Taking New Steps

Well its been a while since I have expressed my thoughts here.  There has been much happening in the past few months.  The disease progressed faster than anyone expected. Eventually it took over my entire body turning me into a non functioning vegetable. It got so bad that my wife was picking me, a 225 man, up out of the shower and off the floor regularly. It became to dangerous for me to be at home alone. I couldn't take care of myself anymore. On August 8, 2014, at 2:30am it all went wrong. My body shutdown and went into a Myasthenia Gravis crisis. Full respiratory shutdown. I couldn't breathe on my own anymore. I spent three weeks in Kennestone Hospital. Two weeks in ICU on a ventilator, and eventually another week weaning off of it with a tracheotomy. The doctors and nurses were great. They really did all they could to bring me back. This included 8 plasmapheresis treatments, physical therapy, and skilled doctors expert in the care of those with Myasthenia Gravis. My primary Dr. Marat Reyzelman is an incredible neurologist and I am happy that he was there to take care of me.

Well that brings us up to now. It has been about 2 months back home and recovery is steady. The first weeks were very difficult mentally, emotionally, and physically. My wonderful wife, family, and friends got me through. I needed to learn that my new normal is not a bad thing. It is going to be who I am for  while and that is okay. Take it one day at a time. My occupational and physical therapists were crucial in training me how to conserve energy, and think with a different mindset when it comes to exercise. They were very proud of the progress I have made. The goal was to make sure that I will be safe at home and can handle my activities of daily living. I am proud of myself too!

There are going to be some tough days mixed in with the good, I know that now. The journey is going to be a long one.  Projects like this and others that I am involving myself with, help me stay positive. My goal has become to help inspire through me experiences. My fiends have inspired me so I have the responsibility to do the same now. My faith keeps me strongest of all. In my darkest days in the hospital God's promise to never abandon me were always in my mind and heart. How can you get through trials without faith? It's impossible. There must be a driving force in our lives. Each night my prayer was always for my wife's strength and endurance, for my family and friends to be safe while traveling to visit us, and for the doctors and nurses who tirelessly worked to keep me comfortable and alive. I had faith that all of these things would be taken care of and they were.

My days now are not what they used to be. The hustle to make it to the office, staring at a computer screen all day, listening to arguments and debates, wondering if I am going to get laid off again. Now I fill my day with happy thoughts of recovery. I am constantly thinking of new projects to work on or ways to make life a little easier. Its fun. Being at home is not boring to me anymore because now my mind is occupied with something better than fear. There is hope. The people i speak with in the MG support groups are a good source of encouragement that there is a way to live and thrive with this disease. I plan to overcome my limitations to the best of m ability, and whatever I can't do I know I have a wonderful supporting cast behind me!

Life is good! I am going to enjoy everything that much more. I am alive, I am happy!

Go see my other Facebook page, One More Shot.
www.facebook.com/OvercomingLimitations