Walking Spirit

This past week has been a week of surprises. As many of you know I have been expecting to receive the new feet pretty soon. To my surprise, last week I received a voicemail from the Prosthetists office informing me that "everything for my new legs had arrived except for my left foot" and that they wanted me to call make an appointment for this coming Friday! When I spoke with them I found out that my left foot was on back order but that they expected to receive it this week. (I found this hilarious!) I got clarification from them that I would be receiving the C-Legs as well as the C-Walks at my next appointment. Yes folks, they're here!

Unfortunately the Prosthetist got an update yesterday and the left foot is still on back order and they don't expect to get it in until after the 28th. So, I won't actually be getting them this week but, that's okay, as we are going to Michigan on Sunday for vacation and I really didn't want to try to learn how to use them without working with Renee first. This also means that I won't be doing the blog next week (due to the vacation). Hopefully the next time do an update I'll have the new legs and can tell you all about it!

The second big surprise was one that my family and friends have been keeping secret for some time. On Saturday night we went to the People's Burn Foundation Summer Ice Fund Raiser. There's a rumor out there that I didn't want to go. That's not true. I was looking forward to it, it just came at a very busy time and I was feeling the compression of too many events going on at once. It is true that I wasn't looking forward to getting dressed up.

I don't like wearing a tie anymore. When I have I've been very uncomfortable. During a conversation with Renee at the dinner I finally realized that the collar of a dress shirt with a tie reminds me of the stabilizing collar that was around my neck when I woke up in the hospital. However, I did look good.

It was a beautiful evening at the Indiana Roof Ballroom, with great food, great company, and great entertainment. After the dessert was served they had a presentation and gave out some awards. About half way through the awards presentation I started to wonder how my family had managed to get a table that was at the very front of the room. (granted we were all the way over on the side) Then it dawned on me that Dr. Sood, the burn doctor and plastic surgeon who took care of me in the Burn Unit, was sitting at the next table.

Eventually Dr. Sood was called up to the podium. The first words out of his mouth were "On October 22nd of 2005..." I believe there I reacted in a very visible way. Dr. Sood went on to tell the story of my injuries, surgeries, infections, and rehabilitation. He also spoke about me walking in for my last appointment, visiting with other patients, and the quest to raise money for the C-Legs. I was even more surprised when he announced that we would be selling cookbooks after the presentations, and that I would be signing them.

Dr. Sood awarded me with the Sushila Sood Champion of Courage Award. Dr. Sood chooses the recipient of this award. It's a tremendous honor, one that I'm not sure I deserve, as I don't view my recovery as courageous, I simply view it as living life. All the same, I'm very proud, and thankful to have this award.

After the ceremony we sold over 130 cookbooks. I signed cookbooks from about 9:30pm until about 11:30 pm. And yes, my hand was definitely tired, and my signature suffered, by the time I was done.