Wednesday morning, March 12, 2025. Callout at 7:30am to pick up medical records. I am out of bed, it’s 6:15am and I am getting ready for the move.
I was not given the records I requested, it’s okay. I head back to the unit, and resend a request requesting the records once again and wait once more.
In my room, it’s 8am, I grab a plain bagel from my locker and a newly purchased small pack of cream cheese. First time I ever buy this, hopefully it’s good. I eat my bagel and make myself a cafecito, then take the 9am move over to education to pass the time. Once in the leisure library, I see they just returned from picking up stray books in the units and are separating the “chapel bound” books in a different container. “I no longer work for the chapel, it’s not my responsibility to go through those books, and/or take them to the chapel”, I think to myself. If anyone knows me, I couldn’t just sit there and not organize the books for the chapel, so I grab a chair and sit with the box in front of me and go through each book. Those books in poor condition I threw away, the rest I put them together and set the box aside for the guys in the library. Now it will be up to the two new orderlies in the chapel to pick them up and organize them in the chapel.
10am, the move is called back to the unit where I sit to read my daily devotionals and 2 Samuel 18, while we wait for the call to chow. Mr. Rivero is getting ready, he keeps forgetting we are now the first unit to be called this week, so I need to remind him. His wheelchair is ready to go, and the move is called. Somehow we are the first out of the unit and we are wheeling on down to the dining room passing the iguanas, family of ducks, rare lizards with orange heads, and different kinds of birds which all seem to be waiting for someone to feed them.
Returning to the unit we are in no hurry back. I fold his wheelchair and head to my room for another cafecito. Today is Catholic service in the chapel. They call a move at 12:30 and I take advantage to get to the chapel early, hopefully the supervisor chaplain does not tell us to leave like he normally does when we arrive before the scheduled service time.
I am able to get into the chapel early, and the other chaplains open the Catholic locker where I am able to grab what we need to setup the altar with the candle and other items for service. The volunteer needs a microphone so I go to the media cabinet and setup a microphone. I test the audio and play a CD with music used in the service. Everything is perfect, and the volunteer arrives with one of the chaplains. I do not see the orderlies anywhere, and ask the chaplain for the lighter so we could light the candle.
Service concludes, I head back to the unit, change into my comfortable clothes, lay on my bed, cover my face, and say a prayer, asking God to help me, and thanking Him for all He does.
4pm count is coming around, time to get up. No way I was able to get any rest with all the noise everyone was making in the Glasshouse. Usually the noise comes from those who do not even belong to the Glasshouse, which is the worst part. As soon as the officers pass through, I am able to go to the restroom then head to the phone to call dad.
I am dressed and ready for recreation. Racquetball time with Bon-Bon, “Yabo”, and a few others. We play for a good hour, I was able to do three sets of twenty jumping jacks, some burpees, and squats, while I waited in between games. At 6pm I went over to one of the sets of bleachers where I met with several of the Spanish Christian guys, who do a small service Wednesday evenings. We sang one song together, then today several guys shared some testimonies.
I take the 7pm move back to the unit, grab my things to shower, and rush to the first available, then realize five of the six showers in the Glasshouse are not being used and take the stairs up to my favorite shower, which has a new working shower-head, enough hooks to hang my things, and a good drain.
Once out of the shower, as I was rushed by Bon-Bon, I go to my room to put my dirty clothes in the laundry bags, since tomorrow is the last laundry day this week for us, and begin to prepare a quick meal for myself. I mix together a ramen soup, one mackerel fish, bacon bits, roasted peanuts, seasonings and mayo. Much better than it sounds, I will tell you that.
I wash what I used, and put it away. I head to the phones to call mom and spend a good seven minutes talking with them. The evening ends for me, I am up early again tomorrow for a busy morning.
Father God, thank you for this day. Please help me to reject temptations to sin when they first cross my mind. Please protect me from any kind of negativity and keep me safe from those who intend to do any evil to myself and those closest to me. Thank you for showing me all you do in my life, and for constantly building my faith. Thank you Lord for all you do, and for everything you have coming my way. Amen.
Eduardo Luis Valdes
02499-506
March 12, 2025
22:02
