Lifting 12.5 lbs!!!

My trainer, AJ, was proud, too

To many, it might sound like nothing, but for me, 12.5 lbs was huge. 

I can hardly express how proud I was that my body could lift that number on the dumbbells. (Actually, each was 12.5, so essentially, I was lifting 25 lbs. Get outta here!!!) 

It's important for stroke survivors to have regular workouts. Otherwise, a stiffness that hinders everything, including the mind, begins to settle in.

Afterwards I sat in the car and nearly cried. For a brief moment, I had the clarity to consider what I've accomplished since having the stroke. There are too many to list, but my book, My Stroke in the Fast Lane: A Journey to Recovery is one of them. Now volunteering at the Phelps Hospital Caregiver Center I am able to impart a bit of optimism to stroke patients and their families. 

My mantra is, "You can do it!" Today, lifting 25 lbs was something I am proud my body can do.