My left leg continues to tighten up to the point that it is difficult to get out of a chair. I go to get up and my leg stays in the sitting position. I literally have to straighten my leg manually and slowly begin to limp forward until it loosens up. For the first time, I feel like I've stalled moving forward with my physical recovery and actually have started backwards. Not fun!

The doctors are being very proactive and working with me by prescribing muscle relaxants, but none of the oral relaxants have had a positive effect to date. Tomorrow, I will be going to the hospital for a "spinal tap" and my Physiatrist will be administering liquid Baclofen in my lower back. The Dr. hopes that the direct application to the lower half of the body will loosen the tone and allow my leg to loosen up. If the test is successful, the next step will be to have a Baclofen Pump surgically implanted under my skin. The pump will dispense the medicine on a regular basis which will hopefully keep the leg from tightening up. Medicine is incredible!

If you are reading this and wondering "Is Dan feeling bummed out by all of this?", the answer is NO. If you've kept up to date with my progress, you know that anything beyond being able to breathe on my own was considered a bonus. I had mentally prepared myself to be in a chair for the rest of my life. God had other plans for me and I still can't believe I am up and walking (I get shivers every time I write or say that). But, I was willing to accept my fate back then, and I'm more than willing to go where God wants to lead me now. I think sometimes we get a "wake-up" call and after a few weeks/months/years, we slip back into taking things for granted. After not being able to even make my pinky finger move, I refuse to take anything for granted ever again. This morning, I hugged my kids (like every morning now) like it was the last time I would be able to hug them. You know what? My kids understand how important that hug is to daddy and they know without a doubt that I love them very very very much. What more could I want?

Dan