The Step I Took That Changed Everything In My Life

When I say the first step I took in my life changed everything, I think would be an understatement.

For those of you who have stuck by my side and followed my recovery for years, I don't think a thank you would suffice for my gratitude towards your support. For those who just joined Team Nattitude then I wanna say that it's been a wild ride but its only getting better.

I want to share with you one of the biggest defying moments in my recovery that changed everything for me.

In 2007, I broke my neck. I was given no hope to ever be able to be independent in my life. The doctors were positive I would never be able to stand on two feet again and let alone be able to pick up my legs and walk again.

Before something terrible happens to you, you go through life looking at people with struggles and think, "Gosh I don't know what I would do if that happened to me." It's true. I was the exact same way. But you can't give up, giving up never really was an option in my book. If anyone ever watched me play a sport or run they would know I'm probably more competitive than the boys out there. And if they let girls try out for boys teams in high school then I would of been all over that.

As my doctors had written me off as another catastrophic injury and sent me home from the hospital, I wasn't anywhere near done in my recovery. I was no where close to giving up.

Before I was injured I loved to swim. I did junior lifeguards for years, I was an avid ocean swimmer, you could never get me out of the water. It was like a second home to me. But I couldn't get in the pool after I was injured, I couldn't sit up let alone swim in a pool. My parents knew how upset that made me. So they helped me get in the pool (with lots of guidance of course)

It was the weirdest but most amazing feeling in the world being in the pool. At the time I had no normal feeling in my legs, I could only feel pain. But I felt so FREE. I wasn't confined to my chair to get around I could move without gravity or anything holding me down.

So then I decided to get crazy.

I told my mom to help me stand. We would practice standing up from the steps in the pool and trying to pick my legs up. It was frustrating knowing in your mind what you needed your legs to do but they wouldn't perform for you. It drove me insane. But my stubborn self can't give up on something before I master it.

FYI, mastering new tricks in spinal cord land is nearly impossible. But I kept trying, and trying, and trying, and trying.

Until, one day in Palm Springs I was in the pool with my mom and dad and I felt so strong. Which I hadn't felt in a while. So I got even more daring, I told my mom to not hold me under my armpits and just to hold my hands.

Then I did it. I took my first UN-ASSISTED step. No one holding my hips or legs.

It was mind blowing.

I knew right then and there my resilient efforts towards my recovery were right where I was supposed to be. Then my water tactics slowly moved over to my land therapy and I was able to take unassisted steps on land.

But everyone said I would never be able to? Guess they didn't know who they had "written off."

I believe if you want something in your life, no matter how big or small it may be, you can do it if your whole heart is in it.

I'm living proof.

Xoxo,

A Guy's Girl