Next Year is A New Year

This is not the most profound title. Despite all the talk about making resolutions for the New Year, there is something tangible that you can feel from about 11:55 p.m. to midnight on December 31st. It is the passing of a year – all the good memories and all the challenges.

2006 was not the best year for me personally. In May, I twisted my lower back playing volleyball. A month later in June, the back of a chair broke off and sent me flying backwards and in the emergency room hours later. I experienced some of the worst back pain I have ever had. In October, I woke up with nasty pain in my neck. Within a day, I was on strong drugs that would barely dull the pain and I was unable to sleep. After two weeks of sleeping upright on a chair in the family room, the pain started to go away, but I was left with profound weakness in my left arm. Further tests revealed that I had a herniated disc in my neck that irritated a nerve root that controls the muscles in my shoulder.

After many x-rays and MRIs, I learned much more about my spine than I really wanted to know. I started to realize what getting older meant to my body. The invisible changes in many parts of your body go undetected until you go under the microscope. I am preparing to head to the neuro-surgeon this afternoon to get his advice on what to do with my herniated disc and/or the nerves affected in my shoulder. My wife and I have been praying for no surgery.

I am ready to close the door on 2006. There is something about starting the New Year with new expectations. We need something to hope for. My faith gives me ultimate hope; however, saying goodbye to a challenging year feels good.

Maybe I will stay up and watch the ball drop this year. Probably I will head to bed at ten and let the passing of 2006 go quietly. I will wake up to a new day, a new year and new opportunities.