a very lucky woman. I am married (and happily at that) to a very compassionate man who is very dedicated to his career as an anesthesiologist. My husband has enjoyed his practice very much, and he is very good at what he does. He is also a very good husband and family man to our two little daughters, and he lives life to the very fullest.
This isn't easy because my husband also happens to be physically disabled; yet, when I first met him, it wasn't long before I soon learned to see beyond his wheelchair, his crutches, or his physical imperfections. Instead of a helpless "cripple", I saw a man who clearly loved life, and he made the most out of living it to the very fullest. Even though he couldn't get around as easily as most people, he found a way to do things, and he wsan't afraid to explore new options in his mobility. He also wasn't afraid to persue his dream of becoming a doctor, and graduating from medical school was probably one of the biggest highlights of his life. He has dedicated himself to saving people's lives, and he enjoys every aspect that his career brings him.
Before I met Wayne, I had never heard of spina bifida. I first thought that spina bifida wasn't a common defect, but I was surprised to learn that over 1,000 people are born in the U.S. with varying degrees of spina bifida: some are very mildly affected with virtually no sign of disability while others, like my husband, rely on a wheelchair or crutches for mobility, or they have catastrophic paralysis and damage to their lower body parts. My husband is a paraplegic, but he doesn't let his paraplegia rule him. He walks on crutches, and he gets around better than most people do on two working legs. He can't go to the restroom without help, but he is able to take care of his bathroom habits, and he knows how to prevent complications from setting in by following certain guidelines and using a lot of common sense. He also can tell if something is wrong just by the way he feels, and he will get himself to a doctor before complications set in. Sometimes he still ends up having to have surgery or end up in the hospital, but more often than not, he is quite healthy for a man with all his physical problems, and he just enjoys life, period.
When I met Wayne, I read up on all I could about spina bifida, and now I think I know more about spina bifida than the average person. I know of all the twists and turns that spina bifida can bring, and I know of what to do lest my husband develop an unexpected problem, and I know what to do to help him if he falls accidentally or burns himself and isn't aware of it. I also know what to do if he has a malfunction of his shunt, and I know what to do if his catheter bag has a leak or his bladder tube cracks, and I know what to do if he develops a bedsore. Sure, having a husband with such severe physical disabilities is quite daunting, but I love Wayne with all my heart, and helping him get through life's valleys and mountains is just part of the thrill and satisfaction of having him in my life.
He loves his daughters with all his heart and soul, and he is always doing things with them. If he isn't working long hours at the hospital, he is home puttering around in the yard, taking his little daughters to the nearby park and playing with them, or sticking his nose in a good mystery. He also loves to cook, and he loves to travel. Between his hospital stays or his surgeries (to date, he has had upwards to 40 surgeries and too many hospital stays), he has a nearly normal life, and he also talks to other parents who have children with spina bifida, and shares his personal experiences with them. He is very busy with the local chapter of the Spina Bifida Association, and he is a member of their advisory board. He is a man of many talents, and it is incredible to see how he can find time to do things when his schedule is so full now.
But that is my husband, and I am happy that I have him in my life. He is funny, smart, articulate, compassionate, and energetic, and he can wear out people who are twenty years younger than he is. He also can amaze you with his strength and his courage, and he can teach people a thing or two about coping with life's challenges. He has taught people what it means to overcoming all obstacles, and he has taught me that even though he may obviously be physically disabled, there is NOTHING disabled about his brain or his "can-do" spirit!
Karen, the beginnings to another inspiring write...well done
Hugs, Carole
Reviewed by Tracey L. O' Very
3/22/2005
Marvelous! This has such a strong message in there. handicaps are only "minor details" when one has the will and courage and determination. Perfect Karen. Very Awakening. Hope all can now see past the wheel chair and into what is sitting in that wheel chair.
You're a real loving lady
Tracey xo
Sis I never said this before, but I know a lot of people with physical disabilities, and their courage and energy is just amazing, when they go out to do things. They never let their disabilities run their lives, instead, they take the bull by the horns, as if to say, "c'mon you old bugger, I'm ready for you now." May the Lord be with you always, and at your side constantly. With much love in my heart, joy to the world, peace on earth, & (((((((((((((((((((((((((((((MANY, MANY SISTERLY HUGGGGGGGGGGGGGSSSSSSSSSSSS))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))),
your big little sister, Barbie
My husband has a disabled right arm...4 days after he was paralyzed, he was home with a shattered collarbone, and shucking corn with his good hand. For the last 20 years he's been swinging the bat more than a baseball star...and hit quite a few home runs too. I'm very proud of him and all he has accomplished. Not just in spite of his injury either. Just because he is such a good man and never gives up. This is a wonderful story Karen. Michelle
An excellent, well written source of inspiration, showing that people with disabilities can live and enjoy life, too. They just have to make a few adaptations, that's all. Wonderful!
This book consists of a 150 pages of Christian poetry about the end of time and the Second coming of Jesus Christ not as a servant but as a King, the King of kings. To bring righteousness and peace to the earth and restore the government of God! Peac
When two men hit the reset button and decide to go out looking for the good in the world, they not only find it but also a lot more.
P.S. The title is listed on Amazon under Look for Something Good by Robert Drews (not by Robert H. Drews)
