Here's to a great New Year

When I arrived home I was a bit nervous off walking with it, not because I was going to fall, but because of the carpet it's a lot different to walking in the hospital. Anyway I soldiered on and within a few hours I was walking again the way I had always dreamed of, back to when I used to walk with my crutches many moons ago. It was the closest I was going to get to walking with my crutches for the time being and I was happy.

The next morning mind you I felt a little bit tight although I remember my Physio saying that I would be because it was a new way of walking for me, but also my muscles were getting constantly stretched and it would probably help a lot with the spasms I get as it would help too loosen them. At the time it didn't feel like it I can tell you. After an hour or so things had started to ease off and I felt fine. I then went off to work although I decided to keep the frame at home till I had got used to it and then I would take it with me.A few weeks went by and I was walking more and more with the frame and it seemed to be getting easier and I didn't have that tight feeling like I did the first morning. It also felt more normal to me because it was a more usual walking pattern.

Then things changed again for the better. I woke one morning it was Monday and I knew I had a meeting to go to with my Manager. I had this funny sensation come over me as I got out of bed and in to my chair, I waited for my lift to come up and I felt all relaxed and a bit odd, I got down stairs took my usual medication and was ok but still felt different but cant really describe it, the usual routine I have on a morning seemed slightly easier for some reason but I carried on the same.

My car came to take me to work and this time I took my frame with me for the first time and thought if I have chance today I will have ago walking a bit outside.I was making my way across the High Street with my Manager and I was telling them about how different I was feeling but couldn't understand why, and hope I couldn't wait to get back to the office to show her how I was walking now, its as if I was walking on air, as if I didn't have anything and was walking unaided.We got back to the office and I was getting a bit excited and nervous all the same the first difference we had noticed was how easy I had got myself out of my powerchair. I remember saying that's not all, then I got hold of the frame and off and I felt like the Road Runner from the Looney Tunes cartoons.I walked it was an amazing feeling, so light, so easy and my Manager couldn't believe it "wow look at you walking, your upright "that's great what a difference wow" I said I know I feel great and its so easy and I feel so different I cant tell you I sort of feel normal, its as if my disability as started to melt away and I was left standing literally "you look so relaxed more than I have ever seen you " its great!!"

"Reach for the stars
Climb every mountain higher
Reach for the stars
Follow your hearts desire
Reach for the stars
And when that rainbow's shining over you
That's when your dreams will all come true"
S Club 7

I started to laugh its as if I have been set free and I cant understand why, then I got back in my powerchair and we carried on chatting about it for a while "maybe its because you are happier in yourself and you have started to forget you are disabled to a degree" "Yes I think that's what it is and also support from everyone to help me realise that I can do it if given the chance, and boy have I been given the chance now, its like I have been thrown a life line sort of permission to have another go at things" and wow am I going to grasp it with both hands"I have always viewed my disability in terms that I have the ability not disability, it is in fact as far as I'm concerned the environment we live in that makes us disabled. Without the support from everyone around me I would not of achieved what I have in my life so far and as I am writing this Celine Dion's song springs to mind :

"For all those times you stood by me
For all the truth that you made me see
For all the joy you brought to my life For all the wrong that you made right
For every dream you made come true
For all the love I found in you
I'll be forever thankful baby
You're the one who held me up
Never let me fall
You're the one who saw me through through it all

You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'coz you believed I'm everything I am
Because you loved me "