Well, quite the surprise that I hadn't updated since February, needless to say there has been a lot going on since then. I am a big fan of Gold's gym, I go faithfully 5 days a week, I would go 7, but people still think that I need to rest. I have stopped using my cane for the most part. If I am going to places with steps, I take it with me, if I am going to unknow places I take it. As far as the grocery store, and the mall, I'm on my own and doing fine. I walked a 5K in June, took a little over an hour, which was close to my target time.

My core strength and leg strength has improved so much, I am amazed when I look back at what I used to do a year ago. The couch is no longer a problem, I can get up with little problem, and on good days I get up without using my hands. I am getting out of most chairs without pushing off, but still need to do that forward motion thing, but getting better.

I traveled to New York, and while there did a lot of stair practice getting in and out of Dad's house. Worked at my aunt's, more stair practice, plus lots of core strengthening lifting bags of things to take to the trash cans. The cleaning bug was still biting when I got back here, and I got rid of a ton of stuff that I didn't need. Painted and moved furniture around in my office, the room with the computer, love the view from the window, Rafaella does such a great job with the yard, I love it. Finished tons of deferred maintenance, touch up painting in the living room and the kitchen. Moved all of the furniture around in the living room, really like the look. Put up pictures that were pending and used the stepstool to go up and down. Great for the legs. I am going to spend the next two weeks on me, resting, relaxing before school starts again. Need to get some repairs taken care of at the house, then maybe I will think about retiring in the next couple years, then again, maybe not. It all remains to be seen.

I do know I need to keep this updated more often, so hopefully that will actually take place.

February has crept up on us, unbelievable how fast time flies when you are having "fun. The milestones are not as stupendous as they once were, but slowly, even I am noticing that there is an improvement in many things. Marisa left STRH and Ann was working with me. Frank became the supervising therapist and he quite calmly informed me that he was discharging me, I quite calmly, at first, told him no, I wasn't accepting that decision, that I wasn't ready to go it alone, without someone to supervise the exercising. This led to a big song and dance, with the result being that Jun became my supervising therapist and now the decision is in the hands of the insurance company. In the meantime, I let Marisa know all of this, and since she agreed I wasn't quite ready to do my own exercise, we are running into each other at Gold's gym and she is helping me with some machines and floor work. On my own there are about 3 machines that I can do without any help, combined with my DVD's at home, I can do somethings when she is not available. I need practice walking on grass and uneven pavements, so I need to text Jake to see if he can help me there. I am walking around the house without the cane, I am walking into stores with just the cane. I can walk fast when wearing my UFO's, I am more secure walking around with the cane outside and have gone to church with just it. I can also get out of the red therapy chair with one hand. The couch is still tricky, but definitely easier than it had been. I see signs of progess, which I had not seen before.

Wow, can't believe I have been so lax about keeping this up. The reality is that I have been playing with Facebook, plus doing a lot of texting and other stuff with my phone, I who never really even looked at my cell phone, is now addicted to it. Christmas was very nice, so different from last year. I appreciated every minute of it and really enjoyed having my father and brother here, even though we didn't do all of the things we usually do. We did go to Blackbeards and I walked from the parking lot up the steep ramp with just the cane. Need to be careful about going to the restroom there, no handicapped restroom without having to go down steps. Managed it anyway.

Even though I was off from school, I still went to the pool everyday, surprise, the adaptive pool was closed and we had to use the regular pool. To my surprise I was able to get in by using the ladder with no problem. Getting out was another matter, finally figured out a way and only had to use the special chair once. I use that pool on Friday's now, the deeper water makes my legs work harder, but the shallower water in the adaptive pool works my balance. I am doing 15 minutes of regular exercises, and then participating in 15 minutes of the aerobics class with all the normal people.

I found out that I am not ready to get rid of my household help. I gave both Irma and Rafaella the Christmas holidays off. I can do everything by myself, it just takes so much longer and it is so much more work than it used to be. This was OK when I didn't have to go to work and I could take that 2 hour nap in the afternoon, but that wasn't going to happen when school started again, so I still have 7 day a week care for the time being.

The walking is getting better, my core strength and balance are improving. I walk around the house mostly without the cane. I walk all over the school without the walker, just using the cane. I still have mega problems walking on uneven surfaces by myself, as well as walking on really windy days. Doing better, standing up more places by just pushing with one hand. I feel myself getting stronger, I just don't feel myself getting stronger fast enough.

Last day of school, christmas vacation begins. For the first time I truly saw the Christmas spirit at the school and the joy of Christmas in the little ones eyes, how excited they were to get their gifts. It was a beautiful day, something not seen at our school for a long time. I am so glad I spent the extra money on the Thomas the Train for one of my students, it was the only thing he played with all day and my big tough fifth graders really did want Hot Wheels. It was a great day.

The weeks are flying by, December is half over already, Christmas in two weeks, how did we get here so fast? I have a ton of things to do, but had the UIL competition all day today, up at 5:00, at school by 7:00, walked 5,000 steps just there, got home by 4:15 and then time to go to church. I don't realize how tired I am until I stop and sit down. Getting caught up and then will rest, still have lots to do during tomorrow. Walking with the cane getting easier, but still a long way to go with standing up. On the bright side, bending over and touching the floor is easier to do!

I have been so busy I haven't had time to post anything since Thanksgiving, amazing. I hit the stores for Black Friday, not the same stamina that I had in the past,but I can shop for 1 hour straight, then need to rest before I go again. Sad reality, may stores do not have dressing rooms that accommodate walkers, not going there again. Saw a pair of purple to die for shoes in Naturalizer, bummer, don't come in a 5. I prepared for my evaluation at school, scary, I didn't know what to expect, but all things considered, it went well, even though the list of passwords that is ALWAYS near the computer wasn't there. Friday, Dec. 4th, came and went and there were not disasters, it was a year ago on that date that I began this long, slow journey. I kept expecting something to happen all day, nothing, walked in slip on shoes during therapy, and then wore the same shoes to dinner with several people from church. Not ready to wear those shoes and walk on carpet with a cane though, definitely need the walker for carpet. Well off the rest before school tomorrow, didn't do much of that this weekend. On the bright side, I stood up from the mat at therapy at 17 inches, need to do it when I don't have any support behind my legs.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE. I want each and every one of you to know that I am extremely thankful for everything you have done for me in the past year, whether is was giving me therapy, visiting me, taking care of my creatures, bills, house, insurance or whatever else came up. I am thankful to all of the many people that I don't know personally, but who asked about my progress and prayed for my recovery, I understand there are many, many, of you throughout the country and I offer my sincere thanks to you. This is a very special Thanksgiving for me and I want to let everyone know that I appreciate everything everyone has done.

Had a pity party day yesterday, I've been doing exercises that I used to do so easily when I was able to go to my dance group, now they are hard to do, so I started getting frustrated. Basically it boils down to the fact that I do not want to be handicapped anymore, I want to what I used to do and do it easily and I want it now. I realize this is not going to happen, no one can help and I am not asking for advice and don't you dare give me sympathy, I don't want that either. I basically and just sounding off and letting off steam, so just listen to me and stop saying little things like, think about how far you have come, I know all of that, I just need to let things out, so just listen. In that vein, I was told to reflect on how far I had come and because I do everything my therapists or former therapists tell me to, I actually did. I realize that I will have been home from the hospital for six months on Dec. 1st, and it doesn't seem like it has been that long. At that time I could get out of the wheelchair with the help of a board on my walker, couldn't get out of any of my other chairs, was winded when I walked, couldn't bend down, needed a grabber to get dressed, the bath seat to get into the shower. Holding the shampoo was a challenge, cutting things was difficult and I couldn't move my legs enough to drive. I needed the ramps to enter and exit the house and if I went anywhere it needed to be in the wheelchair. I did pool therapy and needed to enter the pool by using the ramp and holding on with two hands.

Looking at myself today, I realize that I do so many things easily again, that I don't think about it. I still use the wheelchair, it makes a great extra seat and you can carry so many things around on it, it is almost like a wagon. Actually I do still take it to the pool because I can leave faster when using it, that's the only reason. Since I am talking about the pool, I can enter it by using the stairs, and if I use the ramp, I don't have to hold on going in. I walk around the inside of buildings using a cane, I walk around the house , just by walking. Getting out of chairs, while not always easy, is not a problem. Regular toilets are another story, with a vanity next to the toilet, I am fine, without, we'll find out later today. I am driving, bathing faster and easier. I can get into the tub by stepping over the side, the bench now just holds shampoo and body wash bottles. I walk down the step to get out of the house. I use a four wheel walker and go farther and faster each and every day. I am back teaching, I am not as tired as I was at the end of the day, I walk between 4,000 and 6,000 steps a day. I still have a way to go, but I realize I have made a lot of progress, I really do.