An Incredible Year

I have always disliked the entire New Year holiday. Not only did the date mark herald the return to school the following day, but also it has always proved anti climatic. Television shows, movies and magazines portray the holiday as time to attend elaborate parties or to celebrate with hoards of revelers while sharing the best kiss with your true love of your life at the stroke of midnight .

In reality, I think most people mark the turning of the calendar like me. I can be found watching a movie while munching on potato chips and cake. Chances are I will fall asleep on the couch. Scott will wake me at about 11:00 so that I can go to bed. I try to stay up to watch the ball drop, but I quickly become both bored and tired.

However, I am a sucker for the retrospective "Year in Review" that are plentiful during this time. Tying up the past 365 days into a tidy 90 second video clip provides me with an odd sense of closure. As the video stops playing, I inevitably feel a sense of excitement and optimism about the year to come. What is the video for next year going to show? What adventures lie ahead in 2011? The possibilities are endless, which is perhaps the only beautiful thing about New Years!

2010 has been a remarkable year for me. Professionally speaking, I was able to travel to Houston, Chicago, Columbus, California (twice), Missouri, Florida, Atlanta and New York. Robby and I were part of a photo and video shoot and we are now featured in advertisements. On December 31, 2009 I never would have guessed that Robby and I would be models! (The video is on the "In the News" page on this blog.)

I started 2010 confused about where I was headed professionally. Twelve months later I find myself a Spokesperson for Ossur and the Director of Social Media for OPC. I am being paid to write a blog (www.opcnews.blogspot.com), thus achieving my dream of being a professional writer!

My blog has taken directions that I never fathomed. I spoke out about TSA, and, partly because of my story, changes are being implemented. AmputeeMommy went viral, eliciting both praise and sordid hate mail from around the world. I've received kind emails from readers who have been touched and helped in some way through my writings.

Perhaps the greatest honor I received this year was from a new friend in Australia. (I am sharing this story with her permission.) A new amputee with an infant daughter, she was distraught about dealing with her new life. Prepared to commit suicide, she typed and sent her husband a good-bye letter. She explained that something made her search "amputee mom" and she found my blog. Reading my blog, she started to laugh. Her husband rushed to her side and she sought help. She and her husband credit my blog for thwarting her suicide attempt, a compliment which continues to bring me to tears.

This has been an amazing year! I'm facing 2011 with a sense of excitement and enthusiasm that I haven't felt in a long time. I'm sure I'll be making a resolution (or two or three) but for now I just want to focus on the positive. What was your greatest accomplishment in 2010? What made you the most proud?