Celebration Pizza Party!

She walks!! Well, I've been able to walk (a bit wobbly for quite sometime), but the last two days the PT has worked hard with me on going from a standing/sitting position without someone having to pull me out of the chair. Now, before anyone gets too excited... we started at 26" chair elevation, but got down to 21" by my last session today! I know, I know...contain yourself! So, now I'm able to say, "She (I) stands!" I'm so thankful my family saw this yesterday. So thankful I AM finally starting to see improvements. It's the little things in life, ya know! The OT began using ultrasound on my upper body yesterday. It helped tremendously. I was able to stretch my arms a bit more and did not have to prop my head up the rest of the day. Today, I was pretty tuckered out from my big day yesterday, but it was worth the success! One of the pictures below is my view while getting heat packs on my legs...(another is the REST of the family tuckered out!). Mom noticed I lifted my iPad with one hand (it took two hands with major effort three days ago). I'm starting to brush my teeth with one hand- not two. I can kinda flip my tennis shoes off after PT by myself. I am starting to put lotion and make up on my face without David's help and turning over a bit in the bed. Woo hoo!! Again- the little things. "I can do all things through Christ who gives me STRENGTH!"

So...since my stellar dinner in the "hall of pain (ahem)" with all my new buddies included meatloaf (yuck!) my man brought in pizza delivery to celebrate success! Man, that was like the best pizza ever- yummo. I've had a bit too much dry chicken over the last month :-)

Mom and dad left this morning. It was hard to see them go, but they've generously stayed here almost three weeks! David and I could have NOT have made it without their help! It was neat to see how God put things together before they left town. I know mom was really praying that certain things were in place prior to their departure. I think she (as well as I) got her answer to prayer on several fronts.

One other praise! The "team" (doctor, OT, PT, speech therapist, and case worker) met yesterday and gave me a projected discharge date of January 15. Now, I am shooting for next weekend- I'm absolutely going STIR CRAZY! I can only do so much therapy-ing, facebook-ing, read-ing, Pinterest-ing, and Netflix-ing in a day- hee hee! Besides...it works better for the rheumatologist appointment I had to reschedule for Monday the 14th...lol!

P.S. you like the pic of the girls deciding I needed more "shots" (pedicure)...with latex gloves and all).