Hi Everyone,
Our trip to Boston was very successful on many levels.
My niece and her husband arranged 6 stops that represented their favorite community pubs located in “Southie”. This was the 3rd year for the bar crawl fundraiser but Corey’s 1st year in attendance. Once my niece announced Corey would be participating the friends that have been reading about her came out to meet our miracle girl. Corey handled the introductions and noise much better then I expected. There were a few minor meltdowns but all in all, she managed to work her way through them. We wheeled her through the streets (city sidewalks are not ADA friendly). When we arrived I helped her stand to walk in. She enjoyed the “mocktails” we invented for her and she has officially mastered how to sit on a bar stool! Thank You to our Boston family for your continued love and support for Corey’s recovery.
Another important accomplishment, Corey was able to express her greatest frustration ‘the wheelchair’. She has had enough. She does not like riding in it and wants to walk ‘on her own’ in the worst way. She feels “inadequate” as she watches everyone else stand and move about freely. She doesn’t like that people stare or the inconvenience of maneuvering in, out and around establishments. Sadly, she doesn’t understand her physical limitations as to why she still needs the chair. I try to validate her feelings and assure her she will stand and walk on her own; it’s not forever it’s just for now. Her response…you’ve been saying that forever!
Unfortunately, Corey’s short term memory continues to steal her sense of achievement. She has no memory of our weekend trip or the challenges she overcame to make it a success. This gives me my greatest sense of sorrow yet somehow ignites my stubborn Irish side. I will not isolate her. I will continue to expose her to new experiences knowing full well she won’t know she even had the experience, because one day….she will remember. We cannot live in a bubble. We cannot stop living life just because the arrangements are too hard or take extra effort. We cannot stop enjoying today as we look towards the ‘someday hopes’ of tomorrow. “When faced with a challenge, look for a way, not a way out” – David Weatherford
xoxo