I am finally feeling awake enough to sit down and write. Finally…looking at my photos I had so much I wanted to share with you, way back in June. But my body had other plans. 🙄

It looks like I posted Banana Pudding was at the beginning of my body going into revolt. On Memorial day, I made a trip into urgent care. I had to admit I couldn’t breathe.

My allergies took over and I had a sinus infection. Ugg… so yucky. I think that every year they seem to hit me harder and harder. Again, this year when my body was already battling allergies there was a push of Canadian wildfire smoke. It amazes me that, something so far away can affect our area so much. But you can see it and on really bad days smell it.

I don’t even know how many years I felt the struggle to breathe during exercise but I flat out refused to have the word “asthma” on my medical record. Because, I could overcome and didn’t need another label. But I am finding out that kind of pride sucks. Like ANY pride, is anything less than sucky.

When Tammy got to our house Memoral Day morning she could hear my wheezing struggle to breathe on the other side of the house. She must have asked me 4 or 5 times if I wanted to be seen. But, I was not going to let not breathing get the best of me.

I was sooooo tired. I tried to lay down to take a nap and that was when I had the thought “Breathing should NOT be THIS hard.” Me being me, I cried, making everything worse trying to tell Tammy, yes I needed to go in to urgant care.

But I got in and was so suprised by how much the breathing treatment opened my lungs. That was the beginning of the recovery. Beginning, the being super important word.

I have also been trying to treat an area on my right shin. And… going to my dentist appointment…therapy never stopped but because my lungs were weak and struggling every area took a big hit.

Let me take you back a little while and show you some really cool videos from May. I had every intention of writing a post sharing these videos within days of the Banana Pudding post, but I was running on fumes.

On May 9th Tammy and my Occupational therapist went to Tanger Outlet to get a chance to walk and shop in beautiful weather. And it turned out to be a beautiful day. It was perfect. 70’s and sunny. I walked around the Torrid store. It has been a new favorite place to find clothes. After the walk around the store, I had the brilliant idea to see if I could “push” my wheelchair. I always do that to myself…make things harder for myself by being curious. “I wonder i I can…” 🙄

So we went to a relatively flat un-crowded area and…

Yep 😃 did you see that? It is so very exciting doing things you couldn’t imagine actually doing! I for sure don’t give myself enough credit. I know how hard I work but often, more than I’d like to admit, I don’t enjoy the high moments. This was for sure a high moment.

And then May 16 this happened…

Target walk 😃 These might seem…like no big deal,but looking back over the last month it makes me kinda sad.

Like any time I get sick I worry that I’m going to lose strength or ability. Shortly after the accident when I got sick I lost strengh pretty quickly. And that thinking has kinda stuck around. I am so incredibly thankful that as my breathing has gotten better so has my ability to walk and talk. I can actually have a conversation without having to stop ever 3 words.

And then…last weekend happened. I’m going to share a secret with you.🤐 Having any infection and a brain injury makes for craziness! Over this last weekend one of my daughters looked scared for me. Like she didn’t know where my head was at. It registered somewhere in the foggyness that happens in my thinking when my body is fighting an infection. Which, is really good because, so often, it’s just anger that registers and comes pouring out at whoever I’m talking to.

After a super exciting hair appointment, (I will share more!) I ended up yet again in urgant care. It might have made my… 3rd visit to urgent care since Memorial Day. I also had appointments with my PCP. Again, it’s not been a great month +.

I walked out with yet another antibiotic and an official UTI dignosis. 🤒

Another piece of recognizing infections now with the TBI I feel disconnected from my body. More than normal. Not sure that makes much sense to someone who has never felt the weird disconnection that happens with brain injuries. But, my brain would not trust my body to work the way it should.

For example, last Thursday duing physical therapy I asked to do an easier challenge because my brain didn’t trust my legs to hold my body. I didn’t have anything close to a fall, but, for me to notice something just isn’t quite right is an improvement. It actually feels good to see the improvment in that area. Like maybe someday I might be responsibile for me. That sounds really silly.

Before I went to urgent care I got my hair did. 🤣

There was never an intention to cut my hair all off, or the 2-4 inches. When I got out of the shower there was a cute, perfectly formed curl and that was when the idea formed,with the hair that escaped my messy bun.

For me, looking at this picture kind on intresting. The last time I had my hair highlighted was Jan 2024. Which means that the blond left is minimal. Like at the very last half inch…or in other words, as close as I’ve been to my natural hair color since I was 17. 🤣

The steam curl and my desire to see which daughter has color closest to mine, I opted for he mom bob versus the long layers I had in it.Lol But this is the hair cut I had the summer of the accident. I loved it then and I love it now.

Learning how to tame my wavy/curl is a little difficult, just because there’s not a ton of hands or hand on learning. My mom didn’t have curly hair, so she didn’t have any idea what to do with it. And, of course, there was no internet to look stuff up on. I look to my oldest daughter for a lot of direction for my hair. Her’s is similar in all things crazy.

I love getting my hair done. Always have, I have some stories…😉. But I do miss being more chatty. Often, now, I people watch. Once my stylist, Sarah, started to work the finishing touches, I was just in awe. An artist sees the final product, so they spend time shaping and triming and moving. It really is beautiful to me. Sarah thank you! I appreciate your attention to the small things.

Sarah cut off my hair before that camping trip a few years ago. So, she might be starting to see the craziness I have with hair ideas. She colored it and did such a nice job of blending in my natural color. Growing it out has been pretty easy. Usually, I would go to my friend who did my hair before Sarah and complain about how long I’d let it go before making an appointment.

It’s been a really long time, I’m ready to add some color, today. We shall see if I stick to that come the end of August, my next appointment.

As I reluctantly start seeing Sarah, because I was pretty loyal to my friend who had done my hair before. But after getting over my hang ups I love going to see Sarah! Again, since I don’t talk well, and there are a lot of things that work against me trying to have a conversation during a cut, I do get the privilege of watching an artist do their thing!

If you need a new stylist here’s where she works. I love our little corner of Michigan.

During my sick/downtime I did actually set some personal records of steps walked during a 6 minute test. Some sit to stand tests and the 10 foot test. But I can’t remember the numbers and don’t remember writing them down. What can I say, other than it was a LONG month.

But, as therapy continues and I heal I have a video taken last week.

Ladder Ball

July 18,2025

Occupational therapy session

This picture…🫣 wasn’t I just sharing how great I was feeling about my hair? I thought we could just take it out of my bun-ish thing it was in and I would just be cute…goodness…sorry Sarah. I’ll try and do better.

Grace and peace to you. Enjoy your summer. Hopefully it’s been going better than mine…

♡TeamGavrilides ♡TBI Survivor ♡Faith to walk in the middle ♡Seed of Hope