How did I go from wheelchair to walking in under two years?
Well...
I just did it.
Ok maybe it really wasnt that easy. (:
It really took a few months in the hospital, 100's of falls (still falling), a lot of courage, discipline, hope, strength, and honestly, me losing feeling in my right arm to just be like, "ok Im just going to teach my body to learn to walk again".
And that's what I did.
I retaught my body how to walk.
It wasnt a diet. It wasnt a drug. It wasnt a therapy.
It was me, on a beach, taking a deep breath, and telling myself to put one foot in front of the other.
And they've just kept on walking.
This was me two years ago, almost to the day.
This is me today, walking around like no big deal.
and can we check out my shoes? um yes, they're like 3in. love.
In two weeks, I'm biking 50-75 miles in Bike MS City to Shore
That's even more of a big deal. Especially because on top of relearning how to walk, I also had cervical spine surgery this year. (It's been a great 10 months).
I saw the other day a picture that said:
"MS is not a death sentence, it's a life sentence."
Actually, for me, MS kind of is a death sentence. I will die with MS...it will lead to my death (unless there is a cure first...another plug to donate. The money donated to Bike MS goes to a cure. :D).
I will not let MS be my life sentence though. I will live my life, wickedly awesome, with ms in tow. I will not be ashamed of my MS. I will not let it control my life. I will adapt, leaving sparkle footprints wherever life may lead us - that is, ms and me.
If you in any way feel as if you cannot accomplish something because of a disability or because someone said you cannot, or for any other reason, stop.
First, you dont need that negativity in your life.
Second, your disability/life will limit you, yes. It will slow you down. It will make you cry, hurt you, throw you back, make you question.
But instead of the word cannot, adapt. No matter what happens in life, you can adapt to meet those goals, or adapt those goals to meet your life.
We are limited and yet when we become adaptable, life really becomes limitless.
So there you have it. There is no secret. I just adapted my life with MS and relearned how to walk. I am no different of a person now than I was when I was in that wheelchair. And I am most likely guaranteed another round of days in that wheelchair in the future.
And when those days come, I will, as before, learn to adapt. (:
And das it.
Love, Eliz
PS: THANK YOU to all who have donated to Team Sparkle for Bike MS City to Shore, happening September 27-28. Again, to learn more about our team or to donate, see the link below. Every dollar goes towards finding a cure and helping me continue my life of adaptions. I may look good but the MS is winning me over on the inside. Help continue the sparkle cause and I promise to continue the sparkle love. <3