Day 51 - A Secret...Revealed. :)

Hello lovelies!
I hope you all had a wonderful weekend, and are having a fantastic Monday so far!
Yesterday was all right.
Went to my cousin's birthday party, had my cake, ice cream, and pizza, and exercised as soon as I got home.
It made me feel tons better.
But I actually enjoyed myself instead of freaking out, which was good.
I am so excited.
My dad opened our swimming pool a couple of days ago, and he said it should be fit to swim in tonight!
More exercise for me, to speed up this fat loss and muscle gain!
I do not use a swimming pool the way most other people use it.
See, I cannot actually swim very well, so I just walk laps in the water.
It is still very good exercise for me, and it loosens my leg muscles up, which is really important.
I do not think I have told you all this, but I have spastic diplegic cerebral palsy.
If you do not know what it is, it is basically when two of four limbs (either both legs or both arms; legs in my case) are abnormally stiff and/or contracted, causing them to be very weak.
There can also be balance problems involved, which I definitely have.
I do have some fine motor issues with my hands and fingers at times as well, but I have complete control over them 99% of the time.
It is caused by brain damage.
I was a preemie baby, born at 27 weeks.
I had bleeding in my brain as a baby, hence the CP.
I am extremely fortunate though, because I can still walk.
I can walk around the house and things and short distances without any sort of aid.
For longer distances, I use a forearm crutch on my right side.
I fall a lot, and am constantly finding new bruises on my legs due to my lack of balance.
It is quite comical, really.
You would think I had it in for myself. :)
I have not known life without my CP; I have had it since birth.
Luckily for me, it is not genetic, so I cannot pass it on to my kids.
My CP is another reason why losing weight and becoming healthy is so important to me.
If I am at a healthy weight, my muscles and joints will not be in so much pain.
Not to mention, it should help my chronic lower back pain.
Yay, nerve damage. >.<
Because I have CP, I have a very special friend who helps enhance my quality of life.
Enter my assistance dog, Jen, from an organization known as Canine Companions for Independence.
These highly trained, specially bred dogs (Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and a mix of the two breeds) know over 50 specialized commands intended to enhance the quality of life of their partner.
Jen can open and close doors, turn lights on and off, carry things for me, pick up things that I have dropped, and so much more.
One of the biggest things she does for me is enhance my mobility by helping me to feel balanced when I am walking.
I have my crutch on my right side and her on my left. :)
She has truly been a godsend.
I can tell you, without a doubt, that I would not have made it through these past three years of university without her.
If you would like to learn more about CCI, visit their website at http://www.cci.org/
Wow, this is my longest blog ever!
I guess when you have a secret to tell, the excitement makes you more talkative than usual. :)
I hope you all have a wonderful day today!
Hang in there and stay strong lovelies! <3

Food:
- 1 strawberry Special K bar (+90 calories)
- 1 stuffed quesadilla Lean Pocket (+170 calories)
- 1 graham cracker (+70 calories)
- 5 honey wheat pretzel twists (+55 calories)
- 2 hot dogs on bun with mustard (+600 calories)
- 1 club cracker (+70 calories)
- 5 saltine crackers (+60 calories)
- 1 push up (+90 calories)
Total: 1,205/1,320 calories

Water: 80/74 fl. oz.

Exercise: 150 twisting crunches, 150 regular crunches, 150 jackknives, 100 reverse dumbbell curls, 100 regular dumbbell curls, 100 dumbbell flies (each arm) and 50 regular pushups

I figured that as long as I am revealing secrets, I might as well show you what I look like. This was one of my senior pictures, taken in 2008. Me and my JenJen. <3