Looking forward to 2019

Happy New Year 🥳! A new year upon us - new chapter, fresh outlook to the future. A new year traditionally allows us to set new resolutions we hope to achieve. In January 2014, I changed my perspective - instead of resolutions, I would make goals to achieving looking at my physical, mental and financial healths. Definitely my goals for 2019 would involve all 3 healths.

My financial health this year is to remain debt-free and have enough financial security to face any of the unknown decisions that lie ahead this year.

The goals for my mental health is primarily to continue with a positive frame of mind. Yes, I will have my bad or rough or frustrating days on my road to recovery; I need to acknowledge those feelings as they are real and would be worst if ignored. What my goal is to learn not to stay too long in that “sad or negative space”. Having a positive outlook as well as surrounding myself with family and friends providing me with positive encouragement has gotten me this far in my journey with GBS. It will be important to have moving forward in my recovery too as I aspect I will have rough painful days ahead as I aim to get physically better this year.

The goals for my physical health is more specific as I continue my recovery. As it has taken over 2 years to get where I am today (a quadriplegic from the shoulders down with movement in my upper/lower limbs), it’s important to have goals but they need to be realistic to avoid discouragement and disappointments. One of my primary focuses for 2019 is to return to work as a coding coordinator in data collection for AHS Calgary zone Health Records Department. I received notification in November 2018 that explained my next assessment is now June 2019. So goals I am making will only be for the next 6 months.

  • Improve fingers/hand dexterity to handle the remote controls of a powered wheelchair 
  • Purchasing a powered wheelchair is that is smaller in width so literally, more doors would open for me
  • See Dr. Chris White, a neuromuscular physician at his Neuromuscular Rehabilitation Clinic to determine the next stages of my recovery 
  • Through therapies I will continue seeing signs of strength and mobility in upper and lower limbs
  • Though I am aware of current barriers going back to work, hoping I will be able to work with the AHS ability advisor to return to work in some capacity. Important for gain feeling of independence and self-confidence too. 
  • With assistance of my facility’s nutritionist, continued working on my weight loss program. Knowing the weight loss will make it easier for me when I begin to walk again in the future. 
Finding out life with GBS it strips your self-confidence and being a total care patient; it stripped my independence. 2019 is my opportunity to find those things again.

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