My Gorgeous Godchild Olivia Is Up, UP… & Walking Away!

While suuuper clever (alright fine! I admit, I may be slightly biased…), this little human’s brain was but a blank canvas only a few months ago. Not to mention the fact that, as a baby, she doesn’t even have proper kneecaps just yet. Can you believe she’s up and away? 

And So… 

If you’re learning to walk or re-walk (as I once did), and/or on any other journey - whether it be of healing & recovery or a more simple one that life has thrown at you… Let little Livie be your inspiration! If she can do it, you can too!

Wash yourself clean. Allow yourself to be reborn! Step-by-step is the perfect way to learn. Fluency comes in time for everything. Your inner strength can move mountains. Tap into that (along with some serious patience!) and slowly but surely - you’ll get it! 

Want to know a secret? It took approximately a year to get me walking again after my accident. Longer if you count stairs. Even longer if you count the fact that I only recently ditched the cane. Alright then, so I’ll admit… it’s taken almost 3 years for me to properly learn how to walk again. 

I’ll try to dig up some footage of the intense physical therapy I went through. Pain, pools, panic. It’s all in there. Nothing pretty about it though. Apart from the peace that I feel now. (So many ‘p’ words! I know! This is like some sort of incredibly depressing Sesame Street segment…) 

At the end of the day though (and I know how frustrating it is to hear this sometimes! bear with me!) we CAN walk. And through our physical lessons, we learn countless emotional ones as well. As our bodies grow stronger, so will we. 

Amaze yourself. xx

This Little Piggy Went WOOHOOO WHOOP WHOOOP WHEEEE!!!

I had quite the moment yesterday. 

I’m sure you’ll remember - but please feel free to click here for a refresher on the details of my story - the original injury kickstarting this whole CRPS/RSD hoopla involved me, but mainly my tiny left foot being crushed under the wreckage of a flipped Yamaha Rhino. As you know (but again - details in the link above), in order to avoid what was originally thought to be a case of amputation, the paramedic removed the muscles from the top of my foot, freeing me from the damage - crushed/mangled bits and all. 

My accident happened on the 28th of March, 2010 meaning that it had been almost exactly 2 years since moving my toe. I say toe and not toes because in this case, it is specifically the middle one that gives me the most trouble and was most badly damaged.

Having spent hours upon hours at physical therapy trying to relearn how to use it with what little is left in there, it’s been at (many, many) times beyond frustrating. I’ve wiggled it and wiggled it, only to have it feel like a hardened log. Attempted to scrunch towels to no avail. And, don’t even get me started on trying to tip-toe. 

But, yesterday… I was mindlessly wiggling yet again when all of a sudden…

CLICK! Wiggle! CLICK!

My toe moved. It unlocked. It took a breathe. My entire foot shifted and made some space for itself. For the first time in 2 years, my foot felt open. It felt free. 

It’s quite the feeling :)

I don’t know whether it was timing. Or persistence. Or simply what was meant to be. But I do know that it was worth the wait and it was most definitely worth not giving up on. 

Anyway, hope you enjoy my ‘moment’ as much as I did!

Lots of love, Danielle xx