Anniversary of Second Chances

One year ago today, I was unaware. One year ago yesterday, I awoke to a beautiful day, and a couple of hours later life itself was uncertain. One year ago Saturday, my previous self went about the business of getting kids to school, putting on Halloween parties, and getting a bit of nutrition in the kids before going trick-or-treating. It's easy to get hung up on the uncertainty of life and to replay those days over and over again. It's not as easy to just move on, and not let the reality of our mortal existence creep into daily life.
Sometimes I get stuck on a train of thought that reviews what I'm not able to do, or can't do easily, or what difficulties will come as I age with stainless steel running through me. Being grateful is a noble endeavor, but I'm not always noble. And sometimes I'm angry, at the arrogant fool who took our lives in his hands, at the fate of bad timing, for lost time and for pain.
By way of recognizing this as a year of accomplishments rather than a year of lost opportunity, I listed milestones one night. It helped me to see how far I've come in a relatively short time and gives me hope that I will continue to gain strength and comfort, and be able to run alongside my kids, play soccer with them and show them the world in the active way I wish to.
Here goes:
Survived the crash
Stayed awake enough to talk to the girls and get necessary calls made
Kept my leg
Got off the ventilator
One little, two little, three little surgeries, four little......
Saw my babies again
Got off morphine
Sat up in bed
Pulled self up
Stood for 20 excrutiating seconds
Moved from University Hospital to Rusk Rehab
Shower with lots of help
Wore my own clothes again
Used bedside latrine
Used a wheelchair
Used toilet :-)
Used walker
Used crutches
Walked 50 feet, 100 feet, 150 feet on crutches
Shower with little help
Mostly dressed myself
Put on my shoes
Sat in wheelchair for a whole meal
Got in and out of bed alone
Stood at a table for 1 min, 2 min, 3 min...
Went up stairs with crutches
Got in and out of the car
Visited Home
Went home
Ate with my family
Drove
Showered alone
Cooked a meal
Went to mailbox
Took Ethan to the bus
Went upstairs
Put kids to bed
Carried Lainey
1 crutch
Walking
Stationery bike
Real bike
Wounds closed
Released from physical therapy
Swam
Went to the park
Rode a horse
Rode Bree (who is no ordinary horse)

So I've come a long way, and I can surely come a bit more.