Every time I learn a new function, my walking slows down significantly. I need to return my focus and attention to the new detail in my gait, and it slows me down considerably. Today during therapy, Anja and I went for a walk outside without my braces. She told me to slow down as I took the unstable steps on the uneven ground. I was so excited to feel the contact of the ground in my feet. It’s still an incredible sensation for me to feel the flex and stretch in my calve as my ankle moves in each step. I didn’t realize how much I missed it after two years of the stiff ankle locked in my braces. In our hour session today, I made it a short distance outside and practiced some side steps as well. Walking back into the practice, Anja joked, “Do you even need your braces anymore?”
Well, let’s hope not! I’m so excited about this new progress that I’m going to try more things without my braces. I’m going to see if I can manage more steps without the constraints in order to give my nerves additional stimulation. Anja and Margot have both talked about how the added information to my feet can help rebuild neural pathways. I have great hope for return of function.
The school year has wrapped up for me this week, and I’m excited to spend more time and energy focused on my physical development this summer. I’m really hopeful for what might happen over the coming weeks, and I’d like you to join with me in praising God for new developments as well as asking for more. Those of you in the family of Christ, would you consider fasting with me in the coming week as I ask and anticipate big improvements? I’m not able to fast from food due to my digestive complications caused by nerve damage, but I’ll be giving up Netflix for a week beginning on Sunday (those of you who know me well know this is a big sacrifice since now that school’s out there’s even more time to Netflix binge). Brothers and sisters in Christ, could you consider giving up something Sunday to Saturday in this coming week and spend the time you’d normally use for that activity praying for me?
I’ll be praying specifically for nerve pathways to make connections from my brain to muscles currently disconnected. My ankles are not alone in this, but they are the primary target these days.
