Day 301 – Looking Brighter Location: Delray Beach, FL
I got my toes in the water, ass in the sand
Not a worry in the world, a cold beer in my hand
Life is good today, life is good today
Today serves as a huge day in my CRPS rehabilitation. I’m on vacation in sunny South Florida and I don’t mind boasting about it. Vacation, let me say the word again, VACATION. Damn it feels good!
My wife and I are spending a week with family split between Delray Beach and South Beach and it might be just what the “doctor” ordered. Feel free to either smile for us or be slightly envious. We’ll also celebrate Crissy’s birthday and her sister’s birthday while we travel which is sure to bring about plenty of joy during our trip.
Don’t worry about the vacation schedule causing me to let up in my therapy. “No rest for the wicked” has to be my mantra in order to shorten the time until remission. Thus far, I’ve already crushed three hours of occupational therapy work. I even had to plead with the TSA folks to let me have my gripping putty in my carry-on so I could do some exercises on the plane. They let me have it. I don’t know if I ever committed myself to fitness in such a strict way. It’s also amazing how much benefit I’m seeing in all of the various fine motor exercises I’m concentrating on. I’m doing a bunch of exercises with putty, light dumbbells, grippers, wrist extension, and shoulder rotations. At the suggestion of one of the OTs, I dug out my old high school lacrosse stick to cradle the ball with my left hand/wrist. As a result, I’m able to fend for myself much more.
Worth noting about this trip, we cashed in a credit from our previously cancelled Valentines trip to do this very thing. Yep, that’s right, CRPS claimed victory over the trip we intended to take. I wrote about it in my post about Day 36. A sports analogy and expression I love is, those that get knocked down, they get back up quickly and go at it with more intensity. Simply reaching the point that my body could withstand the rigors of traveling is a huge milestone to come to. I’m ecstatic! So is Crissy.
2017 hasn’t been easy and Crissy deserves this trip for so many reasons. Topping the list of deserving vacation reasons is not celebrating her birthday. It is so much more than that as she deserves this every bit as much as me or perhaps even more. No spouse has a readily made playbook to deal with their soul mate’s debilitating and disabling disease. It is a full-time role to care for a CRPS patient each and every day. Broadly, the chores come in a variety of fashions designed remove stressors from their loved one’s plate. They range from daily essentials like cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, and errand running to remaining solid as a rock physically, mentally, and emotionally. My wife has had her hands full all year. Crissy has a successful career in marketing, branding, and property management for a company headquartered in the D.C. area and also operating in South Florida. She also owns her own business, Cristina & Cristian Staging & Design; a business she launched this year in response to my CRPS battle. This week is the first time she has had to worry so much less about me. And that is not just because we’re on vacation.
Adding to the list of reasons to celebrate this week:
- My spinal cord stimulator (SCS) post-op restrictions have been lifted. So that means no more cervical collar…
- As of last week, I’m driving a car again. I had not driven this year. In my few days back to driving, I’ve learned two things:
- Driving a car is 100% like riding a bike. You don’t lose this skill.
- A long time away from driving and subsequent defensive driving really makes you realize just how many bad drivers are on the road every single day.
- Oh and this little picture right here…
Swimming has long been one of my favorite things to do – especially in the ocean. Maybe we should call what I did today wading into the ocean and not so much swimming. My frozen shoulder is beginning to move again, but not moving well enough to swim. I’ll still take this.
I grew up spending hours upon hours in the Atlantic Ocean all throughout summer. Often when it grew cold, we traded the Mid-Atlantic waters for the warmer part of the same ocean down south. We visited my paternal grandparents in none other than Delray Beach where I am today. This trip has brought back many great memories and time spent with Mimi & PopPop at their home in the Delaire Country Club. I cherished every aspect of the time we spent including: the beach of course, trips to Blood’s Orange Grove (sadly gone), Wilt Chamberlain’s restaurant (also gone), golf, and so much more. The nostalgia is in full effect and I can’t help but wonder if this is a trip we were flat out meant to take. I feel my grandparents in my heart and mind. I love you and miss you, Mimi and PopPop, and I know you’ll help me continue to push forward.
The next several days will consist of family time, the beach, the pool, and maybe some boating. It will certainly be a trip to remember.
Beat CRPS!
Jason