High Five!

I cannot believe that it is going to be FIVE years since the loss of my right hand. Today, August 11th, was the day that started it all five years ago.  It was just another day, or so I thought.

As I sit here and reflect on what I have overcome, accomplished, the places I have been, and the people I have met, I am just in awe of not what I can do but what I can do with Christ. Without Him there is absolutely no way in the world I would be who and where I am today.

Since it has been five years and I only have five fingers ha, I just wanted to take a moment and highlight five things that have really stood out to me over the last five years...

1. Nothing is impossible.

    After you lose a limb, your dominate one especially, it can be very challenging. Re-learning day to day tasks and trying to figure out what you are capable of. Two things that I really struggled with was tying my shoes and putting my hair in a ponytail. As a girl no one can do your hair just how you like it so in a way I felt as if my independence was stripped away from me. I had to rely on whoever I was with at the moment to do it for me, my roommate, friend, mom or dad (and let me tell you he wasn't the best ponytail putter-upper ha).
     In April of 2013, I finally figured out a way to do it all by myself just me, my nub and I haha! I was just browsing the internet when I came across a video of a girl who had the same limb difference as me, she made a tutorial about putting her hair up. I watched it a couple times and thought well if she can do it so can I. Boom, first try I got it!!! Tears welled up and ran down my face! I DID IT! Something I never thought I would be able to do again I did it!! A sense of accomplishment overwhelmed me as if I just finished running a marathon, yet I only did a small simple task, one that I had done for the last 17 years. But to me it was like completing a marathon, I felt on top of the world after that!
   Tying my shoes was another thing that I just could not get the hang of. I would fumble over the laces or I would not get it very tight and they would come undone. That frustrated me. I've never been one to ask for help I wanted to figure out ways to do things on my own. But when it came to tying shoes that was something I had no problem asking someone else to do for me! Thanks to all of you who have had the wonderful privilege of tying my shoes over the last five years hehe!  
    A few weeks ago I had the honor of working a fantastic camp called NubAbility (I will have to write a new post to tell you all about that awesome experience). NubAbility was an all sports camp for children with limb differences.
     I was one of the basketball coaches and during one of our shooting games a young camper yelled "Carley hurry come tie my shoe!!" I quickly turned and looked around hoping there was another Carley behind me somewhere. Nope definitely not, she was talking to me, shoot. I'm thinking to myself "crap I am not good at tying my shoes, I am so slow! It's just going to come untied and I'm going to be embarrassed"
    "Carley hurry it is almost my turn!" the camper yelled again. Well here goes nothing I thought, I ran out on the court knelt down and managed to tie her little shoe in a matter of seconds! I walked off the court like I had been tying shoes one-handed my whole life but inside I was yelling and doing flips! Oh my word I just did! I had never tied my shoes that fast or that successful for that matter! Another daily task that I am sure you do without even thinking about it was another major accomplishment for me.
  
     You see, nothing is impossible. Do not ever say you cannot do something. Impossible is just two words that got squished together; I'm Possible. Even five years later I am still figuring out things I can do and surprising myself each day. So don't give up. Don't ever say you can't. I know you can and more importantly God knows you can and that you are capable of much more than you think!

{Ps. I did not think I was going to write a novel on point one, so keep an eye open for the next four points} :)