Day 2: Moment you felt most satisfied in your life

My turtle shell on the far left along side braces I made for school.

Day 2 of the blog challenge and this one really is a challenge!  I know this may sound a bit silly but when I could take off my turtle shell for good was probably one of the most satisfying moments in my life.


My back problems began when I was around 13 years old and I was 21 when I finally had my reconstructive surgery.  I had put my body literally through hell in those years.  I will be completely honest when I say I am incredibly surprised that I don't have any liver damage from all of the medications and narcotics that went through my system.  After my surgery I was elated that I could move my toes which meant I was not paralyzed and they steered clear of my spinal cord.  I was scared that I could not see anything and experienced temporary blindness for close to two weeks.  Even with my turtle shell I felt weak standing and sitting.  My parents had to help me up out of bed and off the couch.  They even had to help bathe me the first time after I got home from the hospital (funny story of me sitting on a patio chair in my swimsuit trying not to pass out as one of them held me and the other one washed hair, arms, and legs).  I needed help in an out of my turtle shell until I figured out a way to do it myself.


For four and a half months there were times I felt absolutely helpless living in my turtle shell.  Once the doctor told me that enough bone had filled the space where my discs had been between my vertebrae I would be able to take the turtle shell off for good, I was relieved and terrified at the same time.  I thought that I could finally get on with my life.  For about the first month or so it felt weird as though I had lost a part of me.  As weird as I felt I was extremely satisfied that I was to a point in my recovery that I could just be me again.  I had not been me for years and getting back to me was the greatest thing in the world along with not living everyday in pain.