"A.D.L."

... = "Activity of Daily Living"  EACH and EVERY morning, I put on my "outfit" for the day.  Regarding my shirt, I--ALONE--do ~5/8 (62.5%) of the work.  (I, OBVIOUSLY, like numbers.)  (I "created" THAT fraction by separating the "shirt-process" into FOUR parts--RIGHT sleeve, LEFT sleeve, head-hole, back-pulldown--then dividing THOSE PARTS EACH by TWO--"location" and "completion".  Ergo, there were EIGHT steps.) ... HOWEER, for the past THREE mornings, I've--BY MYSELF--accomplished ~7/8 (87.5%) of said "shirt-task". (I STILL struggle to pull the back of my shirt down--which is DIFFICULT for ANYONE SEATED!)   BOTTOM LINE: I'm IMPROVING!

... "The student has become the master/teacher."

... --Annakin Skywalker in one of the 'Star Wars' films/'also, Karate Kid'  ... I had to VERBALLY explain the word, "onus", to my SPEECH Therapist.  So, I separated my definition into syllables: "BAD RE-SPON-SI-BIL-I-TY" (I coulda/woulda/SHOULDA just said,  "BUR-DEN of proof".

INSPIRATIONAL song-lyrics:

... "I get KNOCKED DOWN. But, I GET UP AGAIN. You're NEEEVVVER gonna keep me down!"

Holiday(s)!

FIRST OFF, I apologize for NOT recognizing the GREAT CELEBRATION of "Festivus"(--'Seinfeld') two days ago.  ("Festivus" ALWAYS occurs on December 23--Christmas eve EVE.)    I celebrated with my "Feats of Strength"(--'Seinfeld') last night by RANDOMLY going to the movie theater last night and REALLY HELPING with all my "transfers".   As part of my "Airing of Grievances", I'd like to express my unhappiness with the tire company that sold me an EXPIRED, DEFECTIVE car-tire which subsequently EXPLODED as I drove home--on a highway--and left me in a wheelchair. ENOUGH BAD/SAD THOUGHTS!  To quote Peter Pan:  "Think of the happiest THINGS! It's the same as having WINGS!"    ... OH, YEAH!   MERRY CHRISTMAS~

(THIS is TOTALLY hypothetical:)

... I've been doing fairly WELL lately with my ""slightly assisted, (MOSTLY JUST guided), walker-stabiling" "WALKING" during my Physical Therapy. However, WHAT IF I NEVER walk again?!  WHAT IF I ALWAYS HAVE TO depend on someone else to help me sit over the toilet to "go #2"?!  ... (This realization was PESSIMISTIC--which is NOT how I am. But, it's just a REALISTIC POSSIBILITY.)

It's a tough balance.

In my workouts, my trainer and I agree that I SHOULD focus MORE on muscle-TONE rather than muscle-BULK.  When exercising, more repetitions enhances muscle-TONE.   Conversely, heavier weight causes greater muscle-BULK.   I'm trying for greater TONE.  But, I'm ALSO trying to improve my ENDURANCE, because I've noticed that FATIGUE tends to set in rather quickly during my Physical Therapy.  So, with "more reps", I'm actually trying for TWO GOALS.  Long story short, my trainer INSISTS that he's noticed some improvement on my ENDURANCE AND overall STRENGTH.   YAY!

"THIS is HUGE!" Part II

... While at the gym, my Karate-instructor informed me that my weekly techniques--that I devise and review have been SO GOOD/HELPFUL that he's going to have me start RE-teaching in ~two weeks.  (I said "RE-teach". because I WAS an instructor--before my accident.) (It'd be APPROPRIATE to steal a dance from the 'Ren and Stimpy' show:   "HAPPY, happy, JOY, joy!")

This is HUGE!

... ("THAT'S what she said!"--Michael Scott, 'The Office')    ... RELAX!  I ONLY mean the subject FIGURATIVELY.      Explanation: Yesterday, I made my weekly trek to a nearby gym.  1) As I both got in AND out of the car--going TO and coming FROM the gym, I was able to--with NO,ZERO assistance--  swing my legs out of the car and onto the ground.  PREVIOUSLY, I've needed to "LIFT" my legs with my arms, and scoot my legs out of the car.  But for this ADVENTURE, I set my glasses and hand-towel on the dashboard, reached up with my RIGHT hand, grabbed the hand-grip, leaned drastically to my LEFT, concentrated on the task at hand, then "let nature take its course".   I accomplished this "FEAT" FOUR SEPARATE TIMES (going TO the gym, arriving AT the gym, LEAVING the gym, arriving AT home) that day.  So, I'm "on Cloud NINE".