May 11

I did the arm bike in morning before the pool. Everyone said it's a good cardio workout and a perfect way to burn calories and I know why! It's hard! I did it for 16 minutes straight and couldn't help but remember how awful it was whenever Natalie would have me do it at Magee and how I could barely go for a minute straight. Not to mention how the first time I did it, I couldn't even grip the handles. Natalie had to wrap my hands to the handles. 

I'm still riding the stim bike every morning and it's going well, but things are kind of on hold for my own bike now. Everything was good to go and then, of course, something happened with insurance. I think we may have to explore some fundraising ideas for it because it'll be a lot out of pocket since it has to be filed out of network (or something along those lines...it's all way over my head!)

The pool went well too. I was with Rachel...there are two Rachels and this is the one I worked with my very first pool  session. She's been in Germany the past 6 weeks, so I haven't seen her since that very first session. She was really impressed with how I did! We did some standing, squats, and bending/straightening of my knees while sitting on a bench in the water. Since no one was using the smaller pool, we moved over to that one in order to use the treadmill. Rachel thought a lot has changed and that the walking went really well. She even told another therapist what great activation I had including that knee flexion that started last week. I really like working with her, so I'm excited that she's back and I'll be with her at least once a week in the pool. 

Dennis and I did some standing in the parallel bars and I think that's improving. I've felt stronger and seem more upright and straight the last few times we've done it. 

We went to that fundraising event last night for the Esko skeleton and KKI. I'd never been to Annapolis and I loved it! It's such a cute town and the event was at the Meritime Museum right on the water. They had amazing hoursdevours- steak, shrimp, oysters, etc. and they did a "reverse auction" to raise 150K. They basically just started at 150K and worked their way down, asking how much people were willing to give. 172K was raised in a matter of 20 minutes!! People weren't just donating thousands of dollars, they were matching different amounts. One guy even said he'd match the next 50K that was raised and other people raised their hands so that goal could be met in seconds. I've never seen anything like it. I talked to so many people and actually had the opportunity to get to know some of the therapists and other patients a little bit better. 

My friend, Sam, and her husband were at the event last night and we actually had time to talk instead of just the few minutes we usually get before or after therapy. She's 28 and had a spinal tumor removed about a year ago. She had been married to her husband, Brandon, for 62 days...that's all. He said he took a vow for sickness and health then got to put that to the test 62 short days later. Sam now walks with a cane the majority of the time, but has come a long way. Last week was her last week of therapy for 12 weeks...the first break she's had since the surgery. A woman approached us at the event and said she has a collection of canes she doesn't use anymore and wanted to give them to someone. We agreed that Sam will take them now and when she no longer needs them, she'll pass them down to me. We exchanged numbers and are trying to set up a weekend to get together..I think her husband and Dusty would get along really well and it'd be nice to be with another couple that has kind of gone through the same thing.