Adaptive water skiing

 August 21:

It occurred to me that not many people know what my life was like after being released from the hospital in 2014. After my release, I had to stay in Buffalo for a year for rehab. I had been in a coma and my muscles had atrophied. That saying, ‘use it or lose it’ is definitely true. My days were spent doing physical, speech and occupational therapy. I couldn’t move or talk. The ataxia destroyed my balance. My brain was fine, many times I would think I could do simple tasks but my body was unable to. I had to learn to slow everything down and plan out what I wanted to do. I had to really focus on every task. My body would shake all the time. Eventually, I learned that strengthening my muscles reduced my shaking. Now, I’m proud to say that my shakes are pretty much gone!

My husband and I returned to our home in SC in 2015. Returning to SC was very difficult because we lost our support group. My husband had to run the household, be the breadwinner and take care of me. It became too much for him, so he sent me to stay with my mom in Colorado. After about a year, he filed for divorce.

I lived with my parents for a few years until we found a nursing home in Boulder that would accept me. I lived in the nursing home for about 8 months, until the Center for People with Disabilities helped me move into an apartment in Boulder. Since December 2018, I have lived by myself in that apartment. I can now take care of myself. I do need assistance from CNAs and housekeepers. I still cannot walk by myself but the CNAs walk with me using a walker and a gait belt.

I’m not sharing this for sympathy. I want others to know that with determination, hard work and a positive attitude, any thing is possible.