Suzy's New Exercise Routine

Suzy showing off her new exercise room and workout routine:

January 5, 2011

Just as I got home from a dinner meeting and was taking off my coat, my cell phone beeped like it does when I receive a text. I figured it was a reply to a text I had sent earlier to someone at the meeting. As I got my phone out of my coat pocket, I was pleasantly surprised to see the text was from Brent. 

Brent: new videos going up. Notice the long steps and smoothness of the walk. She's walking without the cane for workouts, but with these big steps she gently touches the bar.

Me: Awesome!

Excitedly, I quickly logged in to YouTube to check out the new videos! I can't quit smiling! Suzy has made such great progress.

Can I just tell you how proud I am of my little sister?! It is exciting to see how far she has come. Physical therapy has not been easy...with the 45 minute drives both there and back, plus the seven hours of therapies every day, it has been a big commitment of time and energy. Hard both mentally and physically. There were times when the therapists gave her new challenges that scared her...I'll never forget the nervous look on her face as Liz handed her a cane on her second day of PT and told her she was going to use it instead of the bar on the wall as she walked...but with every new challenge Suzy gave 100%. This stroke hit Suzy like a hard right hook out of nowhere, but she has fought back with a smile on her face.

As she is getting ready to graduate on Friday, I imagine she is both excited and nervous. Excited to be moving forward and nervous to be moving on to new things. Suzy and Brent have found an outpatient program closer to their home where Suzy can continue with her physical therapy three time a week. I am sure Suzy will be the bright spot there, just like she has been at Sharp.

~Michelle