Living in the moment

I figured its about time for an update.

Let's see, let me start with a new development in my life. Until last week I had plans to start my residency with Scheck and Siress in Jan. After lots and lots of thinking, going back and forth and a slight early mid- life crisis I have decided that I am going to postpone my residency indefinitely. This is for a few reasons. First, I am at a point in my life where I have a lot of opportunities to do many things that I enjoy including; motivational speaking, various events with non- profit organizations such as the Wounded Warrior Project and the Challenged Athletes Foundation, and continuing to train for swimming and other athletic events. All of these events that I go to, athletic and others I enjoy so much and by doing a full time residency I would be unable to go to most of them. I am trying to live in the moment and do what truly makes me happy. And for the time being, it is being able to attend these races, speaking and other veteran events. This is not to say that I will never go back to prosthetics as I do want a career at some point, but its not my time quite yet. I feel unbelievably lucky to have the opportunity to be at this point in my life where I can do what I enjoy in the moment.

That being said I have decided that 2012 is the long term goal for now. After watching the NBC Paralympic special and seeing myself race on USN I realized just how unhappy I was with my performance in Beijing. I don't want to go out that way and although I am going to take it meet by meet and see how my times are, 2012 is the goal.

I am in the process of looking for a competitive swim team here in Chicago. It is hard since I have been traveling so much but I have a few ideas. Once we get back from the New Year I will start in full swing. Hopefully with a good swim team, weight trainer, possible triathlon coach, etc...If my job is going to be to continue as an athlete I might as well put everything I have back into it. I am also a definite 'in' for the Sadlers Alaska Challenge so training needs to start for that as well..

So, yeah, that's the latest...

This past week I was in NY for a WWP/ DSUSA dinner. My mom joined me and we had two days as mother and daughter in NY which was nice. We went to Central Park, saw Chicago on Broadway, saw the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes, got to go on the floor at the NY Stock Exchange and attended a wonderful dinner put on by the Wounded Warrior Disabled Sports Project. It was a dinner celebrating the success of veterans and athletics and I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of it. General Petraeus was there as well and it was a huge honor to meet him. (See above pictures)

I am heading out tomorrow to visit a friend in TN and then go to my parents for Thanksgiving. I doubt I will write again before then so Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Oh and if you get the chance on Thanksgiving night watch CNN with Lou Dobbs at 7pmEST. You'll see my smiling face.