HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Dear Friends,

we hope your holidays were as relaxed as ours. We wish you all a happy, HEALTHY, prosporouse 2011.
Many challenges will await Team Baldwin but I am determined to pull through and push on. The Friday prior to Christmas week, I felt the best I had felt in a long time. Why? For the first time I was honestly convinced I will prevail, I have a plan to collect my respect back from the ones who have been lacking to pay it forward to me. Not many of them but in particular one that is just plain and simple a black and white thinker.
The MEB (Medical Evaluation Board) process is dizzying sometimes and a lot of appointments to go to. I have to revisit with old foes, not people, but rather locations I just dislike to go to due to many unpleasant experiences. The meaning of MEB usually hits all soldiers hard and scares us if we are honest about it. It's not where you want to be. It means you are not well, injured, sick, whichever may be but it's something you have to do in order to be set for your future. The future itself appears sometimes as a black hole, unsure where you are heading anyway.
But through the support of many, my wife, my family, friends, some are vets some are civi, health care providers,  I know there is a future for me, one that just might be very bright actually. It's up to me so, to do the hard work to get myself back in gear, physically and emotionally.
I have been doing alright emotionally and also physically, I am advancing well but it is not Military fast.... ;0)
Because of my physical therapies I have gained a lot more sttrength, coordiantion, and given it still will take a lot longer but at least it's an experience that shows with endurance I will continue to improve untill I get where I want to go.
For some of you it may sound odd that some one like me gets excited aboiut being able to pour my own water, pick up a bottle or cup without knocking it over/spilling but for me the way I view it it's a positive, huge progress which needs to be celebrated either internally or externally. Currently I celebrate more internally but that's what is more important anyway becasue I can feel the good vibes of "small" victories.
I walk quite well without too much help from others, for me it's all about correct posture. I swam again and did well despite me being on medications for my condition. I will challenge myself to swim more next time around. I am doing well transfering myself from a chair into another, or bed, or up right position.
Today at PT I walked the best I have in a long time, my buddy video taped it, Bianca got to watch it and between her and my therapist, they were thrilled about how good I looked. I had just a little help and the rest was all ME! Now how about them apples....!

More to follow soon, keep tuning in for hopefully more good news across the board. This year just has to be my year!

Be well and God bless!