A Day In The Life

I’m absolutely not writing this for sympathy, or as a passive aggressive way to ask for a pass. Things are a hell of a lot better than the nightmare of how I was when I first came home. But let’s call a spade a spade. I cannot safely walk by myself, I’m very shaky so i spill frequently, I don’t have full control of my emotions so I embarrassingly cry at inappropriate moments.

Everything requires an almost ridiculous level of planning and that’s coming from a person that loves to plan! If I have something at say 2pm and I want to put on some makeup, I can’t walk into the bathroom at quarter to and apply. I leave a big gap because I cannot be rushed and I’ve been burned before. Plus I like to wear my contacts but I can’t tolerate them for more than several hours so I start getting ready like an hour and a half before.

But I don’t take myself too seriously. I could be really down about everything but for my sanity I instead just sometimes think what I do is hilarious. The other day I put my work out pants on backwards. I was at the condo once and sat at the end of the bed, meant to scoot backwards to the top, fell over, and instead crawled while cracking up to the top. I was helping my mom cook, she asked me to measure some milk, I poured some on the counter and my hand in the process then said “nailed it” because I got the exact amount.

I thought it might be enlightening to run through a typical day. I randomly picked a Wednesday. I go to my trainer 3x a week, have a 1 hour speech session online once a week (usually Tuesdays), go to a vision therapist once a week which is usually 30-40 minutes, and have daily speech and eye exercises which take typically 30-60 minutes. I try to Zoom with my therapist every 3 weeks plus I have random doctor’s appointments. I regularly get manicures and my hair done. I Zoom with friends every few weeks and Kevin’s family too.

5am: I’m a very early riser. It does vary but I usually get up between 5-5:30. This also lets me have a bit of a morning before we have to leave.

I cannot walk by myself and our house is not conducive to a walker so someone takes me to the bathroom. I’m both a coffee and matcha lover so a parent brings me one.

I wake up, screw around on my phone, read and listen to podcasts in bed. I also eat in bed because I get breakfast before my mom walks Glen at 7 so I have time to digest.

7:30am: I get ready for going to my trainer. We try to pick out my outfit the night before. We are a pretty well oiled machine but there is a lot to getting ready. This includes putting in my contacts and all my accessories; my Apple watch, medical bracelet and Fitbit on my ankle to count my steps.

8:05am: We leave. Movement Revolution is a bit of a drive, I go to the bathroom before my session and now I need extra time to swap shoes.

9am: my session begins!

9:50am: Austin recently said “I don’t know how to go easy anymore.” Shit ain’t that the truth; I’m already sore. Movement now does 50 minute sessions so they have time to clean off the equipment.

10:30am: I shower when I get home. My mom helps me get in and out of the shower and helps rub in the shampoo; I just don’t have the strength in my hands to do a good job. But I do everything else! I use a shower chair. Post-shower we have everything on a cart so I can do almost everything. My mom does do my leave in conditioner; I’m able but our bathroom is very small and it would be so much effort to have me do it.

11:30am: It’s quite close to lunchtime. I usually eat while watching TV so I get a little me time.

12:45pm: I try to go to the kitchen so I can whip out my exercises.

1:30pm: I usually have something to do; recently it was packing for a condo trip. So my mom takes me up to my room.

2:15pm: It’s back to the recliner. I read, watch TV or go on my laptop; I work on my blog or other stuff.

4 something pm: I try to go up to the kitchen and help my mom make dinner.Easiest is I sit at our counter. I read recipes, chop veggies, and measure out ingredients.

5:30pm: We eat dinner on the earlier side.

6pm: I FaceTime with Kevin every night. We usually chat 20-30 minutes.

6:30pm: I relax, again usually read, watch TV or go on my laptop. Around 8 my mom helps me clean up for bed.

9-9:30pm: I go to bed early because I get up early!