August 18, 2015

It has now been two months since my surgery and my progress can not look any better. I have reached the two inch goal of the leg extension and my doctor has told me that I am finally ready to move on to the next phase to achieve a full recovery. Yay! Upon hearing this news, I was bursting with happiness because I was finished with the toughest part of the process. 

My doctor tells me that the next phase will be easier. In the next stage we have to allow the bone and tissue to reconnect and fully heal before I can get back on my feet. I can begin walking now and then with a walker. I’m very excited because I’ve been waiting for a long time to walk, even if it’s just for a little bit. I can start putting some weight on the bone. When it gets dense enough to support my full body weight, then I can walk normally. But in the meantime, I will still have to be in my wheelchair around fifty percent of the time. I will need to go to therapy twice a week but, I'll be doing different exercises. I will do walking exercises to help my legs regain their full strength.

I recently started to sleep better, Zzzzz! I am now sleeping on a firmer mattress which is allowing me to sleep more comfortably. After many complaints to my parents about not getting a full night’s rest, my dad finally decided that something should be done. He and my mom brought my mattress down from my bedroom upstairs and replaced the couch mattress with that one. My first night on my old mattress, I slept as soundly as a baby. I was so thankful to feel more rested.

I had an unexpected but very positive effect from my surgery...I lost 8 pounds.  I didn’t think that sitting in a wheelchair the whole time would make me lose weight. Normally, I swim every day so you would think I would have gained weight since I haven’t been exercising. But, I guess since swimming gives me a big appetite, I must eat more. I am extremely happy that I lost this much. My body is being transformed in more ways than one.

I'm filled with such joy and satisfaction that I am one step closer to everything being the way it was before the surgery, except that I will be 2 inches taller! Journaling about my experience has  been a great way to keep me occupied over the summer.  But with school starting soon, bummer,  I will have to divert my attention to school work for awhile. From time to time I will keep writing stories and articles to be able to keep my author skills up to date. I have my friends and family to thank for helping me get through this surgery and for making sure that my summer was filled with fun and wonderful experiences in the midst of being wheelchair bound.

August 19, 2015
School is just around the corner and unfortunately, I will not be able to attend physically!  My parents have hired a private tutor to do all my courses with me at home.  I am an official student at my private school, but they are allowing me to do all my learning at home since I can’t walk yet.  My campus is huge and it would be impossible for me to get to my classes on time each hour not to mention I can’t walk yet. My mom even had to change my schedule so that when I do return, I won’t be walking back and forth too much.

So, I am kind of a ‘homeschool’ student!  This is new for me.  I have never been home schooled a day in my life, so I’m curious to see how all of this will go. I have to do everything I would do in the classroom in my ‘family room.’  My mom has set up the desks, dry erase board and all the supplies a homeschooled classroom would require. She is even trying to set up an area for my science labs. I won’t watch morning announcements, or attend morning meetings.  There won’t be any bells between classes and walking to my next period.  That will be weird!  I won’t be able to chat with my friends in the halls. I guess I don’t have to raise my hand to answer a question either! The best thing is that I won’t have to wake up at daybreak at 5:45 am. The worst part will be that I will have to try to get all my work done between doctor visits, therapies and an odd schedule. But, I’m excited to experience the home school life for the next two months. I’m very much up to the task.