September 30 - October 1, 2015
At long last I can revel with pure joy. I am finally relieved of my dreaded wheelchair. My doctor gave me the GO to start walking!  WOO, HOO! The downside to it all is that I can't walk normally for another few weeks. I will have to do my walking with the help of a ‘walker.’

Initially, using the walker after 4 months of not walking at all, was a pretty hard adjustment. Every step I took caused me some pain and a great deal of effort but, as the days passed, the stronger I became and the pain dwindled. I also got an upgrade on my therapy sessions. My sessions are now taking place in a different building with a new physical therapist. I have new exercises to strengthen the weak wheelchair-ridden muscles in my legs. I will work hard until my new and improved legs fully support my body weight.

Apart from physical therapy, my homeschooling has been getting a bit aggravating and overwhelming the past few weeks. There have been many times when my mind felt as if it was about to reach its breaking point. Thanks to the help of my tutor, who is filling in until I return to my normal school life, I have been able to get all of my work done. She helps to make sure all my work is done and that I'm well prepared for future quizzes and tests for my private school classes.  I go to my school only to take tests. I don’t want my friends to see me yet so I sneak into school during class time, after and before the bell.  If the bell rings while I am still there, I wait for the kids to make it to their next class. I’m a little sneak.

My teachers are caring and sweet. They coordinate my assignments through their portal and email. They keep asking me, “When are you returning to school Carolina?”  Ahhh...that question frustrates me! I am happy they want to see me and I wish I could but, I HAVE TO WAIT.  The waiting is FRUSTRATING at times!

Some of you may think that homeschooling is a simple deal because all you do is just stay home and have no homework to do once you are finished for the day...and you can sleep in and stay in your jammies. Well, I'm sorry to be the one to have to tell you this but, you’re wrong. There are many days where you feel like you are just about to give up because there's just too much work or it's too difficult to understand. That's exactly how I feel from time to time and it just makes me think,"Man, I just can't wait until the day I can go back to school." Sadly, I missed my sophomore homecoming week, where I could have dressed up everyday and gone to Pep Rally and the homecoming dance.  BOO, HOO!  Maybe I will get to trick or treat...I don’t know. Please don't judge me when you read this because I know how weird this may sound to some of you. Some of you may think, "How can any typical teenager have the desire to return to school as soon as possible?" Trust me, if you were in my shoes (socks right now) you would perfectly understand.

October 21, 2015
Now, to explain the near final phase in my recovery...recently I have been able to do more things independently. I go to the bathroom by myself and change my clothes  again like a normal person. YAY! I can sit on the couch when I watch TV with my family and I can climb at least two steps of my staircase. My entire family and our closest friends are hoping that I will be able to walk again soon with no walker at all. It might be a possibility depending on what the doctor says in a few weeks. It all depends on how strong the bone is and how strong my muscles are that haven't been used in nearly four months! Do you know that my bones, muscle tissue, tendons, etc. regenerated and filled in where there was a gap?  When I think about it, I can’t believe it. I am 2 inches taller, my bow legs have been straightened and with heels I have probably added about 4 to 5 inches to my height. I also lost 24 pounds and went from a size 14 to a size 6. My body is transforming before my eyes! My friends won’t recognize me when I return to school.

I am hoping as hard as I can that when I see the doctor again, we will hear the news we are hoping for, “You can go back to school in two weeks!” That would be the best news. I am on pins and needles waiting to hear what the doctor has to say at my next check-up. I am in the homestretch and feeling well thanks to the support that I have received from all of my family and close friends! In the meantime I am pushing myself a little harder each day. I am walking a few houses down my block and back. Then I will walk a little further….then I will switch to a cane….and lastly I will say, “Look Mom...no hands!” With constant exercise and determination, I'm sure that I'll return to my normal life before I know it. Soon I'll be able to look back at this choice and say to myself, "I'm so glad I made this decision, despite the hard challenges that I had to face." I am beginning see the light at the end of the tunnel.