Fix what you can and improvise what you can't.

     You know being a Scorpio and German makes me one stubborn girl, and I won't give up for anything.  Well, over the past 30 years this crazy MS monster has given me a run for my money, but there was no way I was throwing in the towel.  

     When I got the foot drop I found my nerve zapper (AKA my turbo leg), when I started getting spasticity in my leg I chased it away with muscle relaxers, and lets not forget the three injections a week I do just to stop this thing from having a party in my body.

      I've got this; nothing's gonna stop me now.  But when my leg started fighting back I needed to find something to "one up" it.  I was already riding my bike and walking on my treadmill along with strength training. Then I started doing yoga and even went to a Physical Therapist to try to retrain my leg to work perfect again.  

     Unfortunately, life isn't perfect, and my therapist discovered that while my body was trying diligently  to compensate from the foot drop, it started to take a toll on my tendons in my knee, causing hyper-extension.  Left unattended to, it can be brutal.

     Knowing I wasn't willing to accept defeat, my PT called my Orthotist, Mike B. so we could brainstorm and jump this next hurdle.  We all got together and decided we needed to find a hybrid to utilize the nerve zapper which is still doing it's job, but  come up with something to tame my knee, which is not.  Now it was off to Mike's office again.

     When Mike showed me his brilliant solution, which would stop my knee from snapping back; the kicker was that it's a brace that goes more than halfway up my leg, and I'm not gonna lie, it wasn't pretty. I felt like I was finally defeated.  In fact, my Orthotist and I shed a tear or two... Okay, maybe the tears were all mine, but Mike B. was right by my side convincing me that I was one of the strongest people he knows, and we can do this.  In fact, he's even on Team Leapfrog!

     Then when I found out it went on the outside of my pants for all of the world to see, I was a little depressed, because now I was going to be showing the world that I needed help.  






     A friend told me I shouldn't worry what everyone else thinks, and in theory that makes total sense, but I think it's human nature to want to appear powerful.  Most people are proud when they do something impressive, from something as elaborate as a brain surgeon or rocket scientist, or simply a fat bank roll to show that you're a success.  I just want to be successful in preserving the only thing I can't replace, and that is my body.  

     Ask any mother what she hopes for her child and she'll almost always say "only that they're happy and healthy".  Then I started thinking, being happy is a huge part of being healthy, and doing the best you can is all you can hope for.

My new Bionic leg

     As cumbersome as it may be, we're gonna give this contraption a try and if it helps me to be as healthy as I can then I've beat this monster once again:) 

     I'll let you know how it goes;)

Have a great weekend!!

Christine:)