My lymphedema started when i was 18 years old at its heaviest.

It got to be 150 pounds.

I was bedridden for three and a half years.

I would love to walk without the walker.

First, baby steps, baby steps, yeah, going outside and walking outside, yeah.

How do you feel about that?

Nervous but excited?

Okay, it’s so beautiful outside, always looking out the window.

That was my view for about four years.

Almost after a while it doesn’t seem real anymore.

It’s almost like watching a tv show.

I was bedridden 24, 7.. no breaks, no bathroom, no kitchen, no, nothing.

For almost four years of my life i have lymphedema, dystociasis syndrome of the Foxy2 mutation.

It causes me to swell in certain parts of my body, not everywhere, but just certain parts.

The main point where to start swelling was my right leg being stuck in bed for so long, day after day.

It has its challenges.

It can be really hard.

It can also be whatever you make it.

I had a policy of celebrating every little thing i possibly could.

One thing that i learned from my mom: my mind isn’t broken.

So even when my body was broken, my mind could still be free.

I could still learn things like: i learned how to do the ukulele.

I started coloring.

I started doing bed yoga because at that time i was using a bed pan and my mom, who was physically handicapped, would have to help me with my bed pain.

It was such a struggle for her.

I didn’t want her to struggle anymore, so i practice these stretches so that i can get the range of motions to do those things by myself.

My mom was one of the most wonderful human beings you could ever encounter and she was my best friend in the whole world.

Whether it was over a video chat or she was just rubbing my leg up into the wee hours in the morning because i was hurting.

She was with me.

My situation got life-threatening, but when my skin started peeling off and i had such a severe bacterial infection, they said if i would have waited any much longer, i would have died.

That’s a scary thing, almost dying.

The surgery was about 12 hours long.

It was one of the biggest that the doctor had done at the time.

It is a debulking surgery.

It’s when they take off all the extra tissue and drain the fluid and stuff off the leg, and then they do skin grafts and replace the skin onto the leg, and then the leg won’t be able to do much swelling ever again.

Unfortunately, a month and eight days after my surgery, i lost my mom.

She, she was my best friend and my caregiver, but most of anything she was my mom, and that was by far the hardest thing.

I told you we need an extra pair of gloves.

We’re doing great.

So much work.

Almost got it, almost got it almost free- the huge mask that was my leg.

It took skin from that part of my leg and used it to coat this most of the skin graft didn’t take.

So it’s not a pretty girl, but it’s mine, and you know i didn’t have to get my leg cut off or anything like that.

Yeah,

But like, look at how far it’s come from where it was before.

Yeah, like all this was so big.

This is actually better than what it was, which is good to think about.

When they did the surgery, they cut off 120 pounds of leg, including fluid, and i just say that they cut off the skinny girl.

Good job.

My life since the surgery has been a lot of learning curves.

I’ve had to re-learn how to walk, i’ve had to re-learn how to use the toilet, so potty training, but it’s been exciting.

It’s been an adventure.

Should i dab?

I think i should go.

What is he doing?

He’s coming.

Hey, Camila, in here i work for an ambulance company.

We were sent to the hospital to pick up somebody, to be transported from the hospital, to be transported back home by the time i had met carmen the first time i had not been outside in about a year, except for riding down to the ambulance.

Carmen opened the doors to her ambulance truck and just let me feel the sunshine, which is something that almost made me cry because i hadn’t felt it in about a year.

Going outside and walking outside on uneven turf.

Yeah, How do you feel about that?

Nervous but excited?

I’m willing to embrace it and start having adventures, because i’ve been in bed for way too long and just getting out of the bed is the first step.

But the fact that you can now stand because you, basically, you now have two legs, i’m sure, do you know?

And like actual eggs, actual legs, what’s up, Mila?

Hey, Haley, you ready for the exercises?

Yes, so start off with your account on one two.

She had really amazed me about how strong she is inside, no matter how much pain she’s in.

I have just been so impressed how she can just tough it out.

Thank you, one more.

Come on 20.. good job, give me some.

She has lived in a bed for almost four years.

She’s just learning, just like a little kid starting to walk again, or somebody you know going outside for the first time.

That’s what it’s going to be to her.

It’s all new.

I would love to just walk through the grocery store without getting tired or needing the walker.

I would like to go on a date.

You know something simple like that.

Oh, here we go.

I am getting it

And i have a future with an even bigger purpose, and what you’re looking at now is the start of that even bigger purpose.

Yes, girl, oh gosh, they just felt right.

That was my first first group of long steps without the walker.

It was amazing.

Oh my gosh, thank you, God.

Thank you guys, you did it.

I love our little family.

I’m right behind you, Yay.