Faith is a very powerful coping mechanism for rehabilitation. I never consciously embraced it after my injury until my 20s, even when miracles seemed to embrace me throughout my early recovery (please see my post The Power Of Humor in the ‘Coping Mechanisms and Other Crutches’ category.) In my early teens, I walked laps in the pool with no human support, just the water; God was the water. I even hung on to the ladder and danced my own version of ballet. (I will make a link to my post The Early Years here when I finish writing it.) I think I had LOTS of people praying for me. And God knew my heart was with Him whether I took time to pray or not; I was living by faith.

When I was at my most outwardly faithful, in my early 20s, I walked around in friends’ houses a few times without the wheelchair. It was available, but I chose to use faith for support, and I never fell. I always had someone watching, but I don’t recall ever needing anyone. I even walked up stairs a couple of times (with someone right there ready to catch me).  But now, I look back and cringe and say ‘Elizabeth, all of that was stupid. God gives us a brain and judgement.’ If I had thought further instead of having blind faith, I would have said to myself  ‘Start out small. Practicing the walking is good for you, but God will help you achieve the stairs goal some day if you strive for it. You do have severe balance problems, you know.’

Faith is definitely a good crutch, and when I believed God was the water in the pool situation, I was fine mentally and physically. And even now, I, with God, defy logic physically when I strive for it. Faith is my crutch, but the striving is up to me.