I've often felt grateful to be who I am. Of course I have regrets, and there's things I wish I could change. But I have a wonderful family. I've never really wanted for anything. I've followed many of my dreams. And because I worked hard to do it, I really appreciated the value in the journey. Up until this year I've been very healthy and happy.
I don't know that I could write a list of names in this blog of all the people I could thank for supporting me in the past 5 months. I could start with some of my lovely ICU nurses. I spent six weeks there. Not being able to say a word. And some of them treated me like gold. Giving me ice baths so I didn't feel like I was going to cook to death. My respiratory therapists, who came to check on me constantly to make sure my breathing was okay, especially when I was trying to get off the ventilator. The physios I had. I remember the first time I sat up. and how I cried because I was so afraid. The thought of it still makes me cry.
The gardens at Devon. People coming to visit while we sat in the beautiful gardens. The cooks coming to deliver my meals and bringing me icecream. The nurses dancing in my room while singing some "Jam" that I had never heard. Standing for the first time with the physios.
The Glenrose. I worked my butt off there. I barely had an open hour in my schedule. But it was so worth it. Yvonne, my OT. Jim, my hand class teacher, Renae, my rec assistant, and Andrew my physio. I spent the past month and a half with them. And it's insane how much progress I made, but also how much I enjoyed my time with them. The nurses were so great. Stop to chat in the halls, give you leftover cupcake from a nurses birthday party.
And my family. From the beginning. My parents coming in everyday and putting up with my grumpiness. My cousin and aunt a few times a week. My grandma was there as much as possible. My aunt came up from Calgary for a week. My uncle was laid off, so he was sleeping there with me. Obviously my lovely sister. But even her husband Simon spent a large part of his holiday here in the hospital with me.
My friends from kung fu. You guys don't really know how much it meant. It's funny. I actually made some friends in the hospital. Some people that I knew from the school, but I had never seen outside of class. But yes, you made a special effort to keep coming to see me. And your visits meant so much. A lifeline to the kwoon. So I could stay engaged as much as possible. Even when I couldn't really speak. You were willing to come
Anyways.. as you can see, this could go on forever, and the tips of my fingers are starting to get achy from the keys, although Jim would be encouraging this activity I'm sure. The point of all this is, all of you touched my life in a very special way. Thank you.
