This fits

"Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb." Sir Winston Churchill

Well, that is how I feel so much of the time. I truly know that every step may be fruitful. When I was at the nursing home, my first day of therapy we were putting me in a standing frame. A standing frame is what it sounds like it is a frame that makes you stand. Lone behold I hadn't been able to pull myself up except to get into my wheelchair. We were having difficulties getting the harness on and I just pulled myself up to a standing position. Both of my therapists looked at each other in shock then looked at me. I asked, "Did I just pull myself up?" In unison they nodded their heads and smiled. So we decided to go to the parallel bars and I was able to take ten steps. It was a crazy day. I was sweating bullets, but the excitement was extraordinary. My endorphins were flowing like white water rapids. I couldn't wait to call my mom and tell her the good news(at this point she deserved some). I could hear her smiling over the phone. Then I called my dad. I can still hear his response, "Alright Marse!" He was probably throwing up his other hand in the air doing a little cheer. It was so great to have something amazing happen after losing some of my faith that I might never walk again. To all the people who had told me that I had my victorious "HA". Not to be mean, but just to say that when told that I wouldn't be able to do something ever again I had to prove them wrong. It was a vendetta of sorts. This has really been an uphill journey. I am grateful that I was able to go thru this. I honestly didn't think so in the beginning, unfortunately all I was able to muster was tears. My therapists never gave up on me and would not let me give up either. There were days where I just needed to be left alone and they respected that and would leave me be. I am not perfect and I did have bad days, but I definitely had more good than bad. In later blogs I may explain some of those bad days , however I choose now to look back at those for just a moment and then focus on the good. Without the bad the good wouldn't be as great. There were many times when I truly felt helpless. From personal experience that is a hard one to overcome.

I had to go thru this recovery to become the person I want to be. That may sound strange, but to have the qualities that I want I needed a strong kick in the toosh, and to fall flat on my face. It is only thru great tragedy that great triumph can occur. This was my tragedy. One of my greatest fears when I had first found out about my back problem was never walking again. I shared that fear about 3 months before the surgery and then it went to the back of my mind. It was still there, but the scarier thought was not waking up from the anesthesia. I had chaplains at the hospital pray with me before both surgeries. It was a little funny that I came to know all the chaplains at that hospital(there were about 6). Amazing people with a powerful connection that they are able to share with people in need.

There are many blessings in this world. There are people that are able to touch lives all over the world. I try to treat others the way that I would like to be treated. Little acts of kindness can mean so much to the person that you are helping. A little action that I am constantly amazed by is people holding or pressing a button to open a door for me. That may seem very simple, but that act of kindness means more than you can imagine. I have seen more people step up to the plate and show compassion than I ever expected. It is a little funny, but more people say "Hello and how are you today" then before. There are truly wonderful people in this world. If you want sit back and watch the way people act, it can be truly amazing to watch.