April 13, 2026

So, it’s been so long! There is so much to share. I am going to try and limit myself. That might be way hard for me, but we shall see.

Last year, a few of my posts were videos, I definitely would like to get back to do a few more videos, but there are at least 4 months worth of good things to share.

I took my first scheduled time off from all my therapies in Oct. It went so well. I judged my vacation time by questions like these: Have I lost strength? Stability? Speech during my time off? Can I recover quickly? Since Oct. I’ve taken 2 weeks off for Christmas and New Year’s, and then I took off spring break with my girls.

So, I am just getting back to being off of therapy for a week. And wow. Last week in Michigan was not a great spring break. It was cold and yucky but ended up great. Sunday was so warm with the sun shining.

Every single season change brings so much emotional junk. Just when I get into a good place mentally, like I didn’t ski before the accident so, why am I jealous of her. Or I don’t like the cold, I wouldn’t have chosen to be inside anyway.

But this time I got another level of junk…

The last Friday of spring break we were invited to Matt’s sister’s wedding. It was a courthouse wedding, so, the invite list was short…but it might really have been one of the coolest weddings I’ve been to. It was just so, very them too. I loved it! Of course, I love seeing family get married, but when you get to watch them grow up…it just means more. So, after some pictures, everyone walked across the street to a brewery.

I had never eaten at Hop Cat before, so I needed to make sure and try the cosmic fries (aka crack fries). They were awesome! There are lots of family pictures, but the two I am putting up are those of our 2 girls and one of Matt and me, as proof that we had eaten out and had a good time. It was wonderful seeing so many family members; we just don’t see a lot outside of holidays. But summer and warm weather are on their way; those opportunities will at least start to be available. Winter in Michigan is rough. Everyone hunkers down and hibernates until the warmer rays of spring.

May 2, 2026

It’s only been a few more days since I last tried to write. My perception of time is so weird now. Trying to blog often, starting and then stopping doesn’t help either.

The pictures were taken April 10th. It’s been just a little bit. I am trying to be more present during time when my family is home…but even that is hard.

The change in weather took a toll on my nerve pain. That and I got a new occupational therapist. She has started a myofascial massage which has brought some nerve regeneration to my back and left side. It has been fun and a lot weird to actually know what a left leg feels like. It still sounds weird to me when I try to explain that I don’t really know what a body part feels like until the nerves and brain reconnect.

So, I asked my doctor to increase my newest nerve pain medication. While I am still adjusting to the additional drowsiness, the white noise in my head is gone. It had gotten so loud. When the noise is quiet, my brain can “feel” parts on the left side that I had just forgotten about. I guess that is the best way to describe the loss.

But during the noisy time, I got to try some new things. I had been noticing that I could move my left hip just a little more. So, in physical therapy, we began focusing on strengthening the left hip. With one of my PTs, we tried an exercise that she described as the drinking bird. I totally understood what she was saying, but a few people in my life didn’t understand. So, I had her take a video the next time we did it. This is a short version of what I did.

Drinking Bird

Left Hip & Leg Strengthening

Around this time I took a few more pictures…

I was able to lift my right arm high enough to put on the pink headband first, then the tan headband. This maybe an easy task for you but my arm and shoulder have not been strong enough to lift it high enough to push the band down on the left side. Thinking about this as I type, it’s the right shoulder lifting and moving to the left sides of my body, and the successful getting around the top of the head to pull down. Thinking about it is making my shoulder tired. Somewhere over the last few weeks, this strength has gotten lost. I’m not sure if I try, I would be successful today…but it was there. Kinda like tearing toilet paper. 🤣

The next picture is a great reminder for me that even when something feels weak, it’s not lost forever. During a speech therapy session, we went to the mall for some duel task work. Once inside I walked and talked from one entrance to a painting studio store. I took a sitting/looking break inside the studio store then walked back to get some pretzels.

Walking in a public place like the mall or Meijer adds so many extra elements to the task. It doesn’t matter if it’s talking, walking, or if I am painting. The noise around me can distract me. The complete awareness that who I am now is nothing like who I was. So, pride often jumps into my happiness in moments like this, but I did it, and it felt wonderful!

In this next group we have family Christmas plus (our Saturday child is joining us).

What I wanted to start but didn’t 🥺 Fridays @ Ryke’s Bakery. I had spent a few Fridays there because it offers a quiet, but still public setting. Using my strategies in speaking, eating, and drinking in public. As an added bonus, I typically walk inside. Extra PT to whatever I’m doing. Oh…and their food is delish…

And the first and only (yet) volunteering trip. I had plans of going at least twice a month, but that first trip wiped me out for almost a full 5 days. Since I added it to my already full therapy weekly schedule. I am so sad I haven’t made it back in yet, but some yucky life has happened.

I spent a little over an hour doing data entry for a local ministry, GoServe. I felt that I could have done more/stayed longer, because data entry is (my jam) something I would have chosen before the accident. It helps, too, that the beautiful woman, pictured with me, served together several times before. Years before the accident. She and her family actually kept my kiddos during my last labor in 2010. It was so exciting to be serving with her again.

So, that basically brings us to recent weeks in my life…

A few weeks ago, my youngest daughter pulled up a hanging bag that held my uniforms from middle & high school as a majorette. The uniform she is sharing in this picture is from my 8th-grade school year. My family and I were living in PA, and that was the group uniform. You guys, I took private and group baton twirling lessons. It was so crazy to see those costumes again. I was trying to remember why I had kept them until she put this one on and mentioned Halloween. Then it clicked. My daughters were in 1st and 3rd grade the year of my accident. I had been saving them in case they wanted to be cool like me. 😊 I sent this picture to my sister. This is pretty much what I looked like at her age. No, she’s cool like me now.

And then, my oldest daughter ruptured her ACL during her second varsity softball game. It’s terrible because she was looking forward to playing with this group of girls. It’s her favorite sport, and it happened before prom (today, May 2). We keep telling her she will be stronger because of the injury, but man, it breaks my heart to see her cry in pain and frustration. I understand the tears and still feel at a loss for words of encouragement. Watching her begin the rehabilitation journey, I’m deeply reminded that the hard steps of building the foundation are needed to allow space for growth in the fun places, like the softball field.

Speaking of foundational functions…my OT took a clip a few weeks ago to show me how much space I was getting between my mat table and tushy. Again, it doesn’t look like much but…

OT bridges

One last video. Often, I share the results of a 6-minute walk I take with my first out-patient PT. When I shared my last test score with her, she said something like, I have a hard time imagining you moving that fast. So, this one is for you, my friend!

259 feet

😝 friend 😝

Don’t think just walk!

Hopefully, I won’t be gone so long next time. Have a wonderful time until you visit again! Grace & peace to you! ~Heather

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