What's new?

I’m now a proud aunt to a 3rd baby girl! On October 16, 2023, Emersyn Scott Steinman was born. Sisters Avery, 10 and Madilyn, 3, are happy to have another sister. Now I have another niece to spoil! I shared some pictures below. Also, my birthday was the 19th. I didn’t do much, except have some cheesecake after dinner. I don’t eat many sweets, so that’s a big deal for me. Although I do love cheesecake.

Emersyn and Me

Emmy

Madi, age 3

I’m so glad the pandemic is pretty much over. It’s allowed me to get out of the house more. That especially means ABLE, which I have been working hard at still. I believe being able to go to Sister Kenny twice a week has been one of the most beneficial things for me. Not only physically, but mentally as well. Being able to focus and connect the two is vital, especially for someone with a spinal cord injury. It also feels great to get some exercise.

I remember back when I was talking about how much water weight I had gained, causing edema. After being in the hospital in the beginning of March 2021, I wrote about my progress. The following quote is from a blog post I did August 9, 2021.

“Since being in the hospital to try to find the source of my edema, I’ve lost over 20 pounds of fluid. I guess they were right about my seizure medication being the source of my water weight gain. I feel so much better, and people have been noticing a significant difference as well. There is more fluid that I could lose over time, and I believe ABLE will help with that.”

After weighing myself this past Saturday, I can successfully say I went from 190 pounds before the hospital down to 134 pounds. That’s a total of 66 pounds, and I’m pretty sure most of it is water weight. I’m not trying to lose anymore, as I’m feeling healthier and better. I really notice a difference from the pictures I shared above with Emmy and the ones I shared in 2020 with Madi when she was born.

Jenni

Here are some recent poems I have written:

Feeling Pain

Pain walks into my life

needing more than I can give

no matter how loud I scream

it doesn’t ever want to leave

Like a homeless dog

who comes to the back door

wanting nothing more than help

not able to give it attention

Unlikely to leave me soon

I’m forced to feed it even more

finding a space within me

might take some freedom away

Lights flicker when I leave

any room between the gates

showing just how much I feel

like it will never be the same

An unbearable task at hand

I’ve come to an agreement

I seek for freedom to live a life

where doors are always open

Opening up

Something came into the world,

changing me, broadcasting out

ways I would have never known,

without experiencing this time

Feeling the movement growing

seeing strength outside the plain

breaking open, becoming bigger

I step beyond limitations aside

Using a footstool to reach higher,

diving into an ocean of beauty,

ripples spread, touching others,

giving eyes to see and ears to hear

Shedding away, opening my core

grateful to be alive during this time,

allowing an experience to view

vulnerable sides showcasing time