Cruising the counter tops, furniture and doorknobs of my home, I am now proud to say I can walk all over my house WITHOUT a walker. Some days hurt worse than others, but I'm up on my own two feet again walking slowly and carefully.
Yesterday, in fairness to my ability to manage at home okay, but still unsure in groups, I took the walker so that I could practice walking around in a crowd. I took myself to the bathroom and walked around in the lobby when I got cold then attended choir practice by making my way up the little ramp to the podium.
I earned a nap yesterday and I'm not too proud to admit that I took it for all it was worth.
This morning, I did four laps in the driveway. Hard as I was sore from yesterday, but necessary. Otherwise you stiffen up to the point you can't move at all and that is never good.
I've been out on my under carport deck this morning. I walked out carefully and held onto the hand rail. I'm trying to increase my stamina and my range day by day.
My goal, given to me by Dr. Leberte, is to walk into the doctor's office unaided on June 28th. I'm working toward that diligently. I don't want to spend the rest of my life needing a wheelchair or other devices to get around. That may sound prideful, but it has been a fear of mine all of my life that I would be a burden to everyone else... scary stuff.
But for today, I'm walking. Cautious steps and carefully planned routes so I don't overtax my body, but walking nonetheless.
And I am thankful to be granted the opportunity to walk again. It could easily have been otherwise and more drastically, I could have been graveyard dead. Not pleasant to contemplate, but for gratitude's sake, important to acknowledge.
God has been good to me through prayers and fasting and the helping hands of so many people both inside my family and in my circle of friends.
That is something worth sharing any day of the week. I'm thankful!
