Imagine You Wake Up And You Can't Move

That happened to Valerie a few years ago.  She has MS, and she woke up paralyzed in half of her body.  She got her movement back and retrained herself: to play the violin again (listen here), to dance the tango, to do things more deft and skillful than anything I've learned how to do without ever having been paralyzed. 

She still has MS, and it could come back any time and take away her movement again.  She writes about that sometimes and it always kind of knocks me out. 

What I think is really cool about Valerie (besides her intelligence and talent and temperament and humor) is how this experience has made her aware and grateful of how precious it is to move.  Yesterday her arm fell asleep, and it scared her into thinking that it might be her last day with her body, so she went up to the Eastern Prom and swang on the swingset overlooking the ocean, in the setting sun.  I've never even been on that swingset, but you can bet I'm going to go now. 

Comments

[nicole]

Thank you so much for posting about this blog. I think I enjoy life but when my health is good, I take so much for granted. I appreciate others experiences of being awake and aware in our world, ready to experience life not just pass through the days.

By reading Valerie & Madelines blogs, when I read how they have and continue to struggle with health issues, it makes me want to live every day with energy, open and appreciative.

[Theo]

Ayup, I'm totally addicted to her posts.
whenever Im feeling sorry for myself, having
to go in for dialysis, I click her on.
No false bravado or plucky self-esteem, just
a really healthy outlook. For me, anyway

Pretty hot violin, too!

[stephen]

I came across Valerie's blog a few months ago. As a matter of fact, I've come across a couple blogs that you mention here at different times and not by linking from your blog. I find it odd that I happened to find them all quite separately but that they are all linked. Must be some sort of sign that I'm meant to live in Maine. I've thought about moving there. Do you recommend it?