Hi Everyone,
Today’s inspiration comes from motivational speaker, Brian Tracy
An Attitude of Gratitude
Develop an attitude of gratitude and give thanks for everything that happens to you knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.
These words perfectly describe our experience tonight. Corey works hard everyday to increase her physical strength in order to prepare her muscles for the day her brain heals the connections that send the signals to move the limbs on her weaker side.
I am captivated by her concentration and determination. Her laser focus to ‘will’ her left toes to wiggle, her foot rotate, her hand to open or her arm to lift and stretch outward. She will break from her task and look bewildered, ‘why can’t I make them move’?
M – you brain is still healing and that connection is still getting stronger.
(the daily question follows)
C – when will it happen?
C – I can’t wait to start getting up and walking around on my own, no help from anyone.
M – Ok, come make dinner, I’ll get your walker.
C – NO! I don’t want a walker, I said no help.
M – Do you remember your Barbie Tricycle? your walker is like your 3 wheel bike. It helps you practice until your ready to walk with the cane alone.
C – I hate walking with anything
M – Do you remember your 2 wheeler? It had training wheels on it because you couldn’t go from a tricycle to a bicycle before you could balance. You didn’t like that either, in fact, you were bound and determined to practice so you could take those training wheels off and ride off a ramp the rest of the kids in the neighborhood were jumping off of. If you practice with the walker, it will give you the strength to move to the cane and before you know it, you won’t need the cane at all and you’ll be getting up and walking around independently.
Corey was obviously angry but held her tongue (talk about progress!) She stared at the walker, moved her head to look at the stove then looked back at the walker. She was silent for a few more minutes as she turned her head and looked away again; it was evident she was processing. She turned back towards the walker. Her left hand and arm, slowly moved up from her lap. Her hand shakes a bit as she opens her fingers and tries to grasp the handle. As she placed her right hand on the chair to ready her stance she said, “will you help me? I want to cook dinner”.
Corey needs just a little support to stand but once she’s upright, she’s fairly steady on her feet. I no longer need to physically guide the walker. She manipulates it to make her turns around the island, inching her steps one at a time. I follow behind her as the ‘spotter’. She gets frustrated as she tips her left toe and her foot drags and when it hits the wheel, but she keeps moving forward to cross the kitchen and reach her destination…the stove.
As sous chef, I have prepared all the ingredients and placed them on the counter per her direction. She holds onto the walker with her left hand and reaches to turn on the burner with her right. Using this balanced position she continues placing the pots, adds the ingredients to the various designated spots and begins to cook.
Corey stood at the stove without conversation. Her facial expression serious and focused. She was methodically stirring, sautéing and adding spices for her Chicken Stir-Fry. The aroma changed her mood. She turned to me smiling,
C – this is fun
M – this is independence
‘every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation’…This is gratitude, xoxo