Soooo, I did it. I’m sure you’re thinking, Yay! She got some new movement in her arm or that I did something crazy for pain. Well, the truth is, not really.

What did was don my “Yellow shoes” and sign myself up for water aerobics. Now you might think what is the big deal?

The big deal is getting over the fear of what people might think and what if I can’t do it.

I had to put myself out there in a swimsuit, which is bad enough, then I had to worry about how my arm looks and all of my scars.

Sometimes we have to set our fears aside and our image of how we think we look to others and just do it. It wasn’t as bad as I had built it up to be in my head. Of course people were curious but they were also very kind and helpful.

There are always going to be things that come up that seem like they were put in your path to hold you back.

I can remember when I qualified for the MyoPro, I was so excited to get it. My insurance company denied my request. I was heartbroken, but at that point, I could have just said forget it or I could do everything within my power to make sure that I got that insurance approval. I’m glad I did!

To quote Kelly Rae Roberts, “Surprise yourself and do the thing that you didn’t think you could do”

Anything is possible if you just put your mind to it. Sometimes it requires a little creativity, but if you keep trying, most often you are rewarded with success.

I wanted to share a few things that I have found that make my life easier and allow me to be that much more independent.

• To button shirts, which honestly if I wouldn’t have found anything to help me, I would have truly been ok. But since I did, this little button helper makes a huge difference.

• I have a pot/pan holder that stabilizes whatever piece of cookware I am using. There is nothing that is more aggravating than chasing a skillet across the stove while scrambling eggs.

• This is the product that I use the most. It is a combination cutting board, vise and it has tines that can assist me with the things that are too slippery to stabilize with my MyoPro.

• Last but not least is my favorite thing. My MyoPro. Without the help of my Myopro, it would take me a lot longer to complete my chores or I wouldn’t be able to do certain things at all.

These are just a few of the things I use to make my life easier. What are your favorite things?

Persistent – Continuing firmly or obstinately in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition.

Finding new and inventive ways to do everyday tasks is always interesting and challenging. How you react to those situations is key.

I’m not going to sugar coat it. It is super frustrating learning to do things one handed.

But what I can say is being persistent in whatever you are trying to do is worth the reward in the end.

Before I got my MyoPro, I relied solely on my good right arm and hand. And while I am adjusting to using one arm, having the MyoPro to help me navigate some two handed tasks, makes a big difference.

From hanging clothes to folding towels, the MyoPro makes that task easier.

One thing that I cannot do is fold a fitted sheet. If I’m telling the truth here, I couldn’t fold one when I had two good hands.

Seriously though, the MyoPro does give me the ability to do food prep, carry a laundry basket and offers me the ability to stabilize a water bottle while I open it. I am constantly learning things that the Myopro helps me do.

By being persistent, I continue to grow and learn new ways to navigate my new normal.

You did what? You were able to tie your shoes? You were able to put peanut butter on celery?

For real! I. Did. Just. That. So much of what I’m learning about life with a Brachial Plexus Injury involves not just the intense desire to be independent, it also involves patience. A lot of patience.

Hmmm, I will say that I thought that I was a pretty patient person. I didn’t get too wound up about things. News flash! I am not. Not even close. Especially when it comes to doing things that I have done almost my entire life.

Relearning to walk again along with learning to live my life with one arm, took and still takes a great deal of patience.

Amidst all of that craziness and hard work, I found out that I was a candidate for the MyoPro. The MyoPro is an orthotic designed to help anyone with a paralyzed arm. I was so excited! I would be getting a device that would allow me to use my arm again.

Once I received my MyoPro and learned how to use it, the real lesson in patience began. It is trial and error, it is joy and frustration and it is hard work and dedication and totally worth it.

Each day I learn something new that I can do with my MyoPro on that I am otherwise unable to do, like putting peanut butter on celery.