Welcome back to Carol's Corner. I apologize for so many days without a new post. It has been a busy week getting back on my feet, and some of that will be the subject of this issue of Carol's Corner. So let's get this fashion portion out of the way and get started. First you can see I am finally out of my boot cast and I will address all those things later on. I love this blouse. The funny thing is I thought I lost it till we got my closet cleaned out this week. It actually got LOST in the closet because it had fallen on the floor behind something. I have found a number of missing things since we began getting the house back in shape. Sheryl Vestal Martell won the caption for this ensemble with,” Rosey Outlook.” And that is exactly how I see things right now.

Had a perfect set of jewelry to go with this ensemble and a great new Easter/Spring manicure, and of course one of my favorite rings along with one of my favorite watches.

 

 

 

Did a lot of thinking about my next topic. I've decided to title this,“Overcoming; My Journey Back, and the Road Ahead.” I want to use my own life experiences of the last six months to inspire each and every one of you to persevere when challenged and then to “Overcome” whatever challenges you are facing or have to face. Through all of this I have learned just how strong I am and what I have felt my purpose has been in the last two years. This has only strengthened my convictions. So let's begin what seems to have started this whole chain of events.

September 22, 2015 around 10:30 at night something happened to me that I probably will never forget. Look at this picture and you will immediately know why.

This is what was left of my car after an accident that I shouldn't even have survived. The State Police actually told my husband I should have been dead. The other side of the car is minus the back wheel and just as bad. Thank God no one was involved but me. I can't remember everything but I know I was blinded by lights behind me. Somehow I ended up on the other side of the road, went into a culvert and flipped over I don't know how many times. I understood it took 25 minutes to cut me out of the car. Miraculously I escaped without serious injury. Was up and around the next day with just stitches to an elbow that was flayed open, many cuts and such, and I guess a not too serious concussion. My neck was a problem for about a month. But was I frightened or disturbed after that experience? I wasn't. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Lord saved me from a certain death. I had witnessed the power of God up close and personal and lived to tell about it. What better witness could there be? To me it was almost a liberating experience and cemented in my mind that I was saved for a purpose and I believe it was to continue to help people in this journey we all find ourselves on. God has given me a gift and one that I hope to use till the day I die.

So that brings me to number 2 in the chain of events. About two months after my accident I received word that Motor Vehicles was suspending my license. I received no tickets for my accident and never had one until that fateful night. They tried to make out that I lost consciousness and awareness before the accident, not after and said I was a danger to other people, even though my doctor said otherwise. I have to have new paperwork sent in this week by my doctor. Then who knows how long it will take to see if they lift my suspension. This has not been easy for me because I was used to coming and going as I pleased and now had to rely on someone else to do every little thing. Thank God my husband has been pretty good through this. But again I have tried to stay upbeat and continue to be a source of help and inspiration to others. What else could I do? I am not a negative person and am known for my outgoing and friendly personality.

And then comes January 16th around 6:30 at night, the third event, in a series of events that seems to be trying to break me. I was taking something to the basement, slipped on one of the bottom 2 steps, slammed my foot into the concrete wall and twisted my foot every which way. I knew right then and there something happened. I went to urgent care and it was dicovered that I had 2 fractures; one on my ankle and one on my foot. They put on a splint till I could seen an orthopedist the next day. Thank goodness I was assigned to a wonderful woman doctor who has been the greatest. Thus began this last two months, which have been extremely hard for me. Not only did I have to have someone take me anyplace and everywhere, now I couldn't do anything for myself. The only good thing was that I avoided an actual cast because the doctor knew just how much I dreaded one. When I had my two foot surgeries years before, my body hated the casts with a passion. Instead I was allowed to have an air boot cast. I had to sleep in it for over five weeks. I started this portion of my journey getting around with a walker. Many days I didn't leave my bedroom. My husband cooked and brought me all my meals. But when we went out of the house, I dressed up, always had my hair done, my makeup on, and always had all my accessories. Of course my Fitbit had to be put on an extended leave of absence. We still went places with either my husband pushing me in a wheelchair or me using a motorized scooter. I went to the movies numerous times while hubby read or relaxed in the awesome furniture they have at all the malls these days. I did have a pity party one day after it looked like I might have to have surgery on my foot. Then after I was resigned to that, I found out my doctor talked to her colleagues about my case and decided I wouldn't need it after all. One of the first things I did to make the whole stressful situation kind of fun and put my personsality on things, was to bling out my boot cast. Everywhere I went people would stop to comment about it. Two weeks into my situation we also found out that we could rent a roll-about scooter for only $50 a month. Best $50 dollars we could have spent. What a difference that thing made. It even had a basket which I was able to find a way to temporarily decorate and bling up also. We took it to restaurants and used it both upstairs and downstairs. I refused to let this injury get the better of me. I left the house as often as I was able, with a lot of help of course. One of the most depressing things for me was seeing my house get in worse and worse shape because I couldn't do the work myself. Even that I managed to overcome with time. I just had to be patient. In the last three weeks I got a young girl I know, to start helping me go through the house room by room, a little each week. That has been a major relief to me. I am going to continue paying her to help me till we go though the entire house. She doesn't charge me a fortune and it is way less overwhelming.

That brings me to the present. Monday was the first day I was supposed to get rid of the boot and start wearing a shoe. When I first tried to walk, my foot and leg didn't quite know what to do. Then I was pretty nervous because there was still quite a bit of pain. I wasn't sure what was normal after this. I put a call into the doctor and the next day she talked to my husband while I was still asleep. Sure enough it is all a part of the process. I did decide I needed to buy a pair of shoes that had a thicker bottom and a better arch support.

 

 

I was able to find this shoe in The Shoe Department, a store in the mall. They even have a little bling on the strap.

As of Friday night I am on my way back. There's still a small hill to climb but I am going to “OVERCOME“. My doctor said I am doing great and I can do what I feel I am able and to just listen to my body. I won't be pain free for awhile and she said to expect swelling for maybe six months. I danced for the first time since my injury that night,and I almost started crying I was SO HAPPY. Put back on my Fitbit and did a two mile Leslie workout later the same night. I lowered my step goal to 2,500 steps but before I went to bed I had already surpassed that by over 1,300 steps. Here is where I currently am at 11pm. Not bad for my first day.

Gonna double my step count goal and probably will bypass it again. I am going to work myself up to where I was before my injury. Not sure how long it will take but I am determined. I never give up. My last step on my way back, will be to get back to my fighting weight and get my health issues back the way they were before all this chain of events started. The first week in April I'm going to Weight Watchers. I also hope to be able to help and inspire some people there too.

So what have I learned the past six months of my life and how can you benefit from my life experience? The past six months have taught me to roll with the punches, to accept what I can't change and to make the best of every day. I learned that even when I can't be physically active I could still inspire and motivate people by how I handled what life had thrown my way. It has taught me just how STRONG I really am. It has taught me to never give in to despair and depression no matter what. I had my short little pity parties but they were always fleeting. I couldn't allow them to be any other way. I have charted what the “road ahead” will entail and I will “overcome” any obstacles that will get in the way of achieving the current goals I have set for myself.

Take the things life may have put in your way and use them to find out what you can learn about yourself. Use them to show you how you can be stronger than you ever thought. Begin to chart the course to your “road ahead” and above all learn to “overcome“. It all resides inside of you. Till next time, God bless.