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.