After doing my chair exercises at physical therapy, Shannon brought me some crutches. Today was the day!! It was so freeing!! I stood up and then realized that I was allowed to do this, that I could really move on my own without wheels. I felt oddly tall, but overall just so grateful and happy. She cleared the floor and let me race back and forth across the entire physical therapy building. I had so much fun! It was hard not to go faster than allowed. I wanted to swing and do gymnastics stuff in the air right there, it felt so good!! Shannon commented that she didn't even have the heart to tell me to slow down. (Instead she mostly just walked beside me for safety.)
Then after a few critiques and a bit of stair training, I had to get back in the chair. But I still couldn't help but smile and think God's really good to me. And in that moment my gratitude for not being paralyzed was overwhelming. It never hit me before until I was allowed to have some mobility back what a gift it is.
Something funny happened in the p.t. area from that time, though. I noticed that everyone in the area brightened up.
Shannon first was excited for me and kept on commenting on how happy I was. One of the guys who just had a knee replacement clapped and cheered me on as I got to try really running around in crutches. Another patient lady just beamed at me to see me so happy and started doing her exercises with a lot more enthusiasm than she had a bit before then. The ladies waiting in the check in area laughed and smiled as I raced through and the receptionist said it was impossible not to be happy just watching my joy.
Christian (my regular therapist) then came over and said, "Jen. You made my day with that. Many of us don't even appreciate being able to walk, but here...you just had such joy in being able to stand and hop with crutches. Your face as you raced around the building! Well, Jen. I've got to tell you that this was definitely the best moment I've had in months."
I smiled and thanked him because I could feel God was using me again and I liked it. It was wonderful how He used my happiness to make others happy just by being around it. Christ's light was definitely shining through and I think that's what they saw. Though I don't think they consciously knew they were watching me in constant praise of the God who made me, but I think the insides of them knew anyway.
<----Taken right after my first walk outside in 5 weeks!
