Thursday the goal at this point is daily stretching and exercise emphasizing the strengthening of my hips so that I can move my legs laterally with ease. In the past week Meredith and I have done pool exercises that have focused on sidestepping, squats, sit to stand exercises and stretching of my abductors, my calves and my hip flexors. We also had me fitted for bilateral AFO’s. These leg braces will allow me to spend more time on my feet us strengthening the muscles that have gotten weak due to inactivity.
I know that all healing takes time. And, I am getting impatient, wanting to see more results. I think my trip to Tacoma next week is coming at a perfect time.
Since I am living in a new future, and that future is one of walking, I catch myself wanting to be reasonable and careful in my speaking. I want to say if I will walk again, or if this procedure with Dr. Robson works, or if I will be walking in a year? There is no possibility in that speaking, it’s inauthentic and it’s not the future that I am living. I often ask people to see me walking freely and without support. So far I have noticed there has been no one who has even hesitated to be aligned with my future. This future includes full mobility and full activity. My son Kevin asked me when I got back from Washington if it was time to give my golf shoes back. I think he forgot that I already have them in my closet.
Today I was part of a group that is focused on creating the future for St. Louis. The future we created was that of dreams not of reasonableness. That future was filled with passion, inspiration, attraction, joy, courtesy, beauty and functionality. When the founders of our country created the Declaration of Independence they created a future of a country that was worth living in. This future is the future of dreams built upon a foundation of integrity, equality, freedom and justice. I say it is better to fall short of a big dream than to accomplish a reasonable one.
Next week while I’m in Tacoma am going to try and get together with Matthew Arnoldy, Thayer Garrett and Mary and Gary Murphy who live in Sequim, Washington.
