Ah! Exciting news!
Yesterday I accomplished a huge goal. I drove home.
I know that sounds kind of weird, but I actually haven’t driven myself anywhere for more than thirty minutes in over a year. Last June, I couldn’t walk for more than about two minutes. Even after gaining back some mobility, my legs still had trouble with the pedals in my car and they were too weak to drive long distances. I’ve been relying on the bus and rides with friends for a long time.
But yesterday, I was feeling good and I did it! A three-hour trip took about five hours because I had to take breaks, but the point is that I accomplished something that was impossible for me this time last year. My, how much can change in 12 months!
This reiterated two huge lessons I’ve learned during the past few years:
- I can still do things, it just takes me longer and I have to do them a little differently.
- I need to measure my days in terms of how much I can function, not how high my pain level is.
The truth is the pain may always be there (though I have hope that it won’t be!), so I can’t focus on that. Instead, I want to focus on achieving the most that I can with what I’ve been given. It’s so much more freeing!
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On a similar note, I strongly suggest you check out Susan’s post on how to deal with an injured friend. Although my condition is not related to an injury, I related to a lot of what Susan was saying here. She had some very wise words.
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Now I’m off to enjoy the day with a very special person! Toodle-loo!
Jam of the day: Tom Petty “American Girl”
Congrats!!! It’s amazing how being able to do “normal” things can be such a huge deal. A nice reminder too that time really does heal, I definitely need to work on my patience!
Also, Tom Petty <3
Good for you
That is really big. Congrats!
Yay! This post makes me so happy for you! Focusing on the positive is always a good thing, too!
<3
That’s awesome! Your attitude is really inspiring.
yay yay!! that’s so wonderful…I’m excited for you! it is definitely not an easy thing to do but focusing on the positive is the way to go! hope you enjoy your time home!!
Katie ; )
Thank you all so much for your well wishes!
Wow! What an amazing accomplishment…I had no idea you went through all of that, and congratulations on getting so far and maintaining a positive outlook now.