Some music...

https://soundcloud.com/wade-odum/

2013-05-23

 

Here it is on Thursday, May 23, 2013 and my daughter graduates high school tonight…I’m still reeling from this fact…proud, very proud, but in constant state of adjustment.

Last week was monumental for me; I volunteered for the Casa Senior boards (8 hours both Tuesday and Wednesday) and was without my chair and the need for my cane.  :o)  Then on Thursday, I was with Jayden (I mentored him for learning guitar for his 8th grade board or ISP) while he presented his song he learned and then went 2 classrooms down and was with Joshua while he had Annie present to show what he had learned for dog training during his ISP.  All of this without need of my chair and cane (for the most part) and then came Friday which was the 7-8th grade final dance and I chaperoned for the evening.

Missy’s Senior Ball was the following night, but I didn’t get to go…  :o)  She, Eli, Winter and Jacie looked amazing; Eli flew in from Colorado that morning to be there with her, very classy.

Sunday was recovery day but each day had been good.

Monday afternoon and evening came with a hit, the first in almost 2 months+.  Worthy of noting is that the hit came as a result of my losing my balance and falling, hitting my head.  Missy and Eli helped me up and I walked to my bedroom on my own power but the spasms began shortly afterward and the “ride” was on for I don’t know how long.  Tuesday was a recovery day and Wednesday was back to feeling 75%.

I’ve been working on walking between 2 and 5 miles a day without assistance and I cannot begin to express how incredible that feels.

Time to make sure Joshua is ready to go to school…

peace

w

2013.05.14

Took a gamble today and followed through on my offer to volunteer as a judge for the Casa Roble Senior Boards.  
I was at Casa from 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM, just me, my backpack of needs and the rest of the folks involved   I didn't need anyone with me or standing over-watch while I participated.  Nor did I need my motorized chair, walker or even cane!!  I just don't know how to express just how truly God is incredible...to say the very least.  He has allowed me to have strength back into this broken/muscularly-messed-up body, and Lord God knows that I am TRULY the least of anyone deserving this reprieve, let alone A reprieve of any sort.  He has proven His Grace and Mercy to be MORE than sufficient for me, minute after minute, hour after hour, day after day and, truly, year after year.  It's by His Mercy and Grace that I can even type at this point in my life, as well as talk, write/play music and even sing from time to time.  It's nothing less than a Gift of His and is nothing but His Grace and Mercy at work in this beat-up, broken shell.

This time last year (actually, less than a full year), I was still re-learning how to play guitar, speak without slurring my words and walk without the need of my walker.  Even a human body in the early stages of recuperation from a confirmed stroke remains under the sovereignty of Christ and His Will and Healing.
This is something I've needed to say for some time now and I'm humbled and grateful that I even can.

One of God's hands in my recovery and over-all strengthening has been Mark McCoy from PT Clinics, not just from last year, but since the disease kicked into gear in 2006 and began really kicking my butt.  Mark has stood by me, counseled me, consoled me, corrected me and he and Kathy have supported me (and my family) and began a regiment of massage and therapy that kept the disease on its heals, teaching me and my muscles to fight back and hold the ground.  Without Mark and his amazing teams and staff, I would either be thoroughly bedridden or hospitalized to this day, no question.  It has been an honor and true blessing to have been treated by the best in the PT industry, http://www.ptclinics.com .  God will often use the people in your life to make His changes within your life, so keep your eyes open for His touch and your ears open for His voice, even in the midst of pain and confusing distraction.

It's 8:52 PM: Time for bed; I do the boards again tomorrow all-day as well!!!  Awesome.
peace-
w

2013.05.12

How can it be Mother's Day, 2013??  When I was, oh, so much younger, it sometimes felt like time was passing so slowly...but now?  Like a freakin' zip-line with grease.

“Happy Mother’s Day” to my mom, to my wife, to my sister, to my aunts, my sister-in-laws, and especially to Nana, who I miss, and to family and friends, close and far.

Looking back on the last blog entry, it was last year.  I've really no excuse for letting this lapse like it has, though I have encouraging news to share; as of today, I am the strongest I have been in nearly 7 years.  I've held off sharing this on the HKPP list and on the PPA.org site because I think that I we can often get caught up in the moment or emotion of something and then "post" something I feel is significant change, while actually still riding the same coaster I've been on.  Not sure if that makes complete sense, but I feel that there are some good, solid things to share, now that it has been a matter of months, not days or just weeks.

And just like that, we are now on Monday…*sigh*

Okay, let’s see if I can get this done.

First, must have music-flow…..
How about some Herbie Mann from 1972?  
Yes, I think so.  Recorded Live at the 1972 New York and Montreux Jazz Fesivals.      

So, what I want to share is this: I am much stronger physically and even Spiritually than I was even 6 months ago.  One of my dearest friends since grade school days, Harry “Renegade” Reynolds, came up visiting from Southern Cal and he spent many hours and late nights researching HKPP, Periodic Paralysis and my vitamin/electrolyte levels and after he shared what he was finding (my system was consistently low on Magnesium and still on Potassium, we upped my K+ intake substantially and added fair amounts of Magnesium as well and the change is significant and has raised my quality of life greatly.  I still have to contend with attacks from time to time and my superman cape still doesn’t fit, but I’m stronger, which is ULTIMATELY due to the True Superman, Christ and His mercy on me, a speck of human dust in the whole plan of things.  He hears our prayers; please don’t give up on that, even when I do.

For those who fight this disease as I do, PLEASE take a good, solid look at your Magnesium levels and see if there might be some room for improvement.  And, if you are so willing, please shoot me an email or leave a comment here to let me know if anything changes for you.

There is SO, SO very much more to catch up on, especially family-wise, but I’m getting tired, so this will have to do for now.

Peace and love from here, I’m so sorry it has been so long since my last post.  :o(

-w