Fiona's mom?!?

  Fiona's mom!

I was little nervous when all the sudden this lady comes to my door dressed in an awesome purple smok describing how we knew each other. Totally excited my brain remembered that she had a handful of little kids at the therapeutic recreation trike rides!

Oh wow it was Erin Shaw!

Being that this is being posted the day after it happened, it was only a preview to the absolutely amazing day I would have. I was about ready to hop on the bus when Ramon said he wanted to take me; he wanted to see the options available at Orangetheory. So I unpacked my wheelchair and put everything into my gym bag.

Forgetting that Pastor Erik had only seen me in my electric wheelchair as I ride It to Rocky Mountain Calvary, he didn't know that I could walk…. That totally explains his concern when I rolled over to my Starbucks and started to ask him about going to his class for a free trial.

After the class, I wasn't as exhausted  as I expected however I was tired enough to allow myself to stay in bed after my 4:15 alarm skipping my normal morning workout.

Being that this is being posted the day after it happened that was only a preview to the outstanding day I would have. When I was about ready to hop on the bus, Ramon said he wanted to take so we can see the options available at Orangetheory. Forgetting that Pastor Erik had only seen me in my wheelchair as I ride It to Rocky Mountain Calvary, he didn't know that I could walk at all much less work out!

After the class, I wasn't as exhausted as I expected although I was exhausted enough that night to sleep through my 4:15 alarm.

Seeing Fiona's mom reminded me to have my recumbent bike brought back to my house so I can ride it over the summer! When I first met Fiona’s mom, her family was just talking about adopting a child from China. Seeing a picture of Fiona, the beautiful child they were blessed with brought tears to my eyes (in my head of course).

Patience Exercise #533

Patience Exercise #553 What do with the leftover clearance vegetables? Oh, I can boil them that will cook them! After filling a pot almost totally full with the vegetables in water to broil them in, a light bulb goes off and maybe they should be fried. Trying to strain the vegetables would be too risky-- lifting that pot of vegetables and moving it across the kitchen to the other side with an ataxic arm is not worth it. Just boil all the water out and then throw the vegetables into the frying pan..... You are a genius! Much later, I mean much much later basically lunch time who have a finished product that tastes pretty absolutely amazing. Oh I forgot to mention that I remember that butter is okay to eat and I forgot to grease the pan and that butter has zero carbs so I put 2 huge scoops of butter into the vegetables.

One-up!

It was mentioned during a class one day how sometimes people try to one-up others. I wasn't quite sure what was meant by that but after it was explained, I realized how it must seem like I do that so often. Another person may be telling a story and be really excited to explain how they did something so wonderful when it hits a cord and I am flooded with memories that I have connected to an event that's already in my long-term memory. It’s kind of like when a person has an aha moment when learning new information. Even though it was something that already happened, when the memory services in my brain it's like I have never experienced it before. In essence,  it is like I'm learning new information.

I'm trying to learn how to  control myself and not express my excitement when this occurs-- it's not at all that I'm trying to one-up anyone. It’s that a word or phrase was mentioned that reached far deep into my brain and uncovered a memory that I didn't know I still had.  

I often try to relate memories to people although  at times I have to pretend something happened to a person  and then relate events to the pretend person. For obvious reasons, this does not always work and creates more confusion. I'm afraid this makes no sense but I've been proofreading and rearranging it for so long I'm just going to post it... Have fun :-)

Celebrate the Small Things!

There have been and will be ups and downs since becoming brain injured. I have now been able to complete a task that seemed nearly impossible with my ataxic right arm. Considering I am left-handed, it's not something I do very often and I'm not sure if I've ever done, but out of the blue I tried yesterday and I was successful! I hope you have an amazing day and don't forget to celebrate the small successes!

Refreshing!

God works in the most mysterious ways! So my schedule is packed during the week and I have an obligation every night. I have been unable go to midweek Church most of the school year. I understand the worshipping at home Home Alone can be almost the same thing but you definitely don't get input from others like you do in corporate worship. Tonight my normal helper was ill and I had a new helper. Normally I get very panicky but it was different night. The nice lady came in and she was dressed in a lime green shirt, I knew from then she had to be awesome! She reminded me of Maggie with her awesome hairstyles and so forth, and I soon found out that she is a pastor's wife also! To make it better she's a Lutheran pastor's wife and knows the special prayer :-)

Is This What You Call a Blog?

I don't normally have the Monday that a lot of people seem to have when they say “oh no, it's Monday” with a ho-hum  kind of attitude. Much like a robot, I complete my daily routine in a particular way seldomly deviating from my routine if at all from it. This morning however was quite different, my alarm went off at 4:45 and I just didn't feel like I needed to get up. I remembered that I had set my clock a few minutes faster than it already was which made it about an hour fast. The first time the alarm went off I thought, “I just won't work out this morning.” Then it went off again and I was like I don't have to get up yet but then it finally went off and I got up and went  I went to work out forgetting that I had decided not to, it was already light outside and the world was functioning- I wasn't used to this. When I got to the gym Sharon and Lynn were in there; I knew I had a huge problem because they normally don't work out until 7 o’clock- or so I thought. I tried to run faster to make the time go quicker but when I figured out that wouldn't work I manage to do probably the slowest run I have done in a while

I was glad that even though it was late when I finally arrived home last night and my brain was settled down, that I picked out my clothes for a couple days because I sure didn't have time to pick them out this morning. I was also glad that I decided wash my hair yesterday because there was no way I had time to blow dry it for an hour this morning.

I was very surprised that I was not hungry when I woke up nor after I worked out so I didn't have to eat either so I worked out, showered, had my clothes picked out and I was ready to go-I was even ready a couple minutes before my stepmom showed up, I was shocked!

Today I do not feel at all anxious and my brain doesn't seem to be racing... This is going to be an excellent day :-). Seeing my favorite student is something I've waited all weekend for! I hope you have an amazing week!

After work...

After having a fantastic day at work I was super excited at the end of the day which is a huge change as I used to get major headaches almost everyday. Even though I felt super productive and very accomplished after I went and saw Avengers by myself this weekend, decided that I'm really fond of Marvel movies and I can't wait to go see the next one (even though I have no idea what it is or when it comes out). This excitement was almost unleashed when I was asked to go on a date to see Aquaman. I have no idea what type of movie Aquaman may not be, but I'm almost sure it is a superhero kind of deal. Feel free to let me know. I am starting to feel so normal again that I don't know what to do :-) I suppose that's enough for right now but more exciting memories may come and just a heads up, I know there was an awesome story I wanted to write while I was watching Avengers but I can't remember it so it will be published when I remember it. Also if anyone would like to send me lines or ideas or Snippets about their day or anything I would love to read it!

The Thunder Rolls... Slowly

The Thunder Rolls... Slowly

Went to Safeway and wheeled by a man going the opposite direction who said something about going in there to waste money because their prices are so high,I thought about it and totally agreed. I wheeled all the way down to King Soopers because it was past time of Sunday buses to run. I took a long time shopping. As I was wheeling home when I noticed that my wheelchair had two squares left of battery charge. Only two squares? I shook my head really hard, close my eyes squeeze them shut and opened them back up. Sure enough, two squares. So I started heading home. By the time I got to the Safeway in front of the apartments I live in, the square was blinking and flashing. And I was traveling around to the back of Safeway there is a very slight incline. This used all my juice and my wheelchair started going very slowly -- even slower than it was before. That was a manager of some sort at the back and I told my battery was dying and asked if he would please make sure I made it down the hill and into my are my complex. He agreed to however I lost sight of him when I turned a curb but this lady going down the street somehow knew something was going on because I was going very very slow down the hill. When I finally got across the street on wheelchair would not go up the driveway into the apartment complex so I turned it off for a few seconds and then turn it back on and it let me go about 2 more feet. Had to do a couple times but I have finally made it home. In front of my building, there is a medium-length incline making it wheelchair accessible. There was also two men in front of my building working on a truck. I asked them if one of them would please push my wheelchair up the incline. I'm so grateful one of them offered to and I made it to my apartment. Next was adventure of getting up the incline ramp in front of my door. I tried to turn off my wheelchair and turn them back on but after doing that for a few minutes I realized it wouldn't work and asked the kind man who helped me up the first ramp if you would help me into my apartment. He did and then got back to work on the truck and I was in my apartment. I couldn't even park my wheelchair properly because it had absolutely no juice. After years of whining about the charger box having such a long cord and not a long charging cable, I was relieved that I could bring my charger to my parked, rather my dead wheelchair to plug it in.

Just today while I was tutoring, Aaliyah asked if my wheelchair ever died. I explained that the previous one I had did but this one has not yet. I knew that minute that I should have knocked on wood. And now you see what happens if you don't :-) I'm super excited to share this story with the girl I tutor! That's it for now! Hope you have an amazing week!