The lost blog post....

I just realized I never posted this blog entry. I was in Bosnia dodging snipers, sorry! Here it is folks:

On March 21st, I received a message from my neurologist indicating a diagnosis may be on the horizon. After taking Vitamin-D supplements for about a week and a half, I had my blood tested for a variety of things, including Vitamin-D. This level was shown to be low. This is the very first time anything other than my symptoms has shown I am ill.

And it couldn't have come at a better time. The weight of my confined existence was beginning to wear on me. The flight to Arizona was a nightmare, plain and simple. Though I was so happy to see my family, being in such a familiar setting with limited mobility pulled into focus my circumstances. I couldn't hold my nephew, or hug my mother without cringing in pain. The family dog Daisy anxiously and excitedly sniffed my feet, and I recalled reading medical journals regarding dogs being able to smell disease. I avoided her entirely for the rest of the trip.

When this abnormal blood test result came in, I felt as though I had never in my life been able to hope before that moment. I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Elated, Jacob and I began to seriously calculate when I would be better, pitching each other on vacations or outings we could do once my ability to walk has been restored. Though I have seen another neurologist on Monday who dampened my hope that Vitamin D is the answer, I'm very excited to have something that could be the answer.

As some of you have already heard, we have made an informal list of the things I will do once I am better. I'm putting pen to paper, er, fingers to keyboard to share some of the things I truly miss or wish I had done. If you are able to walk and you aren't totally drugged up all day long, hopefully you can take away from this appreciation for the ability you have.

In no particular order, I can't wait to....

dancing lessons (dont laugh)
Walk on the beach barefoot (preferably in Hawaii)
Go to an art museum (hard to see the paintings from a wheelchair!)
Climb the hill we can see from our street
Take my nephew to the zoo (and play soccer with him, of course!)
Wear something OTHER than my favorite sneakers
Exercise
Go to kidrobot and buy Jacob a neat toy!
Read more books
do more ROCK WALL CLIMBING
drive a stick shift sports car
visit alcatraz
take a boat tour of the bay
Go off roading in a jeep (probably not my mom's, haha)
walk around japan town
wear dresses
be the subject of a real photoshoot
-subnote: I turned down an offer in high school, always regretted not giving it a try
write a book
go camping (I'm from Brooklyn. We aren't outdoorsy folks)

(update: I've been taking the Vitamin D supplements. So far, I can't say they are helping for sure, but I was able to stand today with my feet flat on the ground for the first time since this started.)