7/14
Well, it’s been a crazy day. I can’t believe it, really, sometimes. It’s happening. I’m doing it. I’m going back to work. It’s 9:09PM right now and getting ready for bed and it’s just been the most wild experience that could have ever happened to me. I don’t know of many other life altering events that could have happened to me, or anyone in this country, lived through it, and is working on getting back to so many things as I am working on, as I am today. I’m really grateful, and really fortunate. It’s really easy to lose sight of this perspective, because there is so many things around us that are able to distract us and gain our attention so easily. I’m just in shock that I’m here today, working on it all.
I’ve really been able to learn so much, to work through so many problems, relearn life, as well as learning new skills, techniques, methods, ideas that were completely new to me as well. For some reason my therapists were even saying I’m well on my way to becoming a physical therapist, and neuroscientist, all at the same time. I really don’t know how I could have learned or experienced this much in such a short amount of time. It was interesting, there was even an influencer on Instagram that I saw who was working on the same upright balance work as me. She’s been in her chair for 9yrs…. So I guess my work is paying off?
I really am trying to continue my progression and body development, and am excited to start this new chapter. It’s been a long go at it, because I’ve been moderately apprehensive wondering what and how this was going to go. I’m really glad to have been able to talk to John the other day, and get some additional perspective on everything that is happening.
HOLY SMOKES THAT WAS QUITE THE TOOT! I’m over here in the standing frame and working on my breath work. I can’t believe I felt that as much as I did and it relieved so much pressure in my abdomen, relieved the pressure from my muscle spasms, and really helped me stand up, relax, and really engage with my legs! It’s been a wild journey, that’s not even close to seeing the finish line yet!
I’m really just trying to find all the words right now, and am struggling to be able to get it all down on paper right now for the thoughts and feelings I have right now. It’s really been such a wild experience that it’s not even possible for me to try to write it all down, but I’ll try anyways.
Since I take my daily notes, and am able to help me track my progress, I can’t stop. Just like my progress on my body and mind, I can’t stop the progression for everything that I’m fortunate enough to experience right now, I have a lot to do! and there’s only so much time in the day! On that note, I better wrap things up for the evening, which I feel like is probably the first time I ever did that. I’m always writing and doing as much as I can, until the brink of exhaustion, and just pass out and have to clean it up later. Tonite feels different, my legs feel different, my breath feels different, I feel more in control of my body than I have to date. I can’t stop the progression now! I’m excited to see what tomorrow will bring. There, I said it. I don’t think I’ve had a day in this chair that I’ve actually ever said that. Not that I plan on being in this thing forever, but I’m not afraid, scared, nervous, really any of that. I guess it’s going to be wild, as usual.
7/15
So, the more I focus on my breath, with my eyes closed, and do a motion, the better I do. I’m doing overhead single arm rows, and my heart rate was up to 140 just by doing the motions with my eyes closed? Never experienced this before!
Work was interesting! They had me in new hire training, and it was a very interesting time to experience AGAIN! Haha. It made me laugh. Not much to report on else than that, except I’m tired.
7/16
No therapy today. Tight. Busy.
7/17
Therapy today! Work. Gym. Rinse. Repeat. It’s been an interesting week, to say the least. I really am trying to get my legs functioning and feeling as well as I can, with the time and resources I have! It’s been a busy day, going to therapy in the morning, then work, coming home, doing my floor routine, going to the gym, and just now, getting in the standing frame, and getting to stretch out and loosen up. It’s been a day.
7/18
So, after watching Navalny’s documentary, I really felt some emotions. He was the Russian adversary to Putin, that was attempted to be killed by poisoning, and then later detained. While detained, he did end up dying, but not before he made an amazing documentary and changed the lives of so many people. It truly was heartbreaking to hear him tell the audience when prompted with the question,
“If you are arrested and thrown in prison or the unthinkable happens and you are killed, what message do you have to the Russian people?”
“Uhhhmmmmm, my message? For the situation that I’m killed, do not give up”
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good people to do nothing”
And when he said these things, I cried. I broke out in tears because I couldn’t help but think about everything that is going on in the world, in places like Russia, and all over. I couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that there are people out there like Alexej Navalny that weren’t stopping for any reason to continue and work on everything that they are trying to achieve. And he really was working on something impressive, because that would be quite the undertaking, to take on someone as powerful as Putin. Some may see that and think it’s impossible, but Alexej wasn’t stopping, because he truly believed in what he was working on.
This is all so true. This resonated so deeply with me. It was hard for me not to hear those words, and think about my situation. I was thinking about how I hadn’t heard “don’t ever give up” in quite some time from anyone. It really made me stop and think about what I’m working to accomplish, and realize that I truly do need to believe in myself more than anything. Navalny was willing to risk his life, and ultimately lost it, for something that he cared so deeply about.
It makes me stop and think about the things I believe in, and how I won’t stop at anything to get back on my two feet. I have so much to do. So many people to help, so many things to create, and I want to be as productive as possible. Which is extremely hard in this chair. I’m working every day to do this.
I’m actually really happy I took a moment to write my notes out, because turns out that this afternoon was able to become such a productive time! My legs were able to get straighter than they ever have been! Passively, in the compression massager! These jet-puffed marshmallows, these giant leg pillows, these big ole astronaut pants helped so much! It was incredible! Never before have I seen my legs get this straight after the accident! I didn’t need a therapist or a standing frame to do it! Which I thought was amazing!!
7/19
The amount of air I can finally manage to breathe thru my nose is amazing!!!! It’s been such a long go at it!
7/20
It’s been great watching my legs and FEEL my legs truly moving more either each crawling exercise! I worked in another “set” of exercises into my floor program. By doing some planks, and truly engaging my core voluntarily while I’m doing this, I’m really noticing how this is helping loosen up my hips and engage my glutes more! Im really focusing on this, and noticing how more and more, my legs are really moving so well backwards! I really have been enjoying noticing the progress my legs are able to make! I suppose this is why I get a bit down on days I don’t get to crawl around much. It really bums me out that I don’t get to move my legs.
I’m really noticing so much of my core engaging unlike it had in the past, as well as my hips really supporting me with each step! I’m also working on keeping my lower legs straight when I’m crawling backwards. Trying to keep my feet from getting stuck underneath my other leg is important for my legs to develop and stabilize themselves during the crawl! They are trying, I am noticing they are having a more difficult time as I progress through the sets.
My legs are pooped. 5-6 sets of all these exercises is really putting them through their paces! Let’s work on ramping that value up over time!
The Astronaut on Earth 
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