Tag Archives: Boston Marathon Bombing

it’s the world gone crazy

15 Sunday Mar 2020

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , ,

If we are all going to be destroyed by an atomic bomb, let that bomb when it comes find us doing sensible and human things—praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts—not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs. They may break our bodies (a microbe can do that) but they need not dominate our minds. C. S. Lewis

Coronavirus has brought the world to a standstill. People are hiding in their homes.  Panic buying. The toilet paper is gone. Shelves are cleared in supermarkets. People are waiting hours in lines. Major League sports have cancelled or postponed their seasons. Around the world gatherings are being cancelled. Churches are putting services online. People are scared to go out of their houses. I have never washed my hands so much, used so much hand sanitizer, or wiped surfaces multiple times daily with disinfectant wipes.

I am really struggling with how to respond to all of this. I have never experienced a global pandemic. I have been in Texas with my aunt & uncle since the beginning of February. I am away far away from my home and my family. Things are so uncertain. Will I be able to get home to Asheville when it is time for me to go home? Will I even be able to cross state lines? Will I be stuck in Texas forever? (GASP THE HORROR) It feels so unsettling to not be at one’s home. Near one’s family, but, I know I am exactly where I am supposed to be. I know God put me here because my Aunt and Uncle are going to need my help, and I am happy to be where I am supposed to be.

But I am a little scared. I am a little worried. Where do you even turn during this. How do you survive a global pandemic? How do you keep two little kids home from school for weeks and entertain them and make sure they don’t spend 100% of their time playing video games? Will people that I love get sick? Will people that I love die?

It is my natural tendency to panic. Not outwardly panic. Google panic. I research everything. I have been checking news updates obsessively. I read one thing and think oh good it won’t be that bad, I read another and think omg we’re all going to die. I walk around the house with disinfectant wipes. I diffuse something random as if it is going to save us…

I read facts and statistics… Ebola killed 11,315 people, Spanish Flu 20-50 MILLION, The Black Death 75-200 MILLION…. surely it won’t be that bad. And the world survived those things… And they didn’t have modern medicine…

I know I need to fall on my knees and pray. PRAY. I know there is NOTHING else I can do. I know that no matter the spread of this virus, God is 100% in control. Take a deep breath Gina. God brought me through a terrorist attack. I thought I was going to die then. And I had such peace about it. What makes this any different? I had time to think about it and prepare for it and stock pile toilet paper (no I didn’t do that really)… But that doesn’t mean God is any less in control.

If corona is coming for us lets do more of these things. Let’s love more and do more good and make more memories. Let’s spend quality time (over FaceTime) Finish that project you’ve been putting off. Write that book you’ve been wanting to write (that’s for me too) Clean that closet you never look at… Read to your kids. Make some amazing memories. If corona is coming let us be THRIVING — “not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about bombs.” [or coronavirus]

God’s got us. We are alive. Right now.

There’s still time for LOVE.

There’s still time for relationships.

There’s still time for HOPE.

Stay safe out there ❤

Advertisement

eclipse

29 Tuesday Aug 2017

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

IMG_3599

This week was the total solar eclipse. We were very near the line of totality, so we drove down south a bit to watch at a camp near Travelers Rest. (Yes, that is the name of the town.) It was such a cool experience. There was a wide open grassy space on top of a hill so we climbed to the top to wait for the sun and moon to get into position. We hung hammocks around the edge of the woods, laid out picnic blankets, and set up so many cameras and tripods. We had arrived early because we were afraid we would get stuck in traffic, so we spent the day lounging in our hammocks, reading, eating, and just hanging out. When it finally started, we moved to the middle of the open space to watch the slow transformation. To see the moon cover the sun and change the day to night for a few seconds. We had a view over the mountains and it went from sunny blue skies, to orange and purple sunset, to dusky dark and then back to bright blue again. When it was dark all the crickets started chirping in the woods and it felt like a hot summer night. Then the sun began to slowly peak out again and within a few minutes, we had sunny skies again. Amazing.

Did you get to see it??

I also sprained my foot this week. I fell down the steep hill in my backyard while I was mowing the lawn. When I got out of urgent care, I sat in my car and cried. I feel like in four years I have made so much progress. If you didn’t know me, you probably wouldn’t even notice that I had a messed up leg. It was strong and toned and I worked hard to get it that way. I bought a house. I mow my own lawn. (well not anymore!) It doesn’t hurt a LOT. Just hurts enough. But since the feeling in that foot isn’t normal, I guess I don’t know how much it really hurts and maybe its worse that what I can feel. The blessing (?) of not having properly working nerves. But guys this is hard. I feel like I’ve gone completely back to the beginning. Which I know isn’t true, but it seems like it was then. The orthopedic originally said he thought it was something else and would require immediate surgery, but he decided to take more x-rays to make sure. I sat on the bed in the x-ray room trying not to cry because I don’t know if I can handle surgery. I know I can. I’m just not ready for it. It was so many emotions. I was so scared.

As I sat in my car crying, I looked down at my booted foot and next to it, my left gas pedal. Which I haven’t used in…I don’t know two and a half years, but I had to put it back in to get myself to urgent care. So there it was. My left foot pedal. The only way I can drive when my idiot leg decides to be blown up in a bomb and then four years later to break while mowing the DANGEROUS lawn.

But you know what? I know how to drive with my left foot. And my car is equipped for that. And you know what else? I am so good at crutches. And I know how to get myself in and out of a boot in record time. I am Boston Strong and I know how to do all these things. And this time is not even near as bad as the last time. (hopefully) And yeah I’ll be out of work for a while probably. And I’ll have to sit around a lot. But I have a lot of reading and writing to do. So I guess I can catch up. And I think it’s time for my Starbucks career to wind down, so this might be a good time of searching and seeing what God has for me next.

I told my sister this was really bad timing because I have a lot of things coming up that I have to prepare for. And she asked me when would be a good time for me to break my foot? I guess never. There’s never a good time for bad things to happen. It’s a setback. It’s frustrating. But here’s to hoping that my pain and fear doesn’t eclipse what this time could mean for me.

“Eclipses of a spiritual nature help us see things differently too. When the life we thought we’d have is blotted out by something bigger and we find ourselves in the dark, we have a choice. We can either huddle in disillusionment, fear, and isolation, or we can smile in wide-eyed wonder, opening our hearts and hands and selves to each other and to something other. What feels like a totality of darkness can actually be a totality of grace if we have eyes to see it that way or if we at least have the right kind of glasses.”
Katherine Wolfe

Three Years

15 Friday Apr 2016

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , ,

Three years ago I wrote these posts. Can you believe its been three years? So many ups and downs. Such a journey. The bonds we have formed with other survivors, people like Steve. Dara. Sam. Nicole. Liza. Linda… These can never be replaced. No one knows my feelings like they do. No one understands my emotions as much as they do. What a BLESSING it has been to have such a wonderful, tight knit group come out of something so tragic. I love that three years after the bomb we are even closer and I imagine thirty years down the road we will still be the best of friends. We share a bond that can never be taken away. To my survivor family, I love you guys. I couldn’t get through the hard days without you.

Today is a lot of mixed emotions. Mostly I am fine. This is the first year I haven’t gone back for the marathon so it does feel a bit like something is missing. I know it seems strange to want to go back to that place, but its more going back to my people, my city. Those who were so strong for me when I had no strength of my own. The community of survivors is what I miss on days like this. And on marathon monday I know I will be missing them even more. Knowing they are all gathered together, cheering on the next set of Boston Marathoners.

Most people now don’t know. I live in a new place. With new friends. A new job. It is weird to have people who know so little about the biggest event in my life. Some know absolutely nothing. But it isn’t something I tell people anymore. It seems so strange to bring it up. Oh yeah, I was in a bomb. My leg is a mess and yeah you know… I don’t want pity. And no one understands. So sometimes its better to just keep that part of my life in the unknown. But it’s still a part of me. It’s part of who I am. I will always bear the scars. I don’t usually think about it. But today is a day to remember… So here’s some old stuff from those first few days.

4-23-13

Today I met Steve. Steve was in the ambulance with me when we rode to the hospital. He was watching the marathon with his 4 year old son. He was hurt far worse than I. But all I remember from the ambulance is him holding my hand and alternating a between telling me it was going to be ok, and yelling at the medics to find his son who was now all alone. He held my hand the whole way. i have been wondering about him. How he was doing. Did they ever find his son? So today, then the nurse told me the man who rode in the ambulance with me was hoping to see me before he left for rehab, I was of course eager to see him. He came in on a stretcher, on his way out of the hospital. when he saw me tears formed in his eyes and rolled down his cheeks. I of course started crying as well. his son had been missing when we were together in the ambulance so I inquired after him first. They foun him and he only had a small scratch on his head an was fine. Thank God. And Steve? He said he was fine. But I pushed. Really fine? No. His leg was missing from the knee down. I cried even more. My leg is useless and probably will be for a very long time, but at least I have it. Steve is going to the same rehab center that I am so as he was pulled out of my room we promised to find each other. I don’t know Steve. But I know he held my hand during some off the scariest moments of my life. And for that I will be eternally grateful.

4-24-13

Rehab has three hours of physical therapy a day. That scares me. But then I remember that Meggie and I were spending almost 3 hours a day at the Y before I came here, so I got this! We were swimming almost an hour a day and I know that is the only reason I have the upper body strength to pull myself around on the walker. God was preparing me for this long before I even knew I would need the strength.  Amazing right?

Please continue to pray for pain management for all of us. It can be extremely frustrating to be in so much pain. Also continue to pray for God’s healing in each of our lives. Lastly pray for my family members who although they were not hospitalized, still experienced as much trauma as we did and who are getting very worn traveling from hospital, to hospital, surgery, to surgery. There is no way we could make it through each day without all of your prayers. Thank you so much for your faithfulness.

4-26-13

I am moved to rehab. Kim and Colton and my Aunt Shari have gone. Slowly the visitors are dwindling down and people are returning to their normal lives. But what does that mean? Many of us will not be returning to normal life. Maybe ever. Our injuries will be with us. We may never walk normally again. We may never be the same as we were before. Even if we get to “normal” physically, these events will always be with us. And I can’t even process that yet. I don’t know what that will look like one month from now, one year from now, ten years from now. But I read these verses and I am comforted. My Father knows what the future looks like, and He tells me “do not be worried about your life.” I hope that comforts you. I hope that you can read these verses and find some peace. The road ahead is long. And will be very painful. But we can do it one day at a time.

25“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?26“Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?27“And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?28“And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,29yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.30“But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!31“Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’32“For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.33“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

4-29-13

Anyway, there have been several comments that whenever we show up in a picture, there is utter chaos surrounding us, but we all look so peaceful. We are either laying patiently on the ground, or sitting calmly. In the midst of chaos, peace. And I never would have had a second thought about it, but several people have brought it up today. And I’m not ready to write about all that happened in those moments. The explosion etc, but I would like to address this one subject.

First of all, there must have been hundreds of angels all around us. The new Chris Tomlin song Whom Shall I Fear kept running through my head. “The God of Angel armies is always by my side”. So yes, I believe there were angels all around us. We were so close to the bomb, we should be hurt much worse, or even dead. Although our injuries are extensive, they should have been much worse. Second, Colton brought this up to me today. People keep asking “where was God in all of this?” Just look at the pictures. Look at the chaos and then look at me or Rebekah, or Peter or Kim or Colton. That’s where God was. We are His children, filled with His Spirit. In the midst of chaos, He WAS there. Third, I believe that God gave us so so much grace. Grace to think clearly. To know how to respond in trauma. To know to tie tourniquets. Or to coach people to breathe. Or to know how to communicate with the first responders. Not one of us lost control or freaked out.

Someday I’m sure I will look at the pictures. But I just want you to know today, that God was there. He was with us. We would not be where we are today if it weren’t for Him. And as we are experiencing more and more of His grace everyday, we are amazed and speechless and we just keep clinging to Him.

I know who goes before me
I know who stands behind
The God of angel armies is always by my side
The One who reigns forever
He is a friend of mine
The God of angel armies is always by my side

more terror

22 Tuesday Mar 2016

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,

It seems like the anniversary of the marathon can’t approach us without tragedy, fear, sadness, or anxiety. Last year was the trial. We were all dealing with giving statements, attending hearings, being bombarded by the media. This year one of our survivor community, Victoria, has had a tragic accident and is no longer with us. And now today the attacks on Brussels. I woke up to phone calls and texts from friends asking if I’m ok. I avoid the news so I didn’t even know what had happened yet. Each attack is terrible. It doesn’t make me relive what happened to us. But I do avoid seeking out stories and photos. I know what it is like. I know what it looks like. I don’t need that reminder.

The thing about all this is that things never go back to normal. Nothing is ever the same. Even as much as you try to be normal, or be how you were. You can’t get back to that. You can’t go back. And maybe that’s ok, but these intermittent attacks, like regularly scheduled reminders, beat into me the fact that I too fit into that category. One who was in a terrorist attack. One who was in a bomb. One who is a victim. A survivor of something so tragic. These bombing survivors are our family. Only they know what our lives are truly like. Only they can truly understand us. But it saddens me to see our family growing. What is happening in the world when this is so common it is no longer surprising. It is no longer something that makes you gasp and say “WHAT things like this NEVER happen!” Because they do. They happen a lot. More than we even know, I’m sure. The news doesn’t report every terrorist attack or bomb that goes off.

It used to seem so far removed. It wasn’t anywhere near us. We didn’t know anyone involved. But now, each one is a reminder. Each one slams you back down on the ground and reminds you of where you were not so long ago.

John 1:5 says : “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Which doesn’t seem true. It just seems dark here. But I read it over and over. The darkness can not overcome the light. And where does the light come from? It comes from God. John 8:12: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” But it also comes from US. We are the light of the world. Jesus told us that, Matthew 5:8: “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.” 

I feel like every time something like this happens all I have to say is “cling to Jesus”. But really, is there any other answer? We are the light, we can not be hidden, the darkness can not overcome us. So we need to cling to Jesus and keep shining our lights. And someday, the darkness will be destroyed forever. Today is not that day. Today we mourn with Brussels. Today we are sad and we remember our own experiences. We call some friends from our survivor family and make sure they are ok. We lament together. But because we have gone through these experiences, we have an understanding that others do not. We can show more love. We can help bring peace. We can bond together and show these new additions to our family what surviving looks like. And we can show them that we can continue on, together.

 

on paris…

15 Sunday Nov 2015

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

So many thoughts about Paris and the other awful things happening in the world. I’ve had so many conversations this weekend with friends and other survivors from Boston. Of course this hits close to home. Of course it brings back memories, thoughts, fear.

In a small way I KNOW what the people in Paris are feeling. And although it is so far away, these scary terrorist attacks halfway around the world rock our Boston survivor world here in America. Nicole said “I will forever be heartbroken every time I hear about someone else going through such an awful time. And I will think about all of those hurt this week, all of those who lost those they love, and all of those who will have to deal with that mental/emotional struggle. I hope they find peace over time.” And that is how we feel. We are heartbroken, disturbed, scared, emotional.

This is a bit of a blog I wrote right after the bombing and hopefully it can bring some encouragement to people today. The world is in chaos. Terrible things happen every day, everywhere. But, God is STILL in control. He ALWAYS will be, and for those of us who trust in Him, he will always be on our side!

From 4/29/13 (14 days after the bombing)

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.
Psalm 34:7

I haven’t really looked at any of the pictures. I haven’t watched any of the news. I lived it, I don’t want to see it over and over. For me that works, for others, they want to explore every photograph and put the pieces together.

Anyway, there have been several comments that whenever we show up in a picture, there is utter chaos surrounding us, but we all look so peaceful. We are either laying patiently on the ground, or sitting calmly. In the midst of chaos, peace. And I never would have had a second thought about it, but several people have brought it up today. And I’m not ready to write about all that happened in those moments. The explosion etc, but I would like to address this one subject.

First of all, there must have been hundreds of angels all around us. The new Chris Tomlin song Whom Shall I Fear kept running through my head. “The God of Angel armies is always by my side”. So yes, I believe there were angels all around us. We were so close to the bomb, we should be hurt much worse, or even dead. Although our injuries are extensive, they should have been much worse.

Second, Colton brought this up to me today. People keep asking “where was God in all of this?” Just look at the pictures. Look at the chaos and then look at me or Rebekah, or Peter or Kim or Colton. That’s where God was. We are His children, filled with His Spirit. In the midst of chaos, He WAS there.

Third, I believe that God gave us so so much grace. Grace to think clearly. To know how to respond in trauma. To know to tie tourniquets. Or to coach people to breathe. Or to know how to communicate with the first responders. Not one of us lost control or freaked out.

Someday I’m sure I will look at the pictures. But I just want you to know today, that God was there. He was with us. We would not be where we are today if it weren’t for Him.

And as we are experiencing more and more of His grace everyday, we are amazed and speechless and we just keep clinging to Him.

I know who goes before me
I know who stands behind
The God of angel armies is always by my side
The One who reigns forever
He is a friend of mine
The God of angel armies is always by my side

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev

09 Thursday Apr 2015

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

I’ve been getting calls from the media, and questions from people throughout the day. Even the woman at my rental office asked me if I had heard about the sentencing. I couldn’t decide if I should comment about it or not. Tsarnaev was found guilty of all 30 charges against him. The trial will now move on to decide if he will get life in prison or the death penalty. I hate speaking with the media because they skew everything you say and use it for their own purposes. So I have been formulating my thoughts and present them here as my official opinion on the trial.

Yes, he hurt me and many of my loved ones. Yes, our lives are changed forever and some of us will live in pain the rest of our lives. What he did was wrong and as a consequence he was found guilty of all 30 charges. As for the death penalty, I believe the Bible is true and has many things to say about this situation. I am basing my position on the following verses:

Romans 13:1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.

Titus 3:1 be submissive to rulers and authorities

Romans 12:19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

As survivor of these crimes committed by Tsarnaev, I choose to pray for the jury and judges. For the governing authorities. Who have been put in that place of authority by God, the ultimate Judge. I pray that they make the right and just decision. I choose not to seek revenge. I choose to leave him to the wrath, or mercy, of God.

400 days

20 Tuesday May 2014

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

, ,

May 20th

400 days

The doctors said it would take 400 days to know if the surgeries worked. If my leg would work again. If I would walk. If I would ever feel anything. If I would be able to move my ankle and toes.

400 days.

Well time is up. Its been 400 days. It seems like it should be a huge milestone, but I’m sitting in a coffee shop and life is going on around me as normal. I don’t feel different today than I did yesterday. I don’t know what I expected of my 400 days. I think I expected that it would arrive and I would be back to normal. But that isn’t the case. I’m not normal. I don’t think my leg feels more than it did yesterday. I can feel things all the way down to my toes: if I rub it really hard or spray water from the shower on it. But it is by no means normal. I can go some days without wearing my brace, which is awesome, but it gives me a more defined limp and I walk much slower. My ankle is getting stronger, but my calf is still non-existent. I don’t think it will ever come back to what it was before. I still have a lot of pain there.

Today should be the ending of my book. TODAY IS THE END! I mean it’s not really the end of anything. It’s just the end of my 400 days. But that’s what I wanted my book to be about. This blog post should be a summary. It is my final chapter. The conclusion of my book. What do I want my conclusion to be. What is the takeaway? What have I learned in these 400 days? I don’t know. I just don’t. I don’t know how to put it into words. But I need to. That’s the point right? The point of writing a book. Is that I can put into words what I am learning. What I have learned.

I have learned that I am still telling an old story about who I am. After reading Shauna’s blog: Getting Out of a Life Rut, I realized I read the whole thing completely agreeing. Yes, that’s who I am. The chubby, funny girl. The sidekick. I am telling an old story about myself. That’s not who I want to be anymore. In The Holiday, Kate Winslet’s character, Iris, comes to the same realization when talking to her neighbor, Arthur.

Arthur: Iris, in the movies we have leading ladies and we have the best friend. You, I can tell, are a leading lady, but for some reason you are behaving like the best friend.

Iris: You’re so right. You’re supposed to be the leading lady of your own life! Arthur, I’ve been going to a therapist for three years, and she’s never explained anything to me that well. That was brilliant. Brutal, but brilliant.

This bomb should change my life. I should be changed. I should stop telling that old story. It isn’t who I am anymore. I think that’s a lot of what these 400 days were about. I should have used them more wisely. I should have figured this out before day 400. Have I essentially wasted 400 days of my life? Or have all these days been the culmination of this learning curve?

I need to start living the life I want to have. I can’t keep moping around waiting for something to happen to me. I need to stop acting like the best friend and start being a leading lady.

Allison Vesterfelt wrote a great blog post called Don’t Wait to be Invited to Your Life. She tells a story about how as a child she was always left out and was always waiting to be invited to things, while other children always seemed to be invited and included. But she realized it was because they were constantly putting themselves out there.

“They didn’t need someone to tell them they were good at wall ball, or that they were a great writer, or that they deserved a happy marriage. They already believed those things were true. And because they believed that, they put themselves in the game. They played with a sort of abandon. They got better and better.

I don’t need an invitation. Neither do you. What we need is a little more moxie, a little more guts. We we need is a willingness to know what we want. What we need is to practice, practice, practice—and to make a little room for ourselves on the court. “

I can’t keep waiting to be invited. I can’t keep waiting for something to HAPPEN in my life. I need to start living the life I want and I need to start being the person I want to be. I need to stop telling that old story about myself. I’ve had 400 days. As this concluding chapter closes, how am I going to change my story for the next 400?

How will you?

a hopeful transmission

06 Monday Jan 2014

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,


I am in Texas. I have been here since the 27th. I may never leave. No. I will. Texas is not my favorite place. I’m going home in a week. Next monday. Back to the snow and frigid temperatures. We came down for my cousin’s wedding and I decided to stay to escape the winter for a little while. I’ve become a snow bird. I always thought those people were weird. But I get it now. It’s mostly because its hard for me to walk on ice and snow and it makes me nervous to drive left-footed on snowy roads. So, I stayed in TX with my Aunt, Uncle, Grandma, & 4 boy cousins.

December 11th we left Rochester for Boston and then left Boston for France. It was such a great trip and I am working on blogging pictures/stories so look for those in the next few days! We were home for 4 days and then jumped on a plane again and headed to San Antonio, Austin, & Dallas. (Which is where I am currently)

Overall. I feel like I have been gone from home forever. I miss my bed and my dog and my church and my friends! (not necessarily in that order) I have had some requests to know how I am doing and how my leg is, so here is a little update.

I have been away from PT for almost a month so I feel LAZY and like I haven’t been making very much progress. My scar is slowly fading. I am slowly gaining feeling down my leg. I have tingles all the way to my fourth toe. The three big toes have no tingles, but 4th and baby get a little. That’s only if I tap them repeatedly. My feeling is mostly normal about halfway down my calf. It’s not perfect, but I can tell if something is touching me at least. I have better movement in my ankle and toes. I can move my foot up and down and out to the right. I can’t move it inwards at all. My third toe curls pretty well but none of the others really do. I’ll try to attach a video to this post so you can see the progress. Keep in mind that at the beginning I had absolutely NO movement of my foot/ankle/toes. So any movement is a positive thing.

I still wear a brace that goes almost to my knee, but I walk around the house without it as long as I’m not standing for a long period of time. I can balance on my bad foot for about 3-4 seconds which is huge. When I first started balancing I couldn’t even put all my weight on it and that was only at the beginning of November. So I am gaining strength, mobility, and feeling every day. I still have pain. My good knee bothers me a lot because it has been taking a beating for the past 8 months. My back bothers me a lot. I think this is residual from being on crutches for 6 months and also my limp throws it off all the time. The medicine I am on makes me so tired. So I feel lazy and lethargic all the time. I just want to take a nap! My bad leg still has nerve pain, but it’s not as intense as it has been. It is mostly when I go to bed. It starts zapping me like crazy and won’t let up for a while. It also gets really sore if I walk or stand a lot. But I usually try to push through within reason. It needs to get stronger!

I do PT 3 days a week still when I am home. About 2 hours each time. I started working with a personal trainer right before we left for France so I will start a weight lifting/swimming program when I get home the other 3 days of the week. Hopefully I can get my strength and energy back! I think that’s about it! Quick update on me. France trip blogs to commence asap!

IMG_8490