Happy Anniversary

Our neighbors' anniversary and our anniversary are about a week apart, so we went out last night to celebrate. It was lovely. great food, wine, and company. We were there for three hours. The restaurant brought us little sweets and champagne at the end.

While our actual anniversary is a few days away, yesterday was a very different anniversary for me. it was the anniversary of survival, of being strong, of surpassing expectations.

Three years ago EMTs said they would have let me go had I not been so strong. These were the EMTs I talked to, told them my name, told them where I was, and finally asked them to knock me out because I was in so much pain.

I remember little about the first two weeks; I remember a lot about the next six months, the toughest of my life.

I am still recovering from the knee replacement revision I had nine weeks ago. But every day the pain is less and I get stronger. I am going back to Pilates this Friday.

I decided to have another go at the YMCA. I wrote a detailed letter about my needs-- getting help to the pool, having someone take my prosthesis away, returning it to me at the end and walking with me the few steps to the changing room.

I got a letter from the head of aquatics that was so encouraging. Of course they could help me.

But then I got a letter from her boss. In short, no, and my caretaker could come with me to do those things.

Caretaker? Caretaker? I have no caretaker, nor do I have a need for one. I am independent and do most everything for myself, but like all of us, occasionally I need some help.

I read that letter and was so disheartened. I know pool exercise is what I need. It is what I want. I had a therapy session today and while telling my therapist about the experience, I decided I would see if there is a boss of the boss who emailed me. The Y calls itself inclusive, but in reality there is not one class there I can take.

I am going to go back to their website and see what I can find. I might strike out, but believe me, I will go down swinging.

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