being thankful

I guess I'm not as vocal as most folks when it comes to being thankful but I can assure you I am. On days like this before I go to my parents house and mix and mingle with my family I will be asked more than once How I'm doing, in situations where I mingle with my family or other folks who don't know how MS 'works' it can get frustrating. It can get frustrating being asked the same questions of  'When are you going back to work?' or being told ''but you look good'.

I try to take situations like these in stride, it's not anyones fault that they don't know (In most occasions I try to educate but once you explain it for the 8th time you get tired).

I am thankful especially this year because I feel a good moderate strength in my legs and although I did have a fall at the gym on Monday I am thankful that I can continue to build up my legs and I'm thankful that I can still use my legs (although with a cane, but still thankful!)

back when I walked

back when I used to walk A LOT and when I used to have hair

I just finished a good workout today and I just got a little introspective afterward, regarding my progress. I did .73 of a mile on the treadmill, that's the most that I've done on the treadmill. I used to walk all of the time, I grew up a few miles from Manhattan so walking was a way of life, especially if you didn't have a car. I would go into Manhattan sometimes via the path train and would walk from the 9th street station and just walk, usually uptown toward Central Park. I miss those days but that was what I could do in my teens and twenties. At thirty three I was diagnosed with relapsing remitting Multiple Sclerosis, in the two years since I've done physical therapy and regular workouts. To maintain a positive outlook I've made a conscious effort to not mourn what I couldn't do anymore, I look back on all the walking I used to do fondly and I have to remember that next week is my thirty sixth birthday and although I can never return to those marathon-like ultra walks through the Hudson County and Manhattan areas I can continue to work within my ability. Since I have a drop foot I tend to not crank the treadmill so I don't fall or get fatigued.

taking a walk

after I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis I first relied heavily on my walker, in July of 2010 I started Tysabri infusions, I believe that those infusions (along with my vitamin supplements, and determination to not fall) have lead me to using just a cane and being able to work out in a real gym and not a phys. therapy gym. I'm not wearing my AFO in this shot (I wear it to the gym)