Author: Dan

Well Wednesday I starting taking classes again and Thursday will be my first day teaching since sometime in October 2003. I’m glad to get back to the School of Information Sciences and doing something with my time again. (other than sitting around) But there is a major downside. Since I still can’t drive yet, in order to make it to classes and therapy I’m moving on-campus to the residence at John 23rd Catholic Center.

I’m not at all happy to be leaving Stephanie. But I’m just staying at J23 during the week (Monday – Thursday) so we’ll be together on the weekends. It’s only temporary until I can drive again, which hopefully will be soon. But I’m still not a happy guy.

For those of you wondering how I’ll get around campus I’ll be piloting a red one of these.

I really should be in bed. Instead I’m staring at two things. A heart shaped helium ballon with a smiley face that says I love you and note Stephanie wrote me today. That ballon has been floating above my desk since before Christmas and is still flying high. And the note tells me how much she loves me.

How did I get so lucky?

I got the brace for my right foot worked on some Wednesday. It fits much better now. I also got crutches yesterday.

The crutches are taking a bit of getting used to. But I definately walk better with them, even without the brace on my foot. One problem with them is that I can’t carry anything when I walk with them. It won’t help with carrying dishes, food or anything big, but this crutch bag looks pretty useful for small things.

In other news my grandfather (Papaw), had a heart attack Tuesday. It’s his third heart attack (I think) and he has already had bypass surgery and a defibrillator implanted. But he’s out of the hospital now so everything is as good as it can be I guess.

2004 was one wild year. I left Patricia Neal Rehab Dec.31, 2003 barely able to move at all. I spent New Year’s Eve in bed. Dec. 31, 2004 was very different. I spent New Year’s Eve at a party. To get to this party I had to walk up a flight of stairs, which I did very slowly 🙂 I kissed my fiance at midnight too.

This year has been full of changes. My dad died, I got engaged, my goddaughter was born August 21, and I had surgery soon after that.

In September I moved back to Knoxville and Stephanie. That was a high point. It really felt like my life was getting back on track then, even if the first few weeks back were a little bumpy. I started back to outpatient theray at Patricia Neal November 27, and I’m making definate progress. Dec 13 we got a new dog, Gracie.

Christmas was good, especially since I didn’t have much of a Christmas last year. After Christmas Stephanie started a new job working for LabCorp at UT Medical Center. She likes her new job a lot.

2005 looks to be even more eventful than 2004. I’m going back to teaching and taking classes in about 2 weeks. Lots of things will be happening in the spring semester, some of which I can’t talk about yet. After the semester is over the biggest party of the year will be happening, my wedding on June 10, 2005. 🙂

Well the wet noodle experiment has succeeded in proving one thing at least. If you don’t tell your doctor and therapist that you stopped taking Baclofen, then you start taking 80 milligrams a day, side effects will happen. Every problem I’ve had since Monday is a Baclofen side effect. The wet noodle feeling isn’t because I’m taking too much, my muscles are still pretty tight. It’s drowsiness and weakness which are side effects.

The side effects will go away. It just takes a little time. And I’ve cut back to 50 to 60 milligrams, so that will help. And I’ve proven to myself the Baclofen works, I was definitely more flexible when doing stretches yesterday.

In other news, I have the brace for my right foot and the crutches and knee brace are on the way.