Hi Everyone,

It feels so good to be able to stand with very little pressure on the walker. I can do it without any hands also but I didn't want to yet without anyone near me.

Well, just three days after my last blog update I did something awesome! As I shared in my last entry I had begun to take just a few steps back and forth while practicing locking my own knees and shifting my weight from leg to leg. Well on Jan 21st after having my half braces a little over two weeks I told my therapist that I wanted to try walking. My very first try I walked about 30 feet. It was so exciting because I was actually taking normal steps where I would take a step then transfer my weight forward on that leg and put my weight on it while locking out my own knee. Then I would bend my other knee and step and do the same thing. It felt awesome! My therapist is helping me push the walker forward right now because he wants me to focus on all I need to do to walk and not have to worry about moving the walker yet. I will try it soon though. He is there in front of me and has his hands near by in case I was to buckle but he isn't helping me at all. This is much different than walking in those long bulky braces that I tried a few times last year. With those you feel excited because your up and moving on your own but it definitely wasn't the kind of walking that I wanted to do. With the half braces even though it's still slow going after my first few tries, I feel so excited to be walking bending my knees and then stepping and locking them out. The next time I tried 2 days later I doubled my first record of 30 feet and walked 60 feet. Now, I just hope that the stem cells continue to heal my injury on my spinal cord and I get faster and faster at walking. I will attach the video of my second try walking. I wanted to delete the sound but couldn't. Just ignore the sound of another patient and her therapist talking in the background. You can't hear me or Mark (My therapist).






The same day before I walked in the half braces for the first time, I more than doubled my sit up record too. It must have been a strong day. First I did at least 100 sit ups with the weighted ball (which actually makes coming up a little easier). Then I did 83 sit ups in a row on my own with out anything in my hands. After the 83, I did a few more to reach 100 with out the ball but I got the 83 in a row without stopping or my muscles fatiguing. I was very proud. I have come so far because before the stem cell I could only lean back on the mat a few inches before falling back and having to catch my self with my arms.


Scott and I also were excited to stand up together to take this photo. If felt great because we haven't been able to do that in over 3 1/2 years. I love standing like this with him again!