IN MY LAST POST, I MENTIONED HOW ON VACATION IN JUNE, I FELL OUT OF MY W/C & BEAT MYSELF UP PRETTY GOOD…PHYSICALLY, I’M SOOO MUCH BETTER–ALMOST COMPLETELY HEALED (2 MY POST-STROKE/”NORMAL” STATE)! HOWEVER, MENTALLY, I’M MESSED UP (THOUGH I’M SO FORTUNATE & BLESSED 2 HAVE MY HUSBAND BE A THERAPIST!).

I’VE ALSO SEEN THE NEUROLOGIST & I STARTED TAKING THE NEW DRUG 4 PBA, & IT IS AMAZING!!! I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN COMPLAINTS ABOUT IT’S INCONSITENCY IN WORKING (WHICH I HAVE EXPERIENCED EPISODES/DAYS WHERE IT DOESN’T REALLY WORK, THOUGH THE “EPISODES” ARE MUCH SHORTER), BUT OVERALL I AM HAPPIER & MORE RELAXED, & WHILE I MAY FEEL CHOKED UP, I CAN WATCH A MOVIE W/O CRYING! IN FACT, I CAN ACTUALLY GO THROUGH A WHOLE ENTIRE DAY W/O A HUGE FLARE-UP!

I DON’T CARE IF I HAVE A FEW “EPISODES” STILL. 2 ME, HAVING WAY LESS EPISODES IS WONDERFUL, & A WELCOMED RELIEF—HOWEVER, I AM GRATEFUL 4 THE SKILLS I HAVE DEVELOPED, SO I CAN BETTER MANAGE MY PBA, WHEN THE PILLS DON’T WORK…!

PABLO PICASSO SAID “I AM ALWAYS DOING THINGS I CAN’T DO, THAT’S HOW I GET TO DO THEM.” I RECENTLY GOT HOME FROM OUR FAMILY REUNION: WE MET 4 A FEW DAYS AT UNIVERSAL (WHERE I RODE EVERY RIDE MY HUSBAND, MK, DID–EVEN THE INTENSE HULK ROLLERCOASTER!) & WENT ON THE DISNEY DREAM 5-NIGHT CRUISE 2 THE BAHAMAS. IT WAS THE BEST TRIP EVER–I WAS ACTUALLY NOT WANTING 2 LEAVE, & I NEVER MISSED CHECKING MY EMAIL…SO IT MUST HAVE GONE WELL!

I CAN FLY ON AN AIRPLANE, BUT PREFER NOT TO, SO I CAN TAKE MY BIG WHEELCHAIR, & TILT, FREELY USE A BATHROOM, NOT DEAL W/MY EARS, ETC. BUT MY HUSBAND DROVE 2 FLORIDA, 4 ME! (TALK ABOUT LOVE!) SO WE DROVE TO FLORIDA FOR 2 DAYS….

THE ROOMS WERE DOWNRIGHT AMAZING, & I FELT LIKE ROYALTY! DISNEY SURE KNOWS HOW 2 MAKE THINGS ACCESSIBLE (IT WAS LIKE NIGHT & DAY WHEN WE VISITED A BOHEMIAN ISLAND W/NO ADA LAWS), SO MY FAVORITE THING BY FAR IS THAT I COULD PUSH A BUTTON & THE DOOR OPENED! (NOT THAT I WENT PLACES ALONE–I’M TOO SCARED–BUT I HAVE AN AUTOMATIC BEDROOM DOOR OPENER, & HOTEL ROOMS DON’T HAVE THAT, SO I AM USED 2 LOSING INDEPENDENCE ON TRIPS–NOT GAINING IT!)

THE OTHER THING I LOVED WAS THE RAMP ON THE BALCONY (I CAN NEVER ACCESS BALCONIES!)…WHEN I NEEDED A REFUGE FROM THE COLD ROOM, OR JUST WANTED 2 WATCH THINGS GO BY, I COULD ACCESS A VIRTALLY COVERED PATIO, & FEEL THE WARM AIR & SMELL THE OCEAN!

I ADMIT THAT THERE WAS 1 DAY WHERE I WAS SAD ON THE TRIP. MAYBE MY PILLS WERE NOT HELPING, BUT I WAS FRUSTRATED ABOUT A FEW THINGS, & HAVING A “PITY PARTY.” BUT AFTER PAUSING AN AUDIO BOOK TO TAKE SOME TIME 2 THINK, THEN TALKING 2 MK & MY SISTER-IN-LAW, I EMPLOYED SOME RE-FRAMING (AS MK CALLS IT), & THINGS WERE BETTER AGAIN.

ON THE WAY HOME, WE GOT A FLAT TIRE, & WHILE I WAS OUT OF THE CAR, SO WE COULD CHANGE IT, IT STARTED 2 RAIN. 2 TOP IT OFF, I HAD 2 POTTY REALLY BAD, & NOTHING WAS AROUND FOR MILES! BUT WHAT WAS AMAZING WAS THAT NO1’S ATITITUDE FALTERED, & WE MANAGED 2 SEE THE BLESSINGS DURING THE TRIAL.

“The happiest of people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything they have.” Epictetus