A year ago, things were a lot different for me. I was in chronic pain and my joints would shift, dislocate and sublux a lot. The previous summer I was diagnosed with POTS and EDS. It seemed like I went to Chemistry class every week with a different brace on. A sling one week and knee brace the other.
Last February, I started six months of Physical Therapy. At first I wasn't convinced it was going to help one bit. But by the time I was discharged in June, I was 85-90% pain free. My knees, hips, shoulders, and wrists didn't pop out and or shift.
To honestly say, I wasn't sure how to take it. It was strange to be given a small taste of what 'normal actually felt like. Then the summer heat hit and POTS came with a thud. It was so bad at one point that I could not get UP from the floor after an exercise because I was too weak and exhausted. I couldn't sit down at the table and write a simple email for more than a minute (sometimes not even that) before I was hit with REALLY bad nausea and fatigue. Forming a sentence was exhausting. I had to draw laying on the floor sometimes.
At this point I had let go of a lot of things. I had content with simple little things. Being able to go surfing was amazing. Something I never thought I get to do.
As the summer months came and went, POTS never really let lose. Then, in November, we switched doctors and now I have a WONDERFUL team working with me. By the end of November I was put on a trial of hydration therapy (saline IV infusions). It seems like such a small thing, but the difference it made wasn't. I went from limited daily activity, juggling simple daily tasks, matching my physical abilities and taking all day to workout, to having more stamina and endurance. School is less of a problems than what it was, and I can sit at the table and do projects and work. My daily tasks have increased as well and my ability to keep up with 'life' a bit more has improved.
Current 2013:
Right, now I'm in PT again. This time for cervical instability. I'm about a week and a half behind what my Therapist was expecting me to be. The therapy is mainly focusing on strengthening parts of the neck that 'normal' people would never have to strengthen. My headaches have decreased but I still have a ways to go with my strength and endurance in my neck.
Although huge strides of improvement have been taken, I still have struggles and issues. They haven't all gone away. And I'm fine with that. A year ago I never expected to be were I am right now. For me, learning to embrace trials and struggles has been a learning process. God NEVER allows things for no good reason. And I am thankful and blessed for all that He has given me and walked me through.....the good and so called bad. I'm better for it. No matter how yucky and downright tough it gets, there truly is a purpose to it all. GOOD will come out of it. Whether it was what we expect or not!
A few of my 2013 goals and projects!
-increase strength and get in better shape ( A life long goal)
-Go surfing!!!!! (I've been dying to get out there again and master the delicate art of balancing on a surf board!! Ugh......I'm still frustrated :P
-Make the most of every moment
-Get my drivers license....ahhh...scary:-)
-It's not exactly a goal (maybe a in the next two years goal), but I do want to get my hip surgery DONE......FINISH!!! Whether this year or next.
-Finish writing a story I started six years ago (we will see.....cough....how this one goes ;-)
-Scrapbook two albums
-Finish school
-Continue working on my reading list.
-Take a few western riding classes
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| Just got my 'sketch a day' sketchbook the other day! |
Please pray for a dear friend of mine.
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/allisonworkman
(you will also find her link on my blog list)
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