Don't take what you have for granted. You don't realise what you have until you lose it.

You don't know what you have until you lose it, that saying is so true.

Growing up able bodied being able to do what I wanted when I wanted, moving around without pain. I grew up loving gymnastics, my biggest dream was to be Olga Korbut, I modelled myself on her, wore my hair the same way, practised all her work and got her floor work off to a T. I would use wall as beams, doing cartwheels, walk over, back bends, I was soon on walking in my hands more than my feet. I loved to be able to put my body into weird positions, I could throw myself about and land on my feet.

That soon stopped when I hit 14 after jumping over a wall and smashing my knee all my dreams came crashing down around me. I couldn't carry on with gymnastics as my knee wouldn't support me so I tried to be a coach, that didn't last long as my knee wasn't strong enough to support me never mind being there for anyone else.

Going from able bodies to disabled is a massive change as you can well imagine. I pushed myself to cope year after year, working my way up in the jobs I had but having to wear support bandages. I was doing OK until I reached 30, I had lived with the pain since 14 but after having my first born, one Christmas tidying away her toys my leg went, I couldn't straighten it so off to hospital I went, this was the start of things getting so much worse.

Going through 9 operations, with none of them doing me any good, one operation was done wrong back in 1995 leaving my leg in the wrong position for 20 years before they had to re-do the operation. Now to get around I have to use a stick, support bandage and a brace.

Now not being able to do things that I took for granted before such as:

Taking my dogs for a walk,
Walking up stairs, not having to do one step at a time then rest.
Getting and out of a bath/shower and washing yourself
Washing a few dishes
Making a meal
Driving a car I loved t drive, I used to go for a drive to clear my head and get some fresh air
Getting dressed
Going to the toilet without praying to yourself you make it in time.
Going shopping
Its not just not doing them it realising you will never be able to do them again, never being in control of what you do and where you go. Always having to depend on someone to help you, the feeling of being left behind and lonely.

That is one reason I have stopped using Facebook as much, I don't want to see holiday pictures, people having fun, doing things I will never do again, it was to sad to see. Don't get me wrong I was happy for them but felt like I was missing out, being left behind and forgot about.

Don't take what you have for granted, enjoy every minute you have and do as much as you can, don't waste a minute.

Thank you @son-of-satire