2013 has been a good year for me. I was bless to find an exceptionally skilled surgeon that was able to remove the tumor from my brain last January 10, to have a wonderful supportive husband, and to have many supportive friends during my recovery. I am thankful for my improving health, which is so much better than a year ago. While I continue to have some challenges, I am slowly getting my life back in order.
My eyes are learning to adapt to my work at the University of Oregon. I continue to work part time as my brain continues to heal and I learn adaptive life skills. Thank goodness for my special prism glasses that allow me to see single vision directly in front of me. I continue to have super sensitive hearing, similar to Superman. I have been tested and the audiologist confirmed I hear sounds that most people do not hear. Due to my auditory sensitivity, I wear custom fitted ear plugs in public. I can still hear everything, but sounds are a bit duller and more comfortable for me to handle.
My latest milestone is that I have recently started to ride a bicycle. My doctors suggested if I want to ski this year, I should get use to visually handling motion by riding a bicycle. That is because my eyes and brain still have trouble processing motion and spotting objects quickly while I am in motion. The experience of processing peripheral motion on a bike will be similar to what I will need to visually process on the ski slope. I had my first bike riding adventure a couple weeks ago and it was much like when a 5-year-old child first learns to ride a bike. I started out wobbly, but after a couple of pumps of the peddles I started riding in a straight line. Now, I am up to about 4-5 blocks. Afterwards, I am over stimulated and worn out, but it is very exciting to be back on a bicycle again.
The next year is full of promise and of goals yet to achieve, but with God’s help, and the loving support of my husband and friends, anything is possible.
