|
|
Welcome Back!
Welcome back, and Happy New Year to everyone. I hope you had a good, well-deserved holiday break. It is such a good time to spend with family and to rest and get recharged for the rest of the school year. Kathy and I were very fortunate to be able to spend time in Chattanooga with family, and we really enjoyed it. I have to tell you that I received two special presents – one, this beautiful tie (yes, I really said that) with my new granddaughter’s picture as the design. It is awesome! Secondly, my dog Sam started to walk on Christmas Eve. It was a very emotional time to watch him. Here is a short video of Sam’s first steps. He is doing even better today and is on his way to recovery! A year ago, I returned to work after five surgeries following a bicycle accident. I remember coming to the office in a wheelchair and having to attend a news conference that day. As I reflect on that time, I count my blessings every day and give thanks to each of you for your thoughts and prayers. I know that is the reason I am up walking around today. It is so important not to take the little things for granted. For example, I will never complain about getting a parking space far away but instead be thankful that I can walk to my destination. That accident changed my life in many ways. Spiritually, I am so much stronger, and my focus on what needs to happen for our kids has intensified immensely. You see, as you lie there in bed, you begin to think about the legacy you will leave behind, and for me, I want every kid in Fayette County to be at proficiency! It is time to look forward toward the end of this school year. We have fewer than 100 days left to move our students to the next level, so we must all work together to use this time in the best possible way to help our kids! Please know that the folks at IAKSS are ready, able and willing to help in any way. Happy New Year to all! |
|
Appreciate the little things in life
As most of you probably know, I had to have back surgery just before Thanksgiving because my back legs began to be paralyzed. Well, after the surgery, I could not move them at all, and I was really scared. Everything in my hind quarters was completely numb. Then, on top of that, my liver stopped working correctly, but we finally got that under control in about a week. Dad gave me a lot of cottage cheese, and I just loved that. 
Well, I couldn’t walk, and Mom and Dad had to help me with EVERYTHING, and at times it was pretty embarrassing. It is tough not to be independent enough to even walk to get a drink of water. Well, Dad told me this whole situation would allow me to really do some thinking about what is important in life and not to take the little things for granted. Well, on Dec. 24, I decided to try to walk. I had stood earlier, but that was the day I was going to walk. Here is a video of my first steps. Since then, I have been doing even better, and my legs are getting stronger every day. You know that Dad talked to me a lot during the holiday break. He took some time off and spent it with me, and all he kept talking about was that I was going to be able to walk. He kept doing this physical therapy on my legs while he was telling me never to take the little things in life for granted. When I finally was able to walk to my water bowl and took a sip, I thought, wow -- life is good, and I should never take it for granted! Now I just need to figure out how to get some extra treats. Bow wow… |
|
Stu's News is an electronic publication of the Stu's News is sent out approximately once every two weeks, along with occasional special issues. For feedback, comments, or to submit an item for possible inclusion, please visit our Talk to Stu page. For technical issues related to the newsletter or the email announcement list, please contact the Web Team. 
|