I’ve always loved to hike. Even at my heaviest, I would walk in the foothills even if just for a few minutes. After I was put on oxygen in March, I knew I would need to wait to walk in the foothills again. I’m on the larger tanks that you pull in a cart, not the best thing for dirt paths and mountainous trails. I was hoping to be put on the smaller tanks quickly but after the Summer passed, I realized that even though I’m improving, it might be some time before I can move to the smaller ones that I can carry on my shoulder.

Not wanting to wait until then, I wondered how I could get walking in the foothills again. Elena Gallegos Park is one of my favorites places, but there is no way I could navigate most of the trails. Luckily, they have a handicap-accessible trail, Cottonwood Springs, that leads to my favorite spot, the wildlife blind! My husband has been great about pulling the tanks if I get stuck, so off we went!

It went much better than I thought. I only rested once, which is a first! I didn’t keep a very fast past, but I made the quarter-mile trip to the wildlife blind in 12 minutes.

Success! I conquered the trail!

Not to mention, when I first got the tanks, it was all I could do to lift them into my car. Now I can lift one over my head without any trouble!