I'm walking, I'm walking, I'm walking...

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!

Squirrels

It's that time of year again... the time when the squirrels take to the yard in their acrobatic displays of skill from branch to branch, leaping over one another in the clover in a madcap exercise of comedic proportion.

They are totally uninhibited in their approach to life. The food is there for the taking and they have no real competition in this yard. Even when Gypsy was with us, she didn't chase them. She viewed them as friends.

Today, the front yard family of squirrels has been entertaining us with their antics up in the tree and on the portion of the lawn by the road on the other side of the ditch. The young squirrels are easily startled by passing cars and show their level of anxiety by how high they leap into the air, or onto one another.

It's hilarious watching the battle royale that ensues. If you listen carefully, you can hear the unmistakable chattering that plainly says "GET OFF OF ME, NARVILLE!! YOU ARE STEPPING ON MY EYES!"

I love the little squirrels.

The other day, one of them was sitting on the corner of the porch roof just nibbling on a maple tree seed and looking intently at me as I was under the carport for a breath of outdoor air.

He kept his eyes clasped upon mine for the longest time. I spoke softly to him and he flicked his tail a time or two not leaving until Rick came out to see what was going on.

My Momma had a way with animals, both wild and tame. She would speak to them lovingly and they could sense her goodness and gentle spirit. They were never afraid of her. They would draw nearer and never shied away.

I like to think that our squirrels know me and tell their subsequent families in the generations down the line that ours is a safe yard for them to enjoy. That we would not hurt them.

I noticed the other day that we have some kind of chipmunks that have also joined us here. They are most welcome. They came right up onto the porch while the back door was standing wide open. Though they didn't come inside the house, they did look in very carefully as if to determine just what kind of creatures lived in this over-sized "nest" they had been investigating.

Well, the day is underway and I suppose I should get back to the chores I need to start while Jared is still napping. Perhaps dreaming of squirrels himself. Who knows?

Learning to Walk

At the checkup on Friday, Doc told me to start walking with gradual weight bearing on the left leg until I am able to go without walker, cane or wheelchair.

He is giving me the six weeks until my next appointment to be free of aids.

I can do this.

I'm off all the narcotic medication and pretty well managed with over the counter pain medicine as needed.

Walking again has made me a bit dizzy since the body isn't use to sharing the weight around and it makes things feel kind of odd. The swelling continues to diminish and the nerve function is getting back to normal.

Where before my left leg and hip and pelvis were just bloated and swollen beyond reason, I am now almost equalized on the measurements between the leg sizes. The numbed area that used to extend from hip to toes is now localized to an area on my left thigh about the size of my hand and to a couple of toes - but that is also getting better.

Meanwhile, I am trying to walk as much as I can within reason as I regain balance and strength. If I do too much too quick, I'll create a setback that is completely avoidable by just being careful about how much I push.

I'm still doing the daily PT plus the walking. I'm hopeful that soon I can get into the pool where I can get some warm water PT to help the muscles strengthen with the neutral buoyancy of the therapy pool.

All in due time.

A phrase that both is hard to swallow and a good reminder that I am not in charge.

Due time... I'm an impatient sort, but thankful that God has granted me some more time on this earth to become less rushed, less "me, me, me" and more "what Thou would have me do".

One step at a time...

I never appreciated that phrase more than now.

God bless.

Happy Mother's Day

Today is the day set aside to honor the women who are our Mothers, those women who stand in the stead of our mothers and those women who are just motherly in their nature who care for us all.

I miss my Momma every single day since she has passed. But I am so thankful for her influence and her care in my life. She taught me all about life and had a gentle way of making things seem less intense and more manageable even when it was hard for me to understand.

Mother's Day is a day to also remember the wonderful blessing of having a good Momma. Not just someone who brought a baby into the world, but the soul who loved me, held me tight, wiped my tears, cheered my victories, supported me as I learned new things and helped me feel excited about all that was a possibility.

She baked the nicest loaves of bread. I didn't inherit that skill. She also made really good cake. The good kind, not from a box.

She made my clothing and pajamas. I remember her sewing into the late hours to make me clothing that was nice and made me feel loved.

I remember her cool hands on my face and forehead when I was ill, her warm hands bandaging my cuts and boo boos and the kindness in  her hands as she wiped away my tears.

Momma would read to me and tell me stories and sing me songs while she played the piano. It was such a nice and comfortable feeling to know that she was there.

Now, I take comfort in the fact that she is in heaven. There would be no other place she could go. She has received a reward that is most assuredly deserved. I just hope they have a nice piano there where she can play.

I am thankful for my goodly and Godly Mother. It is the best thing to ponder upon on a Mother's Day that I can honestly say that my Mother was and is a good woman.