I started last year just like I'm starting this year: ready to shred weight and live a healthy life. I was making such good progress in the gym and with my diet and I lost 20 lbs before I broke my leg walking home from the gym at 11:00 pm on January 13th, 2014. This year has been full of struggles, but I've learned a great deal about myself and what I can accomplish.
This year has taught me patience, determination, humility, determination, adaptability, how to ask for help, inner-strength, determination, vulnerability, hard work, how to fight and that I COULD fight, and that my independence and freedom can be taken away at any time. Above all, it taught me that I could smile in the face of pain and challenges and that I have an amazing group of family and friends.
Wow. I have so many people to thank....
**Cue awards thank you speech now**
My older sister Tara drove an hour and a half each way multiple times a week just to take me to physical therapy for a little over an hour and then she'd drive right home to take care of her family. She cleaned my house, cooked me dinners, shopped for me, brought me to dunkin' donuts for iced coffees, held my hand as I got an iv, helped me breathe through the tears, and brought me home with her after my second surgery so she could pamper me.
She even got me out of bed the day after surgery and brought me on the boat with her family so I could enjoy the sun!!
Tara snapped this picture of me knocked out on the couch at her place after my second surgery. I slept through most of her visits but she was just a busy little bee taking care of me as I recovered.
I had friends drive hours just to come visit me and keep me company. They played card games, watched movies, fetched me things that were out of reach, made me meals, and just provided me with laughs to pass the time.
My friend Jenny (right) dropped everything and also drove long distance to pamper me (she gives awesome pedicures), set timers for me to stay on top of taking my meds. Helped me bathe, gave me awesome pre-op advice, and was an awesome care-taker when my family couldn't be there.
I had family send me care packages and gift certificates for restaurants knowing that I couldn't stand in the kitchen and cook for myself.
A boss of mine came to my apartment and hooked up an IP phone and a computer so I was just an extension dial away and could work from home.
A physical therapist who knew exactly how hard to push me and when "something just wasn't right" and was there for me through a second and third surgery. Holy man, she was a god-send!
A kind neighbor who babysat my dog, as well as picked me up from work and brought to and from me to PT.
My best friend Katie for driving all the way to Gurnee to bring me to surgery and stay with me as I recouped. I can't remember most of the things she did for me because I was knocked out cold from the drugs, but holy man, she's an angel!
My parents for dropping everything and driving from Green Bay to spend a few days for me and spoil me. I won't mention what my mom had to do for me.... to mortifying for even this over-sharer! They brought me to the funeral of an amazing woman, Barbara White, the co-founder of my company even though it was a very difficult outing-physically and emotionally. (Why do all bad things happen at once?)My little sister for nurturing me from afar, and sending the most awesome comic book I've ever seen! I still cherish it!
My boyfriend did so much for me that when I begin to list the ways, it makes me cry. From the first night: riding with me in the ambulance, offering encouragement and support while I was screaming in pain, holding my hand in the ER, answering all their questions when I couldn't speak, yelling at the nurses after I had sat for 2 hours with no pain meds or attention, yelling again at the doctor when he was too rushed and rough with my injury and then took matters into his own hands when my temporary air cast needed to be removed GENTLY, remembering when I needed to take my pain medications and setting timers so we wouldn't forget, cleaning up my puke when the meds made me so nauseous I couldn't even move (seriously, he did this MULTIPLE TIMES... why on earth hasn't he run away yet?), driving me everywhere I needed to go, buying me tampons at the store when I couldn't go myself, cooking me dinner, buying me lady dulcolax because the pain meds stopped me up and I couldn't poop (he actually put thought into the kind of constipation medicine he bought for me and bought the pink lady kind!), cleaning my house, taking care of the dog, grocery shopping for me, wrapping my leg nice and tight-but not too tight, getting me ice, getting me water, getting me pain meds, etc etc.
He was an expert on knowing that when I got quiet or cranky it was because I was too afraid to ask for help and I was formulating in my mind if there was a way I could do it myself. "I know that look, you're avoiding asking for help because you don't want to be a "pain in the butt" but it's easier for us both if you just tell me what you need." Holding my hand and calming me down while they stuck me several times with an IV, failing each time, and distracting me by talking about the Kardashians-which he cares nothing about. Being the first face I saw after waking up from my surgeries, and not laughing or taking pictures of me crawling up 3 flights of stairs on my hands and knees after each one and again cleaning up my puke when the rigorous activity right after surgery made me toss my cookies. Still telling me that I'm beautiful despite not having been able to
shower for days and having puke in my hair.
Encouraging me to push through the pain and work hard at PT and in the gym to recover as fast as possible and showing me tough love when I was full of excuses. Telling me to "turn it in!" when I wasn't paying attention to my proper walking form and my toes were pointed out instead of pointing straight... he was annoyingly good at that. Taking a trip to the end of the block with me just so I could practice driving again after I was given the "green light" to start driving short distances again and then being thrilled for me at this new milestone AND taking pictures to document how ECSTATIC I was to have this freedom back! Even though I had to take that stupid boot off every time I got behind the wheel and then strap it back on when I got back out of the car, it was absolutely thrilled. Look at that face! I don't think I was this excited when I got my license at 16! It may sound morbid, but my boyfriend is taking me out tonight to celebrate my anniversary. We're starting fresh and looking forward to good things to come and celebrating that we got through this year's struggles.
This year has been not just hard on me, but the people I love and I appreciate all the outpouring of support and care that I've received. I can't believe the ride it's been! I'll never be the same, but darnit, I will adapt to the best of my ability!
I have to leave you with this: My dear friend and Co-Worker, Sarah brought this "break-iversary" gift to work for me this morning. How sweet is that? She definitely put a smile on my face during this emotional day. My very own travel sized Salt Dispenser for whatever slippery walk ways may come to taunt me!
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