January 2011 Update from Brian

Happy New Year!


I hope everyone had a good time over the holidays.  I spent a couple of nights in Raleigh with my family.  It was a good trip & definitely better than last Christmas.  I was in a lot better & stronger physical shape than the Christmas before.  These days our Christmas revolves around my niece & nephew.  It is so much fun watching how excited they get over the gifts & visitors.  For the first time, I got to watch my nephew, Owen, ride his bike.  It was unbelievable to watch him pedal as fast as he could on a bike without any training wheels & just regular pedals.  He is amazing!  He is only 3 years old & has been able to ride for months.  I think you need to see it to believe it so here is Owen biking...


I am typing this update as I am stuck inside due to the snow in Charlotte.  I have always hated the cold & disliked the snow.  I stayed in Raleigh over Christmas an extra day due to the snow & ice.  I wish it was 85 degrees or warmer.  I have always disliked snow but even more so these days, once you throw a wheelchair into the equation.  Pushing through snow & ice is not easy & it also makes keeping the floors & carpets clean more challenging.  I put snow right up there with rain & stairs as Wheelchair Brian's top enemies.  I hope it warms up quickly!


I am finally leaving January 23rd for a three month stay in Atlanta for therapy at the Shepherd Center.  Like I have said before, I am excited & nervous about this trip.  I am excited because I have been on the waiting list for over a year and a half and it is supposed to be one of the best facilities in the country.  They also have a few types of therapies I have not had access to in the past.  I am nervous because this is by far the largest financial investment made in my recovery attempts.  I do expect some great stuff to come out of my time in Atlanta but I am trying to be careful and not build it up too much & set myself up for disappointment.  I plan on updating everyone with some videos of my experience at Shepherd. 


I do not get much into New Years Resolutions but I am hoping that 2011 is a big year of improvement for me and that I make great strides in recovery.


Thanks, as always, for all of your ongoing interest & support.  The additional financial help I received over the holidays also goes a long way to helping me on this journey.