April 1st, 2013 - 6 months is a long short time. I am allowed to drive again!! I can't even begin to tell you how great it feels to be free again. Richard took the day off so we could spend it together. We decided to spend the day in Pasadena, one of our favorite places. I drove us and it felt great to be on the open road again after 6 months!! I convinced him to want to visit Descanso Gardens. Wow, in the spring time it is so beautiful there. After some fresh air we went to Happy Feet in Old Town for an hour of heavenly bliss. We found Happy Feet a few years ago when I bought a Groupon for a '70 minute foot massage & soak'. This place does way more than a foot massage. They rub your back and arms and face and legs and feet. It's absolutely divine. After dinner we got some grub from Akbar, an Indian restaurant. Their cheese naan is absolutely to die for so, of course, we indulged :-)
The actual, to the minute, 6 month anniversary found me relaxing while Ben worked on my arms and feet and back. I kinda wanted to stop him and acknowledge the moment. Richard was on the massage chair next to me, so relaxed he was snoring :-) I stayed still, with my thoughts, and reflected on how thankful I was for everything that happened over the previous 6 months.
I plan for this post to be my final posting (there is a slight chance I'll post on my 1-year post cardiac arrestiversary). This blog was instrumental for keeping my friends and family informed during the difficult days and weeks just after my cardiac arrest. I have continued to occasionally post so people will know I continue to live and do well. I feel like 6 months since my cardiac arrest marked an end to this chapter in my life. Maybe it seemed to mark an end because my ban from driving ended. I can drive again so I feel like my life has officially started...again.
There is no way I can ever thank everyone for the part you've played in this journey of mine. Without fail I'll forget to thank someone and that'd be terrible!! I know hundreds of people thought about me on a daily basis, hundreds of people begged and pleaded with God for my healing, dozens upon dozens upon dozens of people visited me in the hospital which left a lasting and deep impression on many of my caregivers and the staff around me. I've had so many from the hospital tell me "I remember you. You always had so many visitors" and "Oh, you're the one who had people with you around the clock. I've never seen so many visitors and over such a long period of time" and "I remember you. I remember thinking 'she's so loved, look at all those people visiting her' and I remember thinking 'I wish I felt as loved as she seems to be'."
Thank you for making an impression on everyone around me.
Thank you for taking me to run errands.
Thank you for taking me to doctor appointments.
Thank you for flying to town to be here.
Thank you for emails, cards, and messages of your love & concern.
Thank you for being available for whatever I needed.
Thank you for learning CPR with me.
Thank you for committing to learn CPR.
Thank you for joining me at my LIFE PARTY.
Before I end this blog post, I want to take a couple paragraphs to thank a few specific people:
Mom & Dad - Thanks for flying to California to be with me and to advocate on my behalf. Thank you staying until I was on my feet again and able to take care of my daily needs. Dad, thanks for taking care of the issue with my septic tank (what a mess!). Mom, thanks for cooking for me, washing my hair, taking me to have my hair washed, and doing my grocery shopping. Thank you for your continued concern and interest. I love you both very much.
Adam & Amy & Family
Luke & Tracy & Family
Adam & Luke thanks for flying out to add to the family support. I wish the circumstances had been different but I'm glad to know you two were here. Amy & Tracy, thanks for being strong support to my brothers. I can't even begin to imagine what the situation would feel like but I'm happy to know my brothers had such strong women by their sides throughout.
And last, but definitely not least, my boyfriend Richard. Thank you for being there...and here...for me. There is so much I don't know and so much I don't remember but you remember everything. You let me ask questions about what happened, and what did the doctors say, and what day was this or that...I'd feel more of a loss if I didn't have your memory available. It can't be easy for me to ask you to recall and relive some of those days and I thank you for doing just that for me. For weeks and weeks and months and months you changed the dressings on my burns once and twice a day. I'd get impatient when it'd hurt but you'd just ignore my impatience. For months and months you drove me from place to place. Often you'd tell me to not worry about finding a ride from someone else because you would take me. Words cannot express the depth of my love, respect, and admiration for you.
And with that, this is the end.
Love, Katie
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