Christmas

We had a good Christmas. The kids got spoiled and Santa brought them everything their little minds could imagine. They have to put up with so much of my crap Dave and I can't help but spoil them on the holidays.

I have been going to therapy throughout the holidays just skipping Christmas eve and will stay home for Lee's birthday this week. Once the new year comes I will cut back to twice a week due to insurance limitations.

I have some more movement in my right leg and my therapist says I am making great progress. She still won't say if she thinks I will walk again - nobody will say that. Statistically people with my level of injury don't walk again. Hopefully my bodies tendency to buck the odds will do so in this case and actually work with me and not against me.

I need to follow up on a whole bunch of things; pet scan to see if the cancer is still at bay, immunizations, driving lessons, dentist. Everything in the new year.

I am still enjoying our holiday and need to get ready for Lee's 7th birthday. How did he get to be 7 already?

Getting lazy with this blog

I realize my posts are getting more infrequent as therapy drones on. Don't get me wrong I like therapy and get excited once I am there to see progress and possibly some new movement. But, you knew there was a but, it is just downright painful some mornings to get up a 6 a.m. let alone come home to do anything but crash before the kids get off the bus. I welcome my small breaks over the next couple of weeks.

Everyone knows that I am a huge Christmas decoration person; something that my chair and deadbeat legs don't seem to understand. Stringing lights and the wheelchair isn't a good match. Thankfully my dad decorated the outside and my mom decorated the tree while I got my Avastin drip. Don't even ask about the Avastin debacle on Monday. Let me just say it was an all day affair at Hopkins and I am not a happy camper on those days. Brings back memories of the transplant - yuck!

So as Dave was driving to NYC on yet another work trip we talked about how even though the house frustrates us to no end, Dave's travel is a big logistical nightmare now that I am in the chair, and we never seem to have time to ourselves we do need to be grateful. Grateful that Dave has a job in this crappy economy, grateful that our kids are healthy, we have a roof over our heads, and grateful that I am at home and not in the hospital. A reminder that God is good.

We do always have one happy place that puts all 5 of us at ease - West Virginia. My mom's cabin has become a second home. It is all one level, I get to sleep in a real bed, my chair fits through the bathroom door, Dave gets to sleep in, we take naps, read books, and don't stress about keeping the house tidy for showings. My mom built the kids a tree house and they love to hang out in the great outdoors. Or just play with toys and make forts inside -whatever their hearts desire.

Another year passes by

I turned 34 on Saturday. My dad and sister were in town to help us celebrate at my mom's house. It was a very nice birthday and it was wonderful to see my dad. He drove me up to therapy on Friday and got to see me in action and see me lift my left ankle.

My therapist wants to put me in leg braces this week since standing comes before walking I guess I need to learn to stand again. I was able to lift myself pretty much into a standing position on Friday.

I didn't attend therapy today to attend the funeral of the daughter of an old coworker of mine. The pastor did a nice job and there was a lot of support in the church to help the grieving family. The pastor gave me another reminder to live for the moment. A lesson I feel like god has personally designated for me some days.

Heather walking

Dan took video on his phone of me "walking" - short and sweet but very cool. Thanks Dan!

Thanksgiving, standing, and walking

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving and obviously we gave thanks to our health and happiness. Although I am going on 3 years of dealing with my medical drama I can't let a Thanksgiving go by without being happy to be alive.

Since I have begun rehab at KKI I have had more movement in my toes and recently movement in my left ankle. My therapy includes strength training, electrical stimulation while biking, standing in the stander (a machine that helps hold me up) and yesterday we did the gait walker which imitates me walking with the help of the therapists. I am worn out after therapy but it is good to see forward progress.

I am dealing with new insurance woes and fighting the recent denial of my next Avastin treatment. My docs are appealing and doing everything they can to get the new insurance to cover the treatments. Hopefully we will get some good news soon. I have a lot of faith in these treatments giving me an extra edge to get me walking again.

My dad is coming to town this weekend and I hope to get the Christmas tree up. I love Christmas and the kids are getting excited. Alex sees Santa and says HO HO HO. Too cute.