What Have You Done For the First Time This Week?

How many things have you done for the first time this week?  Perhaps you've been in a rut?  Perhaps you haven't done anything new for a very long time.

This week I have had a week of firsts:

1.  I parked my walker last Saturday and haven't used it since then
2   I put on my pants standing up
3.  I reached a skillet in the back of the cabinet
4.  I drove a car
5.  I went for more than 48 hours without taking a single Oxycontin


I bet by now your thinking, "this guy has lived a sheltered life.  What has he been doing for 50 years? " For many of those years I did numbers 2, 3 and 4 on a regular basis.  However, the first item on this list was a first I didn't expect to ever have to do in my lifetime.  Seven weeks and one day following the removal of a spinal tumor, I parked my walker and began to walk on my own again. So numbers 2, 3 and 4 were firsts again for me.  As for number 5 on the list, I've never taken strong prescription pain killers.  So - for the previous few weeks I'd weaned myself down to just one at night.  This week, I finally used just Advil and found I no longer needed the Oxycontin..

I'm hopeful that you're not having to learn to put your pants on again, but maybe you do?  I hope you can still reach the skillet or drive a car.  But, if you can't, perhaps it's time to begin thinking of what it will take to make that happen.

Physical Therapy (PT)  has been amazing for me and I feel confident that I'm doing things faster than I would have done without an encouraging "coach".  Some other things I did for the first time this week were touch my toes, lunges, squats and walk on a treadmill.  Sure I've done these things before but they are firsts again!  I'm enjoying every one of my firsts - again!

If you have not had a first in a long time, it's time to go for it!  If you have goals to walk again, stretch in a way you've not stretched in a long time or cook your own meal, don't despise your goal!  My first PT goal was to get rid of my walker.  I wanted it to happen faster but 7 weeks was not bad. You can do it too!

I hope and pray that you are healthy!  If so, then you have the ability to choose whatever first you'd like. How about one of these?:

• Try a new food like Sushi, Thai or Indian Curry
• Take a different route to work
• Meet a neighbor
• Go to a movie by yourself
• Put down your phone and be present for your family tonight

Next time someone asks "what have you done for the first time this week?", make sure you have something to share!  Tell me what you've done for the first time this week!  Happy firsts!