#HighFivesAthlete Megan Wemmer shares what she has been up to!
I figured it was time for an update!
Included are some pictures from the end of the summer and early fall, I did some biking and boating with Danielle Scroggs, which was tons of fun.
Jeff and I bought a house in Longmont, about 20 minutes north of Boulder. Jeff built me a ramp up to the back door and had to open up the bathroom so I could get a wheelchair through the door.
I have been continuing to half time (I work as a research scientist at a company called ArcherDX, we are developing DNA-sequencing based tests to diagnose cancer), and continuing to do physical therapy and rehabilitation at Craig.
I am in the PEAK center doing one on one training 1 day a week, I have been on the alter G, and working on activities that focus on standing balance.
I am at my local gym an additional day, where I can use the stationary bike, pool, and weight machines to keep working on strength and endurance. I have been really focusing on core and lower extremity strength and balance, and I have progressed to the point where I can use a walker or crutches to get around the house and for short outings. I gained enough strength in my right leg to cut my full leg brace down to just a lower leg. I’ve been using my leg braces enough for walking activities that I’ve given myself some blisters and had to add padding to my braces to protect my feet!
With the continued progress that I’ve been making I have been thinking about what I want to accomplish with my rehabilitation and to think about setting some more goals.
I grew up in Berkeley, CA and my parents live at the bottom of the hills. There are 38 stairs to get to the front door of the house that I grew up in.
Jeff and I are going to be there for New Years. You can probably see where this is going…we fly in Dec 31st, so I am going to climb the stairs to my parents house. This is something I wasn’t sure I was ever going to be able to do again after my injury. But with the training sessions High Fives has granted me I think I can do it! There will be video and pictures for you, and I’m looking forward to closing 2015 with this accomplishment under my belt.
February 22 will be the 1-year anniversary of my accident, and I want to be able to spend an entire day without my wheelchair before that one year mark. I think I’m getting close, but having to really watch my feet for blisters and pressure sores has made this more difficult, since I’m afraid of doing damage to my feet in the process.
February 7-13 I will be participating in an adaptive ski trip to Crested Butte (organized by Craig Theraputic Rec). I am looking forward to getting on the snow and learning how to sit ski. Jeff and I think this is our best bet for getting back to our cabin, and are trying to figure out what kind of setup will work for the backcountry.
I am continually thankful for being a part of High Fives, I love hearing the stories of other athletes and watching their progress, it definitely inspires me to keep pushing hard to accomplish more in my recovery than I ever thought possible.
