Patience

This is the theme of my life recently.

Patience.

I've needed and still need a great deal more patience. This is especially true when it comes to myself. I am sure that everyone else around me is aware of this. :) It's just me that needs to stay aware of this virtue. :o

I've been so impatient about all of my recovery, everything from hair growth to regaining my range of motion. The truth is that it really is all happening, it's just taken me time to see it.

My hair really is making progress. Here are my latest hair photos. The first is from a month ago. I was about 10 weeks after my last chemo. Now, it's a month later and my hair not only covers my entire head, but I can now see the very beginnings of my natural wave coming back. I can also see a great deal more gray than I thought I had, but I'll ignore it for now! LOL! What a difference, though. I'm relieved to be making progress. I'm still not comfortable enough with it to go without a wig or a hat in public. I was actually more comfortable bald. It's funny that I can actually say that now bc the reality is that I didn't become comfortable with my baldness until it was almost over.

I've been going to physical therapy for about 3 weeks now. In that time, I've gone from having a greatly reduced range of motion to almost normal. There are a few measurements that the physical therapist took that are actually normal, most are rapidly approaching it. Now I'm waiting to see if I will get approval for a few more sessions. I've also moved up the weight on the various machines I can use for strength training my legs. Same for increasing difficulty on the bike. I even tried the elliptical for the first time. Can't do the arms bc I still have my expanders in place, but it's a start.

The biggest thing that made me aware of how much progress I've made was returning to my local scrapbook store this week. I went for the monthly Sweetwater Express kit club. When I went last month, I couldn't open a water bottle by myself, couldn't use a Hermafix dot dispenser by myself (a rolling adhesive thingie for the non-scrappers) and using a paper trimmer was a major accomplishment. I was excited to finish a single 2 page layout even if it did take me more than 2 hrs. I had forgotten how pitiful I was back then! This week, I cranked out 3 layouts in less time (no journaling on two of them bc I need to print it out and the store computer was having issues). I opened my own water bottle with ease and had no trouble with any of the physical tasks.. not that they are that physical in the first place! LOL. It was a huge difference and one I didn't even think about until Carolyn asked me if I needed help cutting chipboard. I didn't need any help to do it and then she reminded me about last month.

Now when I look back, I can see that my expectations perhaps were a bit high. :P