"People who don't see you every day have a hard time understanding how on some days--good days--you can run three miles, but can barely walk across the parking lot on other days,' [my mom] said quietly."

"I often wished that more people understood the invisible side of things. Even the people who seemed to understand, didn't really."

"Before I knew it, I was once again being whisked down the hallways at the new hospital into an even bigger room, one that, unbeknownst to me, would be my home for what would feel like a long, long time."

"As I sat up I turned my head to the side, but immediately straightened it again when I felt a sharp pain shoot through my neck."

"All of a sudden, my right hand was dead, unplugged, and my left was definitely not working right."

"A blur. That’s what it felt like to me"

"The weekend was a much-needed breath of fresh air; Monday always seemed to not only take that breath right back, but add a few extra pounds to my shoulders as well."

"I wondered if there was anything [the doctor] could do to to make the pain disappear and my arms work again. I wondered if I was going to get any worse than I already was. If so, I wondered if he could fix that, too."