I think my turn around point, the point where I finally decided to start moving more, was when I moved into my dad's house. There are no ramps, and the only way in is to climb steps. I used to just scoot up on my rear to get inside, but when I moved in I started climbing them. At first I had to hold on tight with one hand and pick up my right foot with the other to place it on the next step, and then it took all I had in both arms and legs to boost myself up to the next step. That process has changed so dramatically I can hardly believe it myself. I started using the muscles in the right leg as much as I could, and now today I am able to get my right leg up to the next step without using my hand to put it there, and my balance and strength has improved ten fold. Just the act of walking the steps has made me a lot stronger.
Climbing the steps then gave me the confidence to start walking more. I could feel the strength in my right leg increasing so I figured some more walking would be beneficial. When I first started with more walking, I was walking 80 steps at a time to and from my garage, and usually only once or twice a day, three or four times a week. Now, I am walking 300 or more steps per day, sometimes even 1,000 in one day, and I just can't believe how far I've come. Something I thought would never happen and was hopeless, is now within my reach. I actually feel as though I can do this, I can pull this off. I will walk again someday on my own power. I will. Those words make me cry.
As I sit in my bed typing this, my walker is at my bedside. This is the first night I am going to attempt going without my wheelchair. I usally get up at least twice in the night to use the bathroom, so this means I will have to walk. I'm not sure how this will work out when I'm half asleep, but I am about to find out. Wish me luck.
No comments:
Post a Comment